Academic literature on the topic 'Geology – South Africa – Witteberg Group'

Selected outcrops of the Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous, Witteberg Group, Cape Supergroup were mineralogically and structurally analyzed. The study area is located approximately 30km northwest of Kirkwood and 10km south of Darlington Dam, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Strata predominantly consist of arenaceous Witpoort Formation, which includes the Perdepoort, and Rooirand Members. The Perdepoort Member is a thinly bedded quartzite also known as the "white streak". The Rooirand Member quartzite is a highly iron stained red-brown quartzite. The dark-grey, pyritic rich shales of the Kweekvlei Formation overlie the Witpoort Formation in the southern half of the study site. These shales are highly deformed and display closely spaced thrust faults and close folds. The study area encapsulates a range of folding from tight to open folds. Faulting consists of low angle north verging thrust fault, south verging back thrusts, south and north dipping normal faults, and strike-slip faults. Closely spaced, fore-land verging thrusts faults predominate over hinterland verging back thrusts. Normal faulting post-dates thrust faulting and utilized weaknesses in axial planar cleavage and in certain instances existing thrust fault planes. Strike-slip faulting post-dates thrusting and has in places reactivated pre-existing thrust fault planes. Macro scale folding includes overturned synclines and large anticlines which have been eroded, exposing older strata. Fold axes plunge at low to moderate angles west-southwest. This correlates with tension gashes which indicate north westward directed forces. Eastward directed forces are confirmed by the presence of tension gashes and strike-slip movement. The local geology displays north westward directed compression followed by strike-slip movement. Normal faulting post-dates all other structures and is associated with the Mesozoic break-up of Gondwana. The Perdepoort Member was sampled along strike, at different outcrop latitudes. Seven samples were selected for scanning electron microscope analysis. Samples are composed almost entirely of quartz; accessories include, biotite, muscovite, sericite, baryte, and apatite. Epigenetic hematite is present along cracks within certain samples Epigenetic hematite occur along cracks with oxides and phosphates in the form of rutile, apatite and monazite present in a number of samples. When compared to other silica extraction operations the Perdepoort Member appears viable for explotation. However, for the solar cell industry the purity of this horizon is clearly far below that required for industy.

A number of outcrops of the Witteberg Group and lowermost Karoo Supergroup rocks were studied in the area south of the Darlington Dam, Jansenville District, with the aim of documenting structural characteristics of the area. All lithologies are folded with fold styles varying from gentle to near isoclinal (based on interlimb angle). Fold axes are either sub-horizontal or plunging at gentle to moderate angles whereas axial planes dip gently to vertically (predominantly steep to sub-vertical). Folds verge predominantly towards the north but where southward verging they are associated with faulting or strongly folded areas. Folds plunge gently to the east-southeast and west-northwest. The area consists of a large anticlinorium with both first and second order folds occurring. Eastwest striking faults occur in the study area and are classified as normal, reverse and thrust faults. A study of the joint sets shows that there are four dominant joint directions, namely 18o, 33o, 97o and 107o (in order from least to most important). An interpretation of the tectonic history is presented in which the relationships between faults and folds show that faults formed during and after folding. Folding, and reverse and thrust faulting, occurred during the compressional events that formed the Cape Fold Belt, whereas the normal faults formed during the relaxation of these compressional forces or during the break-up of Gondwana.

A structural study of Witteberg Group Rocks was conducted along the Soutkloof River, approximately 14 km east of Steytlerville, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Here a north to south geotraverse was studied in an attempt at unravelling the structural geology of the rocks belonging to the Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous Witteberg Group (Upper Cape Supergroup). These rocks are mostly arenaceous and include quartzite, sandstone, siltstone and shale which have been folded, faulted and metamorphosed. Thrust, normal and strike-slip faulting occur in the area. Shallow south-dipping low-angle thrust fault planes are displaced by steep south-dipping thrust planes and subordinate north-dipping backthrusts. Displacement along thrust planes is predominantly northwards. Steeply dipping thrust fault planes are often reactivated as east-west striking normal faults. Strike-slip faulting postdates all observed structural features and displaces normal and thrust fault planes. Open to tight folds are present and are mostly northvergent and often steepened or truncated by steep south-dipping thrust fault planes. South-vergent folds are related to backthrusting and post-fold faulting. The study has revealed that the current geological map and the local stratigraphy were compiled without recognising major structural features such as thrust, normal and strike-slip faulting and their (the map and currently accepted stratigraphy) validity are therefore questioned. The presence of extensive faulting suggests that the conventional stratigraphic interpretation of the Witteberg Group should be revised.

