Sapphire Specialists, in New York City Since 1939. As gold fever crested, the steady influx of foreigners was unsettling to Boer farmers who were already established in the region. The abundance of this gold is without a natural equal anywhere else in the world. Tillite deposits, dating from 2950 million years ago, are indicative of the first glaciation episodes on earth. It might be related to the collision of the Kaapvaal Craton with the Zimbabwe Craton, eventually to become knitted together to form a single continental unit. It is also the reason behind the South African currency gaining the moniker of “Rand” in 1961. [1][2] However, when it was found that, traced downdip, the conglomerate was not merely developed for the narrow width of a river, but continued in depth, there came the realisation that this conglomeratic zone was part of a sedimentary succession. Although legends of a South African. It is this area in which the main gold reserves, the lifeblood of the province, are found. [6] Its size and position relative to Southern Africa today are indicated in the diagram on the left. It is the source of over 40% of the gold extracted from the Earth. [2][1] However, when it was found that, traced downdip, the conglomerate was not merely developed for the narrow width of a river, but continued in depth, there came the realisation that this conglomeratic zone was part of a sedimentary succession. While the ultimate source of the gold in the Witwatersrand reef is unknown, the general disposition of the deposits is recognizable and continuous. The meteor impact, however, lowered the Witwatersrand basin inside the crater. In the immediate vicinity of the impact all the subterranean strata were uplifted and upturned, so that Witwatersrand rocks are exposed in an arc 25 km away from the impact centre. Silver, uranium, and iridium are recovered as gold-refining by-products. Famous for experiments in probability performed while interned (in Denmark) during the second world war. Afrikaner commandos during the Second Boer War (1899–1902). Some of these gold bearing fan deltas are now at depths of 4 km below the surface. The Witwatersrand plateau consists of a 5000-to-7000-metre-thick (3.1–4.3 mi) layer of mainly sedimentary rocks laid down over a period of about 260 million years, starting approximately 2.97 billion years ago. The resulting 2500 m thick layer of rock is termed the “Central Rand Group”. The “West Rand Group” and “Central Rand Group” of rocks together form the “Witwatersrand Supergroup”, the full horizontal extent of which is termed the Witwatersrand Basin.[2][6][1]. David Lewis-Williams, Professor emeritus of Cognitive Archaeology at the University of the Witwatersrand; specialist in Upper-Palaeolithic and Bushmen rock art; founder of the Rock Art Research Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand It houses five faculties which comprise 34 schools. Wits’ commitment to social justice has meant it’s played a key role during historical moments in South Africa, with many Witwatersrand alumni becoming icons, both historically and today. About 3000 million years ago local cooling of the underlying asthenosphere caused subsidence of the south eastern portion of this microcontinent below sea level. Deposition of the predominantly siliciclastic basin fill began shortly after 2985 Ma in a shallow marine environment, maybe along a passive margin to an old continent to the north(west), and under generally cool climatic conditions (West Rand Group). List of famous alumni from University of the Witwatersrand, with photos when available. at approximately the time that the Kaapvaal Craton formed). There are unfortunately no gold deposits in these outcrops. This quartzite layer can be seen lying on its granite base in Johannesburg, where it forms a 56 km long east-west ridge over which several rivers running to the north form waterfalls, giving rise to the name Witwatersrand, which in Afrikaans means “Ridge of White Waters”. Not all the conglomerates contain gold, and of those that do (known as “reefs” by the miners), the gold is not uniformly distributed throughout the layer, but tends to occur in streaks, where the pebbles that make up the conglomerate are larger than elsewhere. University of Witwatersrand Information. [2] The basin straddles the old provinces of Transvaal and the Orange Free State, and consists of a 5000–7000 m thick layer of Archean, mainly sedimentary rocks laid down over a period of about 260 million years, starting about 3000 million years ago. We offer a vast selection of blue sapphires, pink sapphires, yellow sapphires, white sapphires and other unique natural sapphires. Because of the extraordinary quantities of gold that have been extracted from the Witwatersrand rocks, the South African currency was named the rand in 1961 upon the declaration of the republic. p. 81-83. It holds the world's largest known gold reserves and has