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Pierre Joubert
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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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![P1200652.JPG](files/p1200652_664.jpg)
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![P1200657.JPG](files/p1200657_106.jpg)
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![P1200660.JPG](files/p1200660_136.jpg)
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![P1200661.JPG](files/p1200661_161.jpg)
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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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![P1200664.JPG](files/p1200664_965.jpg)
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Smoky quartz crystal; not worth removing. |
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![P1200665.JPG](files/p1200665_185.jpg)
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![P1200666.JPG](files/p1200666_128.jpg)
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24656 Time(s) |
![P1200668.JPG](files/p1200668_160.jpg)
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Copper related mineral on quartz. |
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![P1200672.JPG](files/p1200672_151.jpg)
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![P1200673.JPG](files/p1200673_196.jpg)
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Copper related mineral (I think) |
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24648 Time(s) |
![P1200674.JPG](files/p1200674_286.jpg)
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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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24617 Time(s) |
![P1200675.JPG](files/p1200675_214.jpg)
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_________________ Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Mike Wood
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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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24612 Time(s) |
![P1200677.JPG](files/p1200677_176.jpg)
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24597 Time(s) |
![P1200678.JPG](files/p1200678_964.jpg)
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More copper related mineral on quartz. |
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24628 Time(s) |
![P1200679.JPG](files/p1200679_205.jpg)
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24620 Time(s) |
![P1200680.JPG](files/p1200680_376.jpg)
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24612 Time(s) |
![P1200684.JPG](files/p1200684_201.jpg)
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24611 Time(s) |
![P1200685.JPG](files/p1200685_556.jpg)
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More cavities where large spondumene crystals were removed. |
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![P1200686.JPG](files/p1200686_301.jpg)
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24596 Time(s) |
![P1200690.JPG](files/p1200690_130.jpg)
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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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24605 Time(s) |
![P1200697.JPG](files/p1200697_512.jpg)
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Kosie and his wife's work. |
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24589 Time(s) |
![P1200654.JPG](files/p1200654_106.jpg)
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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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24521 Time(s) |
![P1200707.JPG](files/p1200707_189.jpg)
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A grasshopper sits well camouflaged between pebbles. |
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![P1200704.JPG](files/p1200704_215.jpg)
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A view from the Blesberg facing North. |
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![P1200716.JPG](files/p1200716_162.jpg)
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Everywhere weathered quartz veins surface with an interesting variety of quartz. |
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24610 Time(s) |
![P1200643.JPG](files/p1200643_139.jpg)
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Typical quartz from last mentioned quartz veins. |
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24507 Time(s) |
![P1200644.JPG](files/p1200644_610.jpg)
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24486 Time(s) |
![P1200628.JPG](files/p1200628_151.jpg)
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24574 Time(s) |
![P1200629.JPG](files/p1200629_203.jpg)
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24500 Time(s) |
![P1200630.JPG](files/p1200630_206.jpg)
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24480 Time(s) |
![P1200656.JPG](files/p1200656_133.jpg)
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Puff-adder, responsible for the vast majority of snakebites in SA. |
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24509 Time(s) |
![P1200590.JPG](files/p1200590_170.jpg)
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A smoky quartz vein that has been exploited. |
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24539 Time(s) |
![P1200719.JPG](files/p1200719_411.jpg)
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Piece of smoky quartz left behind at above site. |
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![P1200720.JPG](files/p1200720_852.jpg)
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Another piece from the same. |
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24524 Time(s) |
![P1200721.JPG](files/p1200721_183.jpg)
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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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24502 Time(s) |
![P1200647.JPG](files/p1200647_169.jpg)
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Koker boom (quiver trees) on Blesberg. |
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24485 Time(s) |
![P1200726.JPG](files/p1200726_117.jpg)
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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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24459 Time(s) |
![P1200729.JPG](files/p1200729_183.jpg)
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Another smoky quartz vein that was mined for, possibly, smoky quartz crystals. |
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24454 Time(s) |
![P1200730.JPG](files/p1200730_290.jpg)
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A piece of smoky quartz from this vein. |
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24439 Time(s) |
![P1200731.JPG](files/p1200731_156.jpg)
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Epidote from Blesberg.
81 x 60 x 27 mm |
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24485 Time(s) |
![P1200886.JPG](files/p1200886_204.jpg)
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Smoky quartz Blesberg, Northern Cape, SA. 93 x 32 x 23 mm |
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24432 Time(s) |
![P1200861.JPG](files/p1200861_898.jpg)
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Smoky quartz Blesberg, Northern Cape, SA. 45 x 32 x 31 mm |
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24433 Time(s) |
![P1200872.JPG](files/p1200872_181.jpg)
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An unknown vein in quartz. |
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24441 Time(s) |
![P1200874.JPG](files/p1200874_157.jpg)
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Spondumene. Hand for size. |
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24455 Time(s) |
![P1200877.JPG](files/p1200877_145.jpg)
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Beryl, spondumene crystal? Hand for size. |
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24457 Time(s) |
![P1200880.JPG](files/p1200880_397.jpg)
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24454 Time(s) |
![P1200735.JPG](files/p1200735_118.jpg)
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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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24438 Time(s) |
![P1200740.JPG](files/p1200740_900.jpg)
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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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24470 Time(s) |
![P1200746.JPG](files/p1200746_128.jpg)
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Koekepan or ore wagon in front of above building. |
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24462 Time(s) |
![P1200747.JPG](files/p1200747_509.jpg)
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Swartberg (Black mountain) feldspar mine. |
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24544 Time(s) |
![P1200751.JPG](files/p1200751_478.jpg)
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_________________ Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Joan Martinez Bruguera
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Joined: 13 Dec 2012
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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.
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Mr Gauche. His son currently has the mining rights on Blesberg and Swartberg mines. |
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24418 Time(s) |
![P1200749.JPG](files/p1200749_160.jpg)
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_________________ Pierre Joubert
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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
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chris
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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!!!
_________________ Pierre Joubert
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Don Lum
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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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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
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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
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