The general aquifer model for the bushveld complex comprises a perched, shallow aquifer in the weathered zone. Bushveld igneous complex of the transvaal gsa bulletin. Bushveld complex bc sedibelo platinum mines limited. Find out information about bushveld igneous complex. A vast composite body of plutonic and volcanic rocks in the central part of the transvaal, the bushveld igneous complex includes the platinum reef worked by rustenburg platinum mines limited and constituting the worlds greatest reserve of the platinum metals. The geology is described briefly assuming familiarity on the part of the reader. May 2005 lip of the month large igneous provinces commission. Occurrence and petrological significance of graphite in the upper. Kinloch amplats research centre, po box 6540, homestead, 1412, south africa and c. Dec 01, 2004 chromitite layers occur frequently within the critical zone of the bushveld complex. Lee amplats geological services, po box 62179, marshalltown, johannesburg, 2107, south africa. The complex includes the merensky reef, which is the worlds biggest source of platinum as well as platinumgroup metals. Pdf geoheritage of the eastern limb of the bushveld igneous.
This is due to the bushveld igneous complex, an extremely rich saucershaped geological formation that stretches over more than 50,000 square kilometers. Bushveld complex geological formation, south africa. Vanadium and tibearing magnetite layers, which occur throughout the entire upper zone of the intrusion, have formed in response to magma mixing events. In south africa, an enormous layered intrusion, containing over half the worlds platinum, chromium, vanadium, and refractory minerals. Geology 314 accretion of the bushveld complex foreword. Platinum group elements in stream sediments of mining zones. Molengraaff, henderson, kynaston, mellor, humphrey, hall, wagner, and du toit have published the results of study. The bushveld igneous complex bic is the largest layered igneous intrusion within the earths crust. Several studies have been focused on the geochemistry and mineralogy of river sediments and soils of the bushveld complex mining area to trace pgerich layers or to gain an understanding of pge weathering processes and sedimentological characteristics cawthorn, 2001, oberthur et al. As most of the region tends to be dry, the bushveld is mostly beef cattle and game farming country, with only a few droughtresistant crops such as sorghum and millet being farmed, usually under irrigation. Large igneous intrusions layering is thought to represent an upwardaggrading crystal pile. The geology of the bushveld igneous complex, the largest.
Figure 1 simplified geological map of the bushveld large. North west, gauteng, for the western limb and limpopo and mpumalanga for the eastern limb. The complex consists essentially of five adjoining, basinshaped masses of igneous rocks. This article describes the geological and economic aspects of this unusually interesting formation. The archean windimurra igneous complex consists of distinct components, including a thick layered series, with a cumulate mineral stratigraphy similar to the zones identified in the wellstudied. It lies almost entirely within the bounds of the transvaal. Platinumbearing chromite layers are caused by pressure. It has been tilted and eroded forming the outcrops around. A geographical map of southern africa indicating the extent of the bushveld igneous complex bic, in grey.
The residual or roof zone of the bushveld complex, south africa. Clarkmostert twp projects the presence of geological structures in igneous complexes such as the bushveld complex in south africa and the great dyke in zimbabwe is to be expected. The bushveld complex is the largest maficultramafic layered intrusion on earth and encompasses about a million cubic kilometres of igneous rocks that were emplaced into the upper crust 2a05. The bushveld complex is part of the massive bushveld igneous province that also includes voluminous ferroan granites and other felsic rocks, all of similar age of. The significance of magmatic erosion for bifurcation of ug1 chromitite layers in the bushveld complex. This is the preface to a special issue on various aspects of the bushveld complex, transvaal basin, south africa. Origin by doublediffusive magma mixing and applications for the bushveld complex. Media in category bushveld igneous complex the following files are in this category, out of total. It has been considered an intrusive equivalent of a continental flood basalt province, and inferred to be related to a mantle plume hatton, 1995.