The variations in the composition, specifically the Cr20 S content and the Cr:Fe ratio, and the morphology of the Lower Group (LG) and Middle Group (MG) chromitite seams of the Critical Zone (CZ) across the western Bushveld Complex, including the Ruighoek and Brits sections, is investigated by means of whole-rock chemical data, both major and trace elements analysis, XRD and electron microprobe data. As a result ofthe paucity of exposed or developed LG1 - LG5 chromitite seams in the western Bushveld Complex, this study is confined to the investigation of the compositional variations of the LG6 to MG4 chromitite seams. In only one section, the Ruighoek section, was the entire succession of chromitite seams, from the LG1 - MG4, exposed. The silicate host rocks from the LG6 pyroxenite footwall to the collar of the CC2 drillcore (lower uCZ) in the Rustenburg section were sampled. This study reviews the compositional trends of the silicate host rocks, as the compositional variations of the chromitite seams reflect the chemical evolution of the host cumulate environment and, to a lesser degree, the composition onhe interstitial mineral phases in the chromitite seams. The compositional variations of the LG and MG chromitite seams are attributed to the compositional contrast between the replenishing magma and the resident magma. The chemical trends of the LG and MG chromitite layers and the host cumUlate rOCKS do not support the existence of two compositionalfy dissimilar magmas in the CZ, rather the cyclic layering of the CZ and the chemical variations of the chromitite seams are attributed to the mixing of primitive magma with the resident magma, both of which have essentially similar compositions. The compositional variations of the LG and MG chromitite seams along strike away from the supposed feeder site (Union section) to the distal facies (Brits section) are attributed to the advanced compositional contrast between the resident magma and the replenishing primitive magma pulses. The CZ is characterized by reversals in fractionation trends and this is attributed to the compositional evolution of the parental magma and not to the replenishment of the resident magma by influxes of grossly dissimilar magma compositions. The Cr20 S content and the Cr:Fe ratio of the MG chromitite layers increase from the Ruighoek (near proximal) section to the Brits section (distal facies). This is attributed to the advanced compositional contrasts between the resident magma and the replenishing primitive magma. In contrast, the Cr20 3 content and Cr:Fe ratios ofthe LG6 and LG8a chromitite seams decreases eastwards from the Ruighoek section. The average Cr:Fe ratio for the western Bushveld Complex is between 1.5 and\2.0, nonetheless, a progressively lower Cr:Fe ratio is noted from the LG1 chromitite up through to the MG4 chromitite seam in the Ruighoek section. tn the LG2 - LG4 chromitite interval a deviation to higher.lratios is encountered. A progressive substitution of Cr by AT and Fe in the Cr-spinel crystal lattice characterizes the chromitite succession from the LG1 seam up through the chromitite succession to MG4. The petrogeneSiS of the chromitite seams of the CZ is attributed to magma mixing and fractional crystallization of a single magma type.

