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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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 Posted: Sep 05, 2013 12:36 Post subject: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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I have often heard about Blesberg mine and on my recent Northern Cape trip, decided to make Blesberg my main destination. I spent 2 days walking a good number of kilometers around and on the mountain checking every possible place that showed an interest. Blesberg is a pegmatite (or to me, rather a number of pegmatites). The mine is no more functioning but in it's day it was mined for tantalite, feldspar, mica, beryl and spondumene. Quartz crystals, apatite, monazite and phenakite were also found. My knowledge of minerals is limited, so I will not attempt to venture beyond my limitations. May you enjoy the trip with me.
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| Blesberg mine from the Western side |
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24084 Time(s) |
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24096 Time(s) |
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24082 Time(s) |
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| I was told by someone that this pocket yielded stunning smoky quartz crystals. The pocket is about 1 meter wide and out of reach. |
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24081 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Smoky quartz crystal; not worth removing. |
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24068 Time(s) |
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24046 Time(s) |
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24083 Time(s) |
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| Copper related mineral on quartz. |
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24068 Time(s) |
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24077 Time(s) |
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| Copper related mineral (I think) |
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24073 Time(s) |
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| The cavity left by a large (more than a meter long) spondumene crystal that was removed (doubtfully intact) |
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24046 Time(s) |
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_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: Sep 05, 2013 12:52 Post subject: Re: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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Looks like mineral collecting paradise to me Pierre ! A mountain full of abandoned pegmatite workings in the middle of nowhere under a azure blue sky....mmm... nice.
Regards, Mike
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Sep 05, 2013 13:54 Post subject: Re: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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| Mike Wood wrote: | Looks like mineral collecting paradise to me Pierre ! A mountain full of abandoned pegmatite workings in the middle of nowhere under a azure blue sky....mmm... nice.
Regards, Mike |
Hi Mike. Being a quartz man, I was disappointed in only finding a few small (nice) smoky quartz crystals. I still need to clean and photograph them. Here are a few more photos of Blesberg and vicinity.
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24044 Time(s) |
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24029 Time(s) |
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| More copper related mineral on quartz. |
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24059 Time(s) |
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24053 Time(s) |
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24042 Time(s) |
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24040 Time(s) |
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| More cavities where large spondumene crystals were removed. |
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24024 Time(s) |
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24027 Time(s) |
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| Kosie and his wife are all that is left of the mining staff. They live in a house at the bottom of the mine (about 50 km from Steinkopf) and earn a living breaking quartz for nurseries. |
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24034 Time(s) |
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| Kosie and his wife's work. |
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24022 Time(s) |
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_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Sep 06, 2013 07:15 Post subject: Re: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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Here are a few more pics from Blesberg and vicinity.
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| A family of Duikers on Blesberg. |
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23954 Time(s) |
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| A grasshopper sits well camouflaged between pebbles. |
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23968 Time(s) |
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| A view from the Blesberg facing North. |
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23934 Time(s) |
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| Everywhere weathered quartz veins surface with an interesting variety of quartz. |
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24036 Time(s) |
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| Typical quartz from last mentioned quartz veins. |
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23937 Time(s) |
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23915 Time(s) |
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23994 Time(s) |
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23933 Time(s) |
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23911 Time(s) |
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| Puff-adder, responsible for the vast majority of snakebites in SA. |
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23933 Time(s) |
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| A smoky quartz vein that has been exploited. |
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23968 Time(s) |
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| Piece of smoky quartz left behind at above site. |
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23939 Time(s) |
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| Another piece from the same. |
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23954 Time(s) |
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| All around the mountain, and adjoining hills, excavations have been made - in search of what? Possibly tantalite. |
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23930 Time(s) |
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| Koker boom (quiver trees) on Blesberg. |
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23918 Time(s) |
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_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Sep 06, 2013 07:45 Post subject: Re: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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A few more pics.
