Southern African
Meteorite Recovery Program
P.O. Box 2552
Cramerview
2060

Amateurs in the Service of Science

 Phone +27 11 886 5602
Mobile +27 83 212 8945
South Africa

Deo Gloria
2001.06.03

Easter 2001 Expedition

Members

Trevor Gould
Dr Paul Buchanan
John Ferraz
Rob, Freda and Jane Scott
Peter Baxter
Lynithe du Preez
Eric Brindeau

Results

While two potential finds were returned to the University of the Witwatersrand Geology Department for analysis, none proved to be meteorites.

Acknowledgments and thanks

The team wish to thank the South African Heritage Resources Agency for kindly providing a permit to collect any meteorite finds in specific areas, and especially Ms Mary Leslie.

Thanks also go to the Department of Geology, University of the Witwatersrand, for general and specific assistance with the expedition and its objective.

We would also like to thank Dr Paul Buchanan, a professional meteoriticist, for taking time out to come along and share his expertise with us.

The staff of NECSA [Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa] are also thanked for their kind assistance, especially Dr Marco Andreoli [Pelindaba], Kobus Byleveld [Manager:Vaalputs Facility], and Rhona – who went out of her way to make our expedition one to remember, by providing a guided tour of the facility and local sights.

Expedition Area

The expedition search area was defined by Dr Dion Brandt to be the Vaalputs National Nuclear Waste Disposal site about 100Km SE of Springbok in the Northern Cape.

A large scale satellite image was made available. This was scanned and used in situ.

Site Description

Vaalputs is a large site [about 20Km on the long side] area split by a public road. The area to the West of the road [Garies] moves westward into mountains and includes the accommodation facilities. 1:50000 map number is 3018 Loeriesfontein.

The area to the East of the road is low lying [possible graben] in which sand has accumulated over a long period of time. Owing to strong winds the dune heights are low [about 5m], with a wavelength of about 500m. The wind ablation has scoured the place, presumably leaving any meteorites on the dune surfaces. The Waste disposal site is also here. Owing to the featureless nature of the terrain here, AEC recommend the use of a GPS.

 Itinerary

To be formalised!

Friday 13 April 2001 The team met at Florida and drove on the standard route to Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Wolmaraanstad, Schweizer-Reineke, Vryburg, Kuruman, Upington, Pofadder, Springbok then South to Vaalputs, arriving at 18:00. Rhona from the Vaalputs staff arrived to meet us.
Saturday 14 Rhona kindly provided a tour of the Vaalputs Nuclear Waste facility. We met the Dachshunds and their puppies, as well as the cat and the tame meerkat. We were shown the indigenous gardens, the pits and Rhona stopped in the road to collect a little tortoise for Jane.

We performed the first meteorite search in the vicinity of the airfield, recovering one potential one [Peter Baxter – SA50, which turned out to be a concretion of some sort]. We saw leopard tracks and springbok.

Rhona took us to see the museum and canyon behind the Stoflkoof camp site in the afternoon. We then did a hike which took in springbok, jackal and a quiver tree forest [kokerboom].

Some viewing was washed out by strong winds, which made the telescope unstable.
Sunday 15 Rhona took us to the big kokerboom and Quoi-San paintings.

Another meteorite search at Vaalputs, during which team members saw a puffadder [Peter], a hare and tortoises.

A spectacular sunset was duly photographed. Later Rhona and family arrived to view the sky, but we were clouded out.
Monday 16 In the morning we hunted for meteorites South of Stofkloof. Some took a different route and Paul, Lyn and I went back to find them. Saw the moon, Venus, sunspots in daylight viewing. In the pre-dawn sky saw M57.
Tuesday 17 Rob, Freda and Jane left.

Started out at 05:15 to watch the sun rise at the canyon. Watched steenbok, brown duiker and heard an owl.

Drove to Kap-Kap in the morning, a circular structure seen on the satellite image. Hunted in the area at the back of the Garing chalets. Lyn found almandine garnet. Had dinner [a braai] at chalets.

Wednesday 18 Peter, Eric and Paul left. Lyn, John and I still here. Had full breakfast at Garing after breaking camp, cooked by John and Lyn. Left on gravel road to Garies. John got stuck in sandy river bed crossing and we had to dig him out. Found a vein of haematite. Also found the Namaqualand Wollastonite Mine (PTY) at Garies. Travelled on the main road from Garies through Kamieskroon to Springbok. Camped at Namastad [R10.00/night]. It was noisy and John slept in a Nama hut.
Thursday 19 Late start. Visited Carolusberg Copper Mine [not much found]; followed by Hoit’s Mine [a bunch of mines together] – nice specimens; Stayed at Springbok Caravan Park [better] . Saw dassies and birds.
Friday 20 Traveled North from Springbok through Steinkopf to Port Nolloth. Saw Khoraans, Baboons and found Muscovite schist. Met up with chap who farms oysters, abalone and Knysna seahorses. John bought some oysters. John and I enjoyed fresh oysters that night. Later visited Steinkopf library where we saw their rock collection and the guy who donated them came round and sold me a quartz crystal, later taking us into the veld to collect some for ourselves.

Stayed again at Springbok Caravan Park.
Saturday 21 Left Springbok and arrived at Black Mountain Mine, Aggenys. Mr. Pottie Potgieter, Chief Geologist showed us maps of the different ore bodies and gave us specimens. Then to Pofadder. Upington, Prieska, Douglas. Visited the confluence of the Orange and Vaal Rivers after sunset. Camped at Kimberley Caravan Park.
Sunday 22 Kimberley – Home. Saw rhinos and flamingoes.

List of mineral finds [non-meteoritic]

Almandine garnet schist Vaalputs
Haematite Vaalputs
Wollastonite Namaqualand Wollastonite Mine
Quartz crystals Steinkopf
Chrysocolla O’Kiep mines [Hoit’s], Carolusberg
Chalcopyrite O’Kiep mines [Hoit’s], Carolusberg
Bornite O’Kiep mines [Hoit’s], Carolusberg
Muscovite schist Port Nolloth road
Poss. Olivenite Hoit’s Mine
Pyrrotite Black Mountain,Aggenys
Chalcopyrite Black Mountain,Aggenys
Galena Black Mountain,Aggenys
Sphalerite Black Mountain,Aggenys
Epidote Upington

Comment

This proved to be one of the nicest expeditions so far. The presence of Dr Buchanan gave us the confidence that we were looking for the right kind of material, even if we didn’t find a meteorite.

The philosophy has always been to have an enriching experience first, something to remember, and not to focus exclusively and exhaustively on meteorite hunting, and the value of that approach proved itself once again.

 Spring, 2001

The next expedition will take place in a dune field North of Upington, but South of the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park.  Dates will be announced closer to the time.

Trevor Gould