Modern analysis of Table Mountain Group sediments began with I. C. Rust's D.Sc. thesis "On the sedimentation of the Table Mountain Group in the western Cape Province" in 1967. Rust defined the stratigraphy of the Table Mountain Group, produced computer generated isopach and palaeocurrent maps for each formation and attempted palaeoenvironmental analyses based on what data he had available. For work dated prior to 1967 the reader is directed to Rust's excellent review in Chapter 2 of his thesis. The thesis served as a basis for Rust's later published work on the Cape Supergroup. Current published palaeoenvironmental models of the lower Table Mountain Group (the Piekenierskloof, Graafwater and Peninsula Formations) are based on a transgressive fluvial - littoral - shallow shelf model (Tankard et al., 1982) following earlier facies and palaeoenvironmental analyses (Tankard and Hobday, 1977: Rust, 1977; Hobday and Tankard, 1978: Vos and Tankard, 1981). The validity of this model has recently been questioned (Turner, 1986; 1987) although no comprehensive alternative has been proposed to date. The sedimentology of the upper Table Mountain Group i.e. the Pakhuis, Cedarberg, Rietvlei, Skurweberg and Goudini Formations (the latter three the newly named Nardouw Subgroup) has not been studied systematically. Good progress has recently been made on the fossil content of the Cedarberg Formation (Gray et al., 1986; Cocks and Fortey, 1986) and palaeoenvironmental analyses initiated in the Nardouw Formation. This thesis documents contributions to the geology of the Table Mountain Group. It is not the intention of the author to present an extensive overview and treatise on the lower Table Mountain Group, but rather to concentrate on three topics that can provide some insight into Table Mountain Group geology. The following three topics were selected 1) Petrology and Diagenesis of lower Palaeozoic sandstones in the s.w. Cape Sandveldt (Clanwilliam and Piketberg Discricts). 2) Palaeoenvironmental indicators in the Faroo Member, (Graafwater Formation) at Carstensberg Pass, R364. 3) Facies analysis of conglomerates and sandstones in the Piekenierskloof Formation: Processes and implications for pre-Devonian braid-plain sedimentology. These topics form the basis of the thesis.

This thesis examines the geology of the Daspoort Formation (Pretoria Group, Transvaal Supergroup) of South Africa, with the accent on describing and interpreting its sedimentology. The Palaeoproterozoic Daspoort Formation (c. 2.1‐2.2 Ga) forms part of the Pretoria Group on the Kaapvaal craton. This sandstone‐ and quartzite‐dominated lithological formation covers an elliptical geographical area stretching from the Botswana border in the west to the Drakensberg escarpment in the east, with its northern limit in the Mokopane (Potgietersrus) area and Pretoria in the south; altered outliers are also found in the overturned units of the Vredefort dome in the Potchefstroom area. Deposition of the Daspoort Formation was in a postulated intracratonic basin which applies equally to the entire Transvaal Supergroup succession in the Transvaal depository. Various characteristics from the formation, such as sedimentary architectural elements (e.g., channel–fills etc.), maturity trends and distribution of lithofacies assemblages across the preserved basin give insight into the developing conditions during deposition and genesis of the Daspoort Formation. Subordinate evidence from basic geochemistry, ripple mark data and optical microscope petrology studies support the sedimentary setting inferred for this Palaeoproterozoic deposit. Fluvial and epeiric marine conditions prevailed during the deposition of the Daspoort clastic sediments into the intracratonic basin. This shallow epeiric sea was fed by fluvial influx, predominantly from the west when a transgressive regional systems tract led to the filling of the basin, evolving into the deeper marine Silverton Formation setting, laid down above the Daspoort. Transgression from the east (marine facies predominate) to the west (fluvial facies) is supported by cyclical trends, palaeoenvironmental and palaeogeographical interpretations. Accompanying poorly preserved microbial mat features contribute to the postulated shallow marine environment envisaged for the eastern part of the basin whereas ripple marks and grain size distribution support a fluvial setting for the west, with lithofacies assemblages accounting for both areas’ depositional interpretation.<br>Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013.<br>tm2014<br>Geology<br>Unrestricted