produced over 1.5 billion ounces (over 40,000 metric tons), which represents about 22% of all the gold accounted for above the surface. The University of Witwatersrand is a leading public university strategically established in the industrial and commercial heart of South Africa. The Boer farmers denied these “uitlanders” voting rights and mounted heavy taxes on the gold industry. A final event that had a major impact on the geology of the Witwatersrand Basin and its exposure in the Johannesburg region, was a massive meteor impact 110 km to the south-west of Johannesburg 2020 million years ago. The head frame of the Tau Tona Mine is the lone entrance to over 500 miles of tunnels. It is the younger Central Rand Group that contains most of the gold bearing conglomerates, locally referred to as banket, that are today of great economic importance. These rich gold bearing reefs stretch from 40 miles east of Johannesburg to 90 miles west and even further into the province of the Free State. Harrison declared his claim with the then-government of the Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek (ZAR), and in September 1886 President Paul Kruger issued a proclamation declaring nine farms public mining diggings, starting on 20 September 1886. [14], Apart from the obvious hollowing out of the rocks below southern Johannesburg, causing unpredictable sinkholes, surface instabilities and earth tremors,[15] the bringing to the surface of rocks that had been laid down in oxygen-free conditions had unforeseen effects. The managed mineral reserve at South Deep as of December 2018 stood at 32.8Moz. Tankard, A.J., Jackson, M.P.A, Erikson, K.A., Hobday, D.K., Hunter, D.R., Minter, W.E.L. Not only are the remains of this impact among the oldest on earth, but it is also one of the largest meteor impacts to have left its imprint on the earth's geology of today. Geological map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (1970). The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg , is a multi-campus South African public research university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. The Witwatersrand Gold Rush initiated South Africa’s domination of world gold production. All of our sapphires are cut on our premises and are available loose or mounted in a custom setting. The Witwatersrand plateau forms a continental divide, with the run-off to the north draining into the Indian Ocean via the Crocodile and Limpopo rivers, while the run-off to the south drains via the Vaal into the Orange River and ultimately into the Atlantic Ocean.[2][4][5]. The Witwatersrand is a word in Afrikaans which means “The Ridge of white waters”. This heightened political tensions in the area, ultimately contributing to the Second Boer War in 1899. [6] In fact, apart from the Witwatersrand outcrops (i.e. The plateau's elevation above sea-level is between 1700 and 1800 metres (5600–5900 ft). It consists of a hard, erosion-resistant quartzite metamorphic rock, over which several north-flowing rivers form waterfalls, which account for the name Witwatersrand, meaning "ridge of white waters" in Afrikaans. Evidence from tungsten isotope studies indicates that most gold in the crust is derived from gold in the mantle which resulted from a meteorite bombardment some 3900 million years ago (i.e. The Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment ceased to exist when it was renamed Bambathat Rifles in August 2019. Commonly known as Wits University or just Wits, the University Of Witwatersrand is a multi-campus public research university in South Africa that is … Available Mon - Fri Gold is found in the conglomerate strata of the younger members of the Supergroup, locally referred to as banket. The second phase, which lasted for 200 million years, followed on from the first phase, with on-land deposits, resulting from the retreat of the Witwatersrand Sea, leaving a wide almost flat coastal plain over which rivers from the north formed wide braided river deltas, into some of which rich deposits of gold were deposited. [1] Harrison had stumbled on the Main Reef conglomerate (part of the “Johannesburg Subgroup” of rocks — see illustration above). The Witwatersrand Gold Rush was a gold rush in 1886 that led to the establishment of Johannesburg, South Africa. Kirk, Jason; Joakin Ruiz; John Chesley and Spencer Titley; Brink, A.B.A. The huge deposits of gold in this region were the prime factor responsible for the growth and development of the city of Johannesburg, and also greatly aided the economy of South Africa as a whole for decades. [6] The floor of this newly formed “Witwatersrand sea” consisted of smoothly eroded granites. (1999). ... in what is now known … He is a recipient of many awards including the American Society of Haematology Global Capacity Building award (2019), the Publons Top 1% Cross-Field Reviewer Award (2019), the Wits Vice-chancellor Academic Citizenship Award (2018) and the Novo Nordisk Haemophilia Foundation International Haemophilia Community Award (2018). It is a range of hills in the Gauteng province South Africa that contains most of the worlds gold reserves. The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, also known as Wits University is a leading, internationally-ranked, research-intensive University located in Johannesburg, South Africa, the economic heartland of Africa. Over 40000 tonnes (44000 short tons) have been mined from these rocks since this precious metal was first discovered here in 1886. [2] the past 150 million years, but especially during the last 20 million years. [6], The vast majority of the Earth's gold and other heavy metals are locked up in the earth's core. The outcrop in Gauteng forms the Witwatersrand ridge, from which the basin and its rocks derive their name. In retaliation, the uitlanders and the British mining interests joined forces to overthrow the Boer government. Rhenium-osmium isotope studies indicate that the gold in those mineral deposits came from unusual 3000 million year old mantle-derived intrusions known as komatiite, present in the greenstone belts. Johannesburg is just within the outer edge of this impact crater. ’’What is Life?’’. The University of the Witwatersrand (also known as WITS) comes with different categories of Application Forms 2021 for prospective students. The Natural Sapphire Company Videos on YouTube | Thank you for trusting us with your sapphire purchase! [7] Gold mining in these buried portions of the Witwatersrand Supergroup is sometimes carried out at depths of 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) below the surface.[6][8]. The resulting 2500–4500 m thick layer of sediments is termed the “West Rand Group” of Witwatersrand rocks. It was a key part of the Mineral Revolution. The Witwatersrand Supergroup strata which reach the surface in Johannesburg dip downwards to the south at an angle of about 30°. Why Do Labs Not Agree On Sapphire Gradings? The 200-by-350-km (124-by-217-mile) Witwatersrand Basin contains an 11-km- (7-mile-) thick sequence of lavas and sediments that are 3 billion years old. New York, NY 10017, Mining & Sourcing Mon - Fri: 10:30am - 6:00pm ET The institution moved to Johannesburg in 1904 and acquired full university status in 1922. 81–160. Our natural untreated sapphires offer true beauty, rarity and superior value compared to treated sapphires. "Engineering Geology of Southern Africa". The “Central Rand Group” of deposits was brought to an abrupt end by massive outpourings of lava, which form the Ventersdorp lavas which erupted 2715 million years ago. Image courtesy of Galen R. Frysinger. What Does ‘Natural’ and ‘Untreated’ Mean? Sat: 1:00pm - 4:00pm ET The rivers formed braided deltas with many interlacing, slow flowing channels where all the heavy materials brought down from the mountains were deposited: large pebbles, and heavy minerals, such as gold, iron pyrite, and uraninite. Adam Mahomed Habib (born 1965) is a South African professor of political geography, incoming director of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London as of 1 January 2021, and the former Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, South Africa. At night these reactions stopped. The larger Johannesburg Metropolitan Area is also known as the Witwatersrand (“Ridge of White Waters”). Margulis, L., Sagan, D. (1995). Sun: 10:00am - 6:00pm ET, Hours Available The University of the Witwatersrand Undergraduate Application Form 2022/2023 and postgraduate Admission Application Form 2022/2023 has been released online. It has since been established that the rocks that make up the Witwatersrand Ridge dip downwards and southwards to form the largely underground “Witwatersrand Basin” which covers an elliptical area with a 300 km long major axis from Evander in the north-east to Theunissen in the south-west, and 150 km wide stretching from Steynsrus in the south-east to Coligny in the north-west,[1] with a small subsidiary basin at Kinross. The Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment was a mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army.As a reserve unit, it had a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. Today, the Witwatersrand reef  is part of the “golden arc,” an ancient inland lake containing rich deposits of alluvial gold . Although many of the older mines, around Johannesburg, are now nearly exhausted, the Witwatersrand Basin still produces most of South Africa's gold and much of the total world output. Wits was ranked as the top university in South Africa in the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) in 2016. Committed to academic and research excellence, Wits generates high level scarce skills for a globally competitive world, while addressing local social and economic development. In addition to the founding of Johannesburg, the Witwatersrand Gold Rush