The 2.055 Ga–old Bushveld Complex is situated in the north-eastern part of South Africa.  Three distinct groups of rocks make up the Complex but this excursion is directed primarily at the layered ultramafic-mafic rocks.  We will, however, briefly examine the roof rocks, the older felsite and younger granite and granophyre, as well as the floor rocks, metasediments of the Transvaal Supergroup and Bushveld sills. The eastern limb reveals spectacular outcrops which are ascribed to the uplift and subsequent erosion of the interior plateau of southern Africa.

The excursion will encompass the five zones into which the layered sequence is subdivided.  The Critical Zone is emphasized as this is where layering is most intricate and where many of the mineralized reefs occur.   Underground and surface visits to chromite and platinum mines are envisaged, as well as historical declines on the Merensky Reef close to the discovery site.  Field traverses of the chromitite layers are a highlight, as is Dwarsrivier where layers of chromitite and anorthosite are superbly exposed.  The uniquely zoned Driekop and Onverwacht pipes and a discordant body of iron-rich ultramafic pegmatite complete some of the unusual features of the Critical Zone.

Traverses of the Lower Zone to examine layers of dunite, harzburgite and bronzitites, as well as of layers of Ti-magnetite, anorthosite, and ferrogabbro in the Upper Zone are also included, as is an opportunity to examine some of the more discrete layering of the Main Zone.

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Field Trip Leader: Roger Scoon                                                                        
Start/End: OR TAMBO International Airport Johannesburg
Departs: 09:00 AM
Dates: 6 days, Monday 22nd to Saturday 27th August 2016                     
Price: R 14 850 per person sharing with single supplement of R 5 850 per person

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