Thesis (MSc) -- Stellenbosch University , 1995.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A number of small greenstone bodies of the Bridgetown Formation are exposed as elongated lenses and dykes within metasediments of the Malmesbury Group in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. The Malmesbury Group is part of the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian (Namibian) Saldania Subprovince which is the southern continuation of a Pan-African mobile belt system. A detailed geological and geochemical study was conducted on the largest outcrop of the Bridgetown Formation, situated 20km east of the town Moorreesburg. The Bridgetown Formation consists of a meta-volcano-sedimentary sequence that experienced polyphase deformation and metamorphism up to the lower greenschist facies. Tectonically, the Bridgetown Formation is included in the Boland tectonic domain, east of the Piketberg-Wel lington fault zone that is suggested to run Skm west of Heuningberg and subparallel to the Berg River. This agrees with Rabie's (1974) original subdivision of the tectonic domains. The Bridgetown Formation consists of: i) A basal unit of poorly differentiated alkaline metabasalt with a within-plate tectonomagmatic fingerprint. ii) An intermediate unit of poorly differentiated tholeiitic metabasalt, intruded by a younger tholeiitic metabasite with a low degree of differentiation. Both members of the intermediate unit have ocean-floor basalt (P-type MORB) and island arc basalt fingerprints. iii) An upper unit of poorly differentiated as well as more evolved alkaline metabasalts, interlayered with metatuff with an alkaline basaltic composition, metasedimentary rocks with a marine origin, and graphitic schists and muscovitequartz schists, both with a continental crust provenance. iv) An overlying metasedimentary sequence including dolomite, massive and oolitic chert, jasper and jaspilite. The Bridgetown Formation probably also comprises a lower metamorphosed ultramafic unit, indicated by the association of Ni- and Cr-rich talc bodies, Ni-and errich banded chert, chlorite schist and small dolomite-talc-chlorite bodies at Spitskop, situated directly northwest of the main greenstone body. The sequence of eruptive stages and the geochemistry of the metavolcanics resemble Hawaiian volcanism , indicated by an initial deep water stage of alkaline magmatism, followed by main tholeiitic edifice and post-caldera alkaline magmatism. Post-caldera alkaline magmatism occurred contemporaneously with deposition . of sediments and chemical precipitates (carbonates and cherts). The Bridgetown metavolcanics have no magmatic association with either the Bloubergstrand volcanics or mafic and intermediate plutonic rocks in the Malmesbury Group. However, some physical and geochemical similarities exist between the Bridgetown Formation and the age related Grootderm Formation of the Marmora Terrane (Gariep Supergroup) which is considered to represent ophiolitic material. The Bridgetown Formation probably represents segments of oceanic crust, including seamounts of oceanic islands, which were tectonically emplaced in an accretionary prism zone during subduction of oceanic crust underneath the Kalahari Craton, 600 to 700 Ma ago. This resulted in the present spatial configuration of various small greenstone bodies in the Malmesbury Group. To date no exploitable mineral deposits have been found 1n the Bridgetown Formation. However, Au and As anomalies in stream sediment and soil samples, taken in the Spitskop area, require further attention. lt is suggested that the gold and arsenic is hosted in brittle deformed clear to milky quartz veins which developed at zones of competency contrasts in all the li tholog ies in the Spitskop area.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Aantal klein groenskisliggame van die Bridgetown Formasie is blootgestel as verlengde lense en gange binne metasedimente van die Malmesbury Groep in die Wes-Kaap Provinsie, Suid-Afrika. Die Malmesbury Groep is deel van die Neoproterozo·iese tot Kambriese (Namibiese) Saldania Subprovinsie wat die suidelike voortsetting is van 'n Pan-Afrikaanse mobiele gordel sisteem. 'n Gedetaileerde geologiese en geochemiese studie is gedoen op die grootste dagsoom van die Bridgetown Formasie, gelee 20km oos van die dorp Moorreesburg. Die Bridgetown Formasie bestaan uit 'n metavulkanies-sedimentere opeenvolging wat pol ifase vervorming en metamorfisme tot en met die laer groenskis fasies ondergaan het. Die Bridgetown Formasie word hier in die Boland tektoniese domein ingedeel deur die Piketberg-Wellington verskuiwingsone 5km wes van Heuningberg, subparallel a an die Bergrivier, te plaas. Dit stem ooreen met Rabie ( 197 4) se oorspronkl ike verdeling van die tektoniese domeine. Die Bridgetown Formasie bestaan uit: i) 'n Basale eenheid wat hoofsaaklik bestaan uit min gedifferens ieerde alkali-metabasalte met binneplaat tektonomagmatiese eienskappe. ii) 'n lntermediere eenheid wat bestaan uit min gedifferensieerde tholeiitiese metabasalt en 'n jonger intrusiewe tholeiitiese metabasiet wat 'n lae graad van differensias ie ondergaan het. Beide intermediere eenhede het oseaanvloer-basalt (P-t ipe