Bushveld igneous complex, south africa aster image gallery. Oreforming processes in the upper part of the bushveld complex. It looks like we dont have any akas for this title yet. School of geosciences, university of the witwatersrand. Pdf this is the preface to a special issue on various aspects of the bushveld complex, transvaal basin, south africa. The complex is made up of ultramafic to felsic igneous rocks and formed by repeated injection of magma into an enormous chamber. South africa is the worlds single largest platinum pt producer owing to important resources in the bushveld igneous complex bic.
Mineralogy of the middle group chromitite cumulates at the. The bushveld episode was evidently initiated by the outpouring of andesitic lava on three occasions, and of agglomerate and tuff on one occasion, during the deposition of the transvaal system. An explanation has been deduced for bifurcations of chromitite layers and other features frequently found in exposures of the ug1 and its footwall. Zamani addmore dube 0303958g thesis submitted to the faculty of science, university of the witwatersrand johannesburg in. The bushveld complex bc is a large layered intrusion, emplaced into a stable cratonic setting. The bushveld is one of the most mineralrich regions of the world. The geomorphological history of the bushveld basin gave rise to four discrete physiographic regions found in the study area. The hex river bushveld igneous complex, south africa author links open overlay panel clara. The bushveld igneous complex 1983 release info imdb. They are characterized by a raised ferriferousness of the chrome spinels. South africa is the worlds top producer of platinum, used in everything from jewelry to catalytic converters. The geology of the bushveld complex on the sekhukhune. Formation of bifurcating chromitite layers of the ug1 in the. Bushveld complex bc 300km east west synclinal basin containing vast quantities of pgms and chromite.
Pdf geoheritage of the eastern limb of the bushveld. Introduction to the bushveld complex, south africa the bushveld complex, of palaeoproterozoic age, is located in the central northeast portion of the kaapvaal craton in southern africa, and has an estimated total area of 65 000 km2 hunter, 1976. High underground temperatures reduce labour productivity, the highest cost element of mining. The geology of the bushveld complex on the sekhukhune plateau, eastern transvaal. The bushveld complex, a product of interaction among magmas. The duration of continental flood basaltic magmatism may be of the order of several million years. An intrusive origin of some ug1 chromitite layers in the bushveld igneous complex, south africa. These are the bushveld complex in south africa, the stillwater complex in the u. The project will employ stateoftheart hydroseparation and microanalytical methodology to document and interpret the abundance and distribution of platinum group minerals pgms in the chromitite layers of the central critical zone in the eastern lobe of the bushveld complex south of steelpoort. This formation contains most of the worlds reserves of minerals such as andalusite, chromium, fluorspar, platinum and vanadium.
The bushveld complex, a product of interaction among. Little attention has been paid to the environmental impacts of mining in the region despite the extent of mining activities. Bushveld igneous complex article about bushveld igneous. Bushveld complex deposits of platinum and chromites, situated in transvaal province of the republic of south africa, on the territory of the districts of. The wbjv property is located on the south western limb of the bushveld igneous complex bic, 110km westnorthwest of pretoria and 120km from johannesburg. Bushveld is a rather loose term and refers to the areas of mixed woodland between 1 000m and 1 500m above sea level almost all of south africas 472 000 square miles lie below the tropic of capricorn, and the country is geographically composed of 3 primary regions. Hence, the last magmas were trapped within the intrusion. Not the least of the finds is the amazing body of igneous rocks called the bushveld complex, in the transvaal. Construction expos in south africa recommended for you. Formation of bifurcating chromitite layers of the ug1 in. The bushveld complex in the context of thethe bushveld. Download fulltext pdf the stratigraphy of the bushveld complex. It is approximately 2 billion years old and is divided into four different limbs. Zamani addmore dube 0303958g thesis submitted to the faculty of science, university of the witwatersrand johannesburg in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of.
Geological setting university of the witwatersrand. Pdf the eastern limb of the bushveld igneous complex outcrops in the middleveld, a localized physiographic. The middle part of the early proterozoic was dominated by powerful orogenic. The 2060 ma old bushveld complex of about 66000 km2 extent is a saucershaped layered igneous intrusion and one of the great geological wonders of the world.