was a major factor leading to the Second Boer War. In 1887 Cecil John Rhodes registered “The Gold Fields of South Africa” in London, South Africa's first mining house, with a capital of £250000. It was the coalescence of several of these island arcs that led to the formation of the Kaapvaal Craton, one of the first microcontinents to form on earth about 3900 million years ago. A number of picturesque Johannesburg Suburbs, including Observatory, Linksfield Ridge and Upper Houghton are located on the ridge, overlooking the northern parts of Johannesburg. The oldest rocks (laid down 2.97 billion years ago) form the northern scarp of the Witwatersrand plateau; the youngest (laid down 2.71 billion years ago) are those that form the southern edge of the plateau. Cyanobacteria grew in relative abundance in these mineral rich waters. The first phase, lasting 60 million years, consisted of sedimentary deposits in a shallow sea, conveniently named the “Witwatersrand Sea”. 297–301. [2][6][12], Uplifting of the north of the Kaapvaal Craton, in addition to orogenesis (mountain formation), towards the end of the deposition of the “West Rand Group” of sediments caused the Witwatersrand sea to retreat. There were no continents during the early stages of the Archean Eon,[11] but island arcs did form. Witwatersrand Gold Rush - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia. Earth System History. Over 50,000 metric tons of gold were mined here, making up 50% of the total gold mined on our planet. Our sapphires are not synthetic, heated to extreme temperatures, diffused, irradiated, glass filled or oiled. Sat: 1:00pm - 4:00pm ET Sun: 10:00am - 6:00pm ET. To learn even more about topics related to precious metals, head over to More Precious Metal Details. How Do You Best Establish the Value of a Sapphire? The Witwatersrand plateau consists of a 5000- to 7000-metre-thick layer of mainly sedimentary rocks laid down over a period of about 260 million years, starting approximately 2970 million years ago. The rocks of the "Rand" or reef, as the Witwatersrand is sometimes known, are rich in uranium and gold. In addition to the founding of Johannesburg, the Witwatersrand Gold Rush was a major factor leading to the, The Boer farmers denied these “uitlanders” voting rights and mounted heavy taxes on the gold industry. Known commonly as Wits University, its mission is to uphold liberty of inquiry and the continuing pursuit of knowledge and truth. , the Witwatersrand Gold Rush had extensive social and political implications. Within ten years, the town became the largest in South Africa, growing to be larger than Cape Town, which had been the largest city for over 200 years. [3] The entire plateau-like structure is also often called the Witwatersrand. The Witwatersrand plateau consists of a 5000-to-7000-metre-thick (3.1–4.3 mi) layer of mainly sedimentary rocks laid down over a period of about 260 million years, starting approximately 2.97 billion years ago. The Witwatersrand Basin Project (WBP) comprises two historic mining centres on the Northern Edge of the Witwatersrand Basin in the Central Rand Goldfield immediately southwest of the city of Johannesburg. The Mesoarchaean Witwatersrand Basin represents the largest known gold anomaly and has produced more gold than any other ore province in the world. Stanley, S.M. It was on the southern portion of this ridge that gold was first discovered on the farm Langlaagte in 1886, 5 km west of Johannesburg. At the Natural Sapphire Company we specialize in providing our customers with the finest quality natural sapphires. The war continued for years through, is part of the “golden arc,” an ancient inland lake containing rich deposits of, (60 miles) long and 3.6 kilometers (12,000 feet) deep in certain places. It was laid down in two stages, over the course of 260 million years starting just short of 3000 million years ago. Latest News All News Towards herd immunity from Covid-19: Costing a vaccine strategy for South Africa 7 January 2021 Mining's year ahead will demand deep innovation 6 January 2021 Building Africa's AI initiative 6 January 2021 How sub-Saharan Africa can rethink its approach to agriculture 5 January 2021 This protected it from erosion later on; but, possibly more importantly, bringing it to the surface close to the crater rim, near Johannesburg. Freeman and Company, New York. It was a key part of the Mineral Revolution When George Harrison, probably accompanied by George Walker, found gold on the farm Langlaagte, 5 km (3 mi) west of what would become the city of Johannesburg, in an outcrop of conglomerate rocks, in February 1886, they assumed that this was alluvial gold in an old riverbed, that had been tilted as a result of earth movements. Harrison's original Zoekers' (in English: seekers', or prospectors') Claim No 19 was declared a national monument in 1944, and named Harrison's Park. Wits is known for its work in deep level mining, science, health sciences, accountancy, law, governance, and the humanities, amongst others. We're here to help! existed among the natives of the area, it was not until 1886, when a poor Australian prospector named George Harrison staked the first claim, that the vast riches of the “Rand” were discovered. Production does not come easy though. [2] This heralded the historic Witwatersrand Gold Rush. (1982). The scarp forms the northern edge of a 7-to-10-kilometre-wide (4–6 mi) plateau (or ridge) which rises about 200 m (660 ft) above the surrounding plains of the Highveld. This sandy layer eventually became compressed to form the Orange Grove Quartzite, the lowermost layer of the Witwatersrand Supergroup. 