MORB) en eilandboog basaltiese eienskappe. iii) 'n Boonste eenheid wat bestaan uit min gedifferensieerde asook meer gedifferensieerde alkal i-metabasalte, tussengelaagd met metatuf met 'n alka libasaltiese samestelling; metasedimentere gesteentes met 'n mariene oorsprong, en grafitiese ski ste en kwarts-muskoviet skiste, beide met 'n kontinentale kors oorsprong . iv) 'n Oorliggende metasedimentere opeenvolging wat dolomiet, massiewe en ooli tiese chert, jaspis en jaspiliet insluit. Die Bridgetown Formasie slu it moontlik ook 'n onderliggende gemetamorfiseerde ultramafiese eenheid in; aangedui deur die assosiasie van Ni- en Cr-ryke ta lkl iggame, Ni- en Cr-ryke gebande chert, chlorietskis en klein dolomiet-talk-chloriet liggame by Spitskop, gelee direk noordwes van die hoof groensteenliggaam. Die opeenvolg ing van magmatisme en die geochemie van die metavulkaniese gesteentes stem ooreen met Hawaiiese vulkanisme, naamlik 'n diepwater stadium, gekarakteriseer deur alkaliese magmatisme, gevolg deur 'n hoof tholeiitiese opbouing en post-kaldera alkaliese magmatisme. Die post-kaldera alkaliese magmatisme het gelyktydig plaasgevind met afsetting van sedimente en chemiese presipitate (karbonate en cherte ). Die Bridgetown metavulkaniese gesteentes het geen magmatiese assosiasie met 6f die Bloubergstrand vulkaniese gesteentes 6f mafiese en intermediere plutoniese gesteentes in die Malmesbury Groep nie. Fisiese en geochemiese ooreenkomste bestaan egter tussen die Bridgetown Formasie en die Grootderm Formasie van die Marmora Terrein (Gariep Supergroep) wat beskou word as ofiolitiese materiaal. Die Bridgetown Formasie verteenwoordig moontlik segmente van oseaankors, insluitende oseaan-eilande, wat tektonies in 'n melange sone ingeplaas is tydens subduksie van oseaankors onder die Kalahari Kraton in (600 tot 700 Mj gelede). Dit verklaar die huidige ruimte like verspreiding van verske ie klein groensteenliggame in die Malmesbury Groep. Tot en met hede is geen ontginbare mineraalafsettings in die Bridgetown Formasie ontdek nie. Au en As anomalie in stroomsediment- en grondmonsters, geneem in die Spitskop area, behoort egter verdere aandag te geniet. Daar is voorgestel dat die goud en arseen voorkom in brosvervormde helder tot melkerige kwartsare wat ontwikkel het in swak sones in al die litologie in die Spitskop area.

The Oudtshoorn Basin is the largest onshore Mesozoic depocentre along the southern margin of South Africa, and is among the sedimentary basins that have been linked to the break-up of southern Gondwana. Filled by the continental lower Uitenhage Group, which for the most part is sparsely fossiliferous, difficult to correlate on a regional scale and void of non-renewable natural resources, the Oudtshoorn Basin is relatively poorly studied. This project aims at carrying out an in depth, field- and lab-based investigation of the sediment supply processes and directions, location of sediment sources and palaeoclimate during the deposition of the lower Uitenhage Group in the Oudtshoorn Basin. In addition to the sediment transit patterns from source to sink via palaeocurrent measurements and petrographic studies, the sedimentary architecture was assessed via modern facies analysis techniques, which also permitted the investigation of the reason, the nature and the mode of sediment transport (traction currents vs. mass movements) in the early stages of Gondwana fragmentation. The study identified nine facies associations, the composition, clast size and orientation of which suggest steep vs. gentle gradients along the northern and southern basin margins, respectively, and very gentle gradients in the basin centre. Furthermore, the common mass movement-deposits in the north contrast the sediments laid down by traction current and in turbid waters in the south, southwest, west and centre of the basin. Sediments were sourced from the northern and southern margins in alluvial fans, and moved toward the centre, where axial fluvial system dominated. Sedimentary facies distribution, grain size, and petrological composition collectively indicate sediment transport distances that were shorter and more rigorous in the north than in the south. Geochemical proxies and mineralogy indicate moderate weathering and deposition under an arid palaeoclimate. The lack of clear lithostratigraphic markers and the sparse distribution of isolated outcrops in the basin prevent the relative age assessment of the facies associations. This study highlights the need for systematic high-precision geochronological studies, if possible from drill core samples, of the facies associations identified herein to constrain the stratigraphic relationships in the Oudtshoorn Basin. Until these reconstructed palaeoenvironments are in temporal isolation, the history of the Oudtshoorn Basin and its relationship to the other Mesozoic grabens and half grabens of the southern Cape remain elusive.