It has been tilted and eroded forming the outcrops around what appears to be the edge of a great geological basin. The bushveld complex is located in south africa, between the limpopo and north west provinces and covers an area of approximately 66000 km2 it consists of four groups of rocks. Apr 11, 20 5 years to complete sinking the shafts at the new bakubung platinum mine big construction project duration. Bushveld definition of bushveld by the free dictionary. Here, we present a study on the occurrence of pt in the vicinity of mines in the bic. Numerous mines, tailings piles, and leach ponds are shown in blue. Upb geochronology documents outofsequence emplacement. The rustenburg layered suite of the enormous bushveld igneous complex of south africa has been presumed to have formed by deposition. The resources of the wbjv project 3 are located approximately 11km along strike from the active merensky reef mining face at the operating bafokeng rasimone platinum mine brpm. Anthropogenic platinum enrichment in the vicinity of mines. The complex consists essentially of five adjoining, basinshaped masses of igneousrocks.
Simplified geological map of the bushveld large igneous province, which includes the rustenburg layered suite, the rooiberg volcanics and the lebowa granite suite. The bushveld complex, a product of interaction among magmas derived from a mantle plume c. The bushveld igneous complex johnson matthey technology. The chromium deposits of the bushveld complex, the potential resources of which are estimated at 2 billion tons, are found in pseudostrata, persistent for considerable distances, of ingrained and massif ores, 2 cm to 2 m thick in the pyroxenites and anorthosites. Nov 14, 2016 large igneous intrusions layering is thought to represent an upwardaggrading crystal pile. Platinum group elements in stream sediments of mining. Emplacement and crystallization time for the bushveld complex. Characterisation of submicron particle number concentrations and.
In particular, dwars river in the eastern bushveld is well known for the intimate association of chromitite and anorthosite layers. Is there some commonality between the geological structures in the bushveld complex and the great dyke. Location and simplified geological map of the bushveld igneous complex rustenburg. On the relationship between the bushveld complex and its. Three pioneering geologists, arthur hall, hans merensky, and percy wagner, greatly advanced bushveld geology and were involved in the 1924. Geoheritage of the eastern limb of the bushveld igneous complex, south africa. University of pretoria, 1976 bushveld complex south africa 210 pages. Geoheritage of the eastern limb of the bushveld igneous complex. Bushveld complex article about bushveld complex by the free. Platinumgroup elements in the upper zone of the rustenburg layered suite of the bushveld complex. The bushveld igneous complex bic is a large layered igneous intrusion within the earths crust, exposed at the edge of the transvaal basin in south africa. The bushveld complex is the largest maficultramafic layered intrusion on earth and encompasses about a million cubic kilometres of igneous rocks that were emplaced into the upper crust 205 billion years ago as part of a major intracontinental magmatic event. Overview of the palaeoproterozoic bushveld igneous province.
These layered intrusions consist of rocks which cooled slowly from molten magma, deep within the earth. Bushveld igneous complex archives state of the planet. Chromite chemistry of a massive chromitite seam in the. Most of it comes from a geological formation the size of west virginia, called the bushveld igneous complex, created two billion years ago as molten lava from earths mantle bubbled to the surface and cooled. Hatton anglo american research laboratories pty ltd. Novel hypothesis for origin of massive chromitites in the. The bushveld igneous complex bic is known for its laterally extensive platinum group elementbearing layers, the most famous being the merensky reef and the ug2 chromitite in the eastern and western limbs of the complex. Space images bushveld igneous complex, south africa. The complex contains the worlds largest reserves of the platinum group metals, platinum, palladium, osmium, indium, rhodium and rhenium, along with vast quantities of iron, tin, chromium, titanium and vanadium wikipedia.
Chromitite layers occur frequently within the critical zone of the bushveld complex. Platinumgroup elements in the upper zone of the rustenburg. The significance of magmatic erosion for bifurcation of ug1. Just click the edit page button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the akas submission guide. Box 106, crown mines, 2025, south africa chromite and pgeenriched layers in the bushveld are modelled on a process of the cooling of resident lower zone magma by sub. Bushveld complex article about bushveld complex by the.
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