79 Council Avenue Today, the Witwatersrand reef is part of the “golden arc,” an ancient inland lake containing rich deposits of alluvial gold. Prominent graduates from University of the Witwatersrand include celebrities, politicians, business people, athletes and more. pp. In retaliation, the uitlanders and the British mining interests joined forces to overthrow the Boer government. It is also the reason behind the South African currency gaining the moniker of “Rand” in 1961. Shafts go down some 3,900 meters b… [6][15][16] Sulfuric acid also erodes concrete and cement structures, resulting in structural damage to buildings and bridges.[15][16]. The oldest rocks (laid down 2.97 billion years … Harrison is believed to have sold his claim for less than £10 before leaving the area, and he was never heard from again. [2][6] The impact was close to the present village of Vredefort, which has given its name to the geological remnant of this immense event: the Vredefort Dome. conurbation that developed along the range, removal of a several kilometres thick layer of deposits from the surface of the Southern African Plateau, "Three Historic Johannesburg Passes | The Heritage Portal", http://www.goldsheetlinks.com/production.htm, Behind gold's glitter, torn lands and pointed questions, "Outcrop of Main Reef Group of Conglomerates Langlaagte Johannesburg-9/2/228/0196", Relationships between the Vredefort structure and the Witwatersrand basin within the tectonic framework of the Kaapvaal craton as interpreted from regional gravity and aeromagnetic data, List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in South Africa, Tectonic evolution of the Barberton greenstone belt, Department of Mineral Resources (South Africa), Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, Archean life in the Barberton Greenstone Belt, Geological Commission of the Cape of Good Hope, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Witwatersrand&oldid=996396357#Witwatersrand_Basin, Short description is different from Wikidata, Use South African English from February 2017, All Wikipedia articles written in South African English, Pages using infobox mountain with multiple parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Cammack, Diana (1990) "The Rand at War: the Witwatersrand and the Anglo-Boer war 1899–1902, This page was last edited on 26 December 2020, at 10:04. This accounts for approximately 22% of all the gold that is accounted for today.[2]. Commonly known as “Wits”, the University of the Witwatersrand developed out of the South African School of Mines, set up in Kimberley in 1896. Council for Geoscience, Geological Survey of South Africa. [7] Thus, it is possible that if it had not been for the Vredefort meteor strike 2000 million years ago, we would either have never discovered the rich gold deposits beneath the Southern African surface, or they would have been eroded away during the uninterrupted removal of a several kilometres thick layer of deposits from the surface of the Southern African Plateau in the relatively recent geological past: i.e. The conglomerate was quickly traced east and westward for a total continuous distance of 50 km (31 mi) to define what became known as the “Central Rand Gold Field”. Gold was discovered in the area known as Witwatersrand, triggering what would become the Witwatersrand Gold Rush of 1886. 10:30am - 6pm ET, Showroom & Workshop A mine corridor in the Witwatersrand complex. The Witwatersrand escarpment has immense geological significance, and its rock formations and rock composition yield valuable geological data to scientists. Sri Lanka, Hours Available This massive goldfield is 100 kilometers (60 miles) long and 3.6 kilometers (12,000 feet) deep in certain places. [6] The entire series of rocks, known as the “Witwatersrand Supergroup’’ consists of quartzites, banded ironstones, mudstones, tillites, conglomerates and some marine lava deposits. Untreated sapphires to choose from, matched perfectly with our beautiful, custom designed, hand crafted.., shining a light on ordinary people doing extraordinary things events occurred millions of years after the segregation the. 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