Nodules within the lower Bokkeveld shales often contain well-preserved invertebrate fossil material. The aim of this study was to describe some characteristics seen at various scales (macro-, micro- and ultra -) within nodules that might contribute to an understanding of aspects of nodule formation and the reasons for the excellent preservation of the fossil material within these nodules. Detailed, high quality macro-photographs were taken of sliced and whole nodule surfaces and a catalogue was produced to tentatively identify fossils present and illustrate the variations seen within nodules. Selected nodules were then subjected to petrographic, ultra-structural (SEM) and some chemical (EDS, XRD & XRF) analysis to investigate the possible reasons for these variations. The chemical results have indicated that nodules are enriched with quartz compared to the surrounding shale. Quartz is also the dominant mineral replacing trilobite carapace material within nodules, while trilobite material within shales is replaced with equal proportions of hematite, biotite and quartz. It appears that the higher resistance of quartz to weathering is the dominant factor leading to the preservation of both nodules within the shales and trilobite material within the nodules examined. A comparison with some Western Cape nodules highlighted possible variations in overall nodule chemical composition along strike. Western Cape nodules are predominantly composed of apatite whereas the Cockscomb nodules are mainly composed of quartz. This quartz-apatite compositional variation in nodules occurring within a single formation has been reported from nodules found in the Armorican Massif of France which are very similar in a number of respects to the Bokkeveld nodules described in this study. Based on various features of the fossils present and the structure of nodules they were probably formed during early diagenesis within an epeiric marine deposit greatly affected by sea level fluctuations.

The aim of the research focuses on characterizing heavy mineral assemblages and interpretation of the provenance of the Ecca Group of in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. In South Africa, the Ecca Group outcrops extensively in the Main Karoo Basin. Mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, minor conglomerate and coal are the major constituent lithologies within the group. For descriptive purposes, the Ecca is categorized into three different geographical areas: the southern area, the western and northwestern area and the northeastern area. Six of the sixteen geological formations, namely the Prince Albert, Whitehill, Collingham, Ripon, Fort Brown, Waterford and Koonap Formations are present in the study area and are best exposed in road cuttings. For purposes of comparison, the underlying Witteberg Group, the Dwyka (which has Formation status here), and the overlying Koonap Formation of the Beaufort Group, are included in the study. This study is motivated by the relatively little information that is available on the heavy minerals of the Ecca Group, and that research of this nature had not been undertaken in the study area before. Another contributing motivation was to determine whether heavy mineral assemblages could be used to identify formations of the Ecca Group and for correlating between different localities in accordance with studies done elsewhere. Additionally, diagnostic heavy mineral assemblages could aid with stratigraphic selection of future boreholes in the Ecca Group. Heavy minerals are natural provenance tracers because of their stable nature and hydrodynamic behaviour. They are both non-opaque and opaque, with apatite, epidote, garnet, rutile, staurolite, tourmaline and zircon being good examples of non-opaque grains while ilmenite and magnetite are the most common opaques. Heavies are either derived from stable minor accessory minerals or from abundant but unstable mafic components of the host rock. They are very useful in interpreting the provenance due to the fact that some minerals are diagnostic of certain source rocks. However, sediments are exposed to several factors (conditions) such as weathering, erosion, breakage due to abrasion, mixing and recycling during transportation from the source to the depositional area. This implies that there are parameters other than the parent lithology that determine their final composition.