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| A prominent vein (one of many) on an adjoining hill. |
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23892 Time(s) |
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| Another smoky quartz vein that was mined for, possibly, smoky quartz crystals. |
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23880 Time(s) |
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| A piece of smoky quartz from this vein. |
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23869 Time(s) |
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Epidote from Blesberg.
81 x 60 x 27 mm |
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23907 Time(s) |
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Smoky quartz
Blesberg, Northern Cape, SA.
93 x 32 x 23 mm |
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23864 Time(s) |
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Smoky quartz
Blesberg, Northern Cape, SA.
45 x 32 x 31 mm |
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23865 Time(s) |
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| An unknown vein in quartz. |
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23875 Time(s) |
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| Spondumene. Hand for size. |
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23881 Time(s) |
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| Beryl, spondumene crystal? Hand for size. |
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23875 Time(s) |
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23871 Time(s) |
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| Sunset to the West side of Blesberg, the red clouds indicating welcome rain which did come the next day. |
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23867 Time(s) |
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| Just 5 km from Blesberg (close to the Namibia border) is the entrance to another mine, Swartberg. The building in the picture was a little roadside shop. When the owner, who also sold minerals, died the place closed down and was plundered. |
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23904 Time(s) |
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| Koekepan or ore wagon in front of above building. |
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23891 Time(s) |
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| Swartberg (Black mountain) feldspar mine. |
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23968 Time(s) |
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_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Joan Martinez Bruguera
Joined: 13 Dec 2012
Posts: 62
Location: Sant Esteve de Palautordera (Barcelona)
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| Posted: Sep 06, 2013 09:08 Post subject: Re: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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Very interesting the excursion Pierre.
Thank you very much for showing the article.
Please more!
Regards ;-)
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Sep 06, 2013 10:01 Post subject: Re: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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| Joan Martinez Bruguera wrote: | Very interesting the excursion Pierre.
Thank you very much for showing the article.
Please more!
Regards ;-) |
Hi Joan Martinez. You always say kind things. Thank you:-) Unfortunately I have only one more photo. The wording is in Afrikaans, but I will translate it.
| Description: |
| Mr Gauche. His son currently has the mining rights on Blesberg and Swartberg mines. |
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23849 Time(s) |
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_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Sep 06, 2013 10:05 Post subject: Re: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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The translation: 'Gauche at tantalite that he mined at Blesberg mine in 1965. He exported 60 tonnes to the U.S.A. Tantalite is still being used today in sophisticated electronic equipment and is worldwide a rare mineral'.
I photographed this from an old mine magazine at the manager's office at Swartberg mine.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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chris
Site Admin
Joined: 12 Jul 2007
Posts: 538
Location: Grenoble
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| Posted: Sep 06, 2013 10:17 Post subject: Re: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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Hello Pierre,
Thanks for the report. Always a pleasure to enjoy your articles between crystal hunting & SA scenery. Let's hope you'll find a huge quartz pocket next time.
Christophe
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Sep 06, 2013 10:36 Post subject: Re: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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| chris wrote: | Hello Pierre,
Thanks for the report. Always a pleasure to enjoy your articles between crystal hunting & SA scenery. Let's hope you'll find a huge quartz pocket next time.
Christophe |
Thanks Christophe. I like that huge pocket bit. Please may it be tourmaline, gemmy blue!!!
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Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Don Lum
Joined: 03 Sep 2012
Posts: 2856
Location: Arkansas
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| Posted: Sep 07, 2013 11:16 Post subject: Re: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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Hi Pierre,
Interesting pictures and commentary.
Thanks.
Don
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hogwild |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Sep 07, 2013 11:26 Post subject: Re: Blesberg mine, Northern Cape, South Africa. |
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| Don Lum wrote: | Hi Pierre,
Interesting pictures and commentary.
Thanks.
Don |
Thank you very much Don. It is a pleasure:-) :-)
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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