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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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28663 Time(s) |
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28680 Time(s) |
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28669 Time(s) |
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28653 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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28658 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Smoky quartz crystal; not worth removing. |
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28661 Time(s) |
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28618 Time(s) |
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28678 Time(s) |
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| Copper related mineral on quartz. |
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28672 Time(s) |
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28694 Time(s) |
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| Copper related mineral (I think) |
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28685 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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28661 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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28630 Time(s) |
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28604 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| More copper related mineral on quartz. |
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28624 Time(s) |
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28635 Time(s) |
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28637 Time(s) |
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28646 Time(s) |
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| More cavities where large spondumene crystals were removed. |
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28632 Time(s) |
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28620 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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28614 Time(s) |
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| Kosie and his wife's work. |
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28593 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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28538 Time(s) |
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| A grasshopper sits well camouflaged between pebbles. |
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28544 Time(s) |
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| A view from the Blesberg facing North. |
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28528 Time(s) |
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| Everywhere weathered quartz veins surface with an interesting variety of quartz. |
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28633 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Typical quartz from last mentioned quartz veins. |
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28543 Time(s) |
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28526 Time(s) |
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28617 Time(s) |
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28532 Time(s) |
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28492 Time(s) |
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| Puff-adder, responsible for the vast majority of snakebites in SA. |
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28558 Time(s) |
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| A smoky quartz vein that has been exploited. |
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28541 Time(s) |
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| Piece of smoky quartz left behind at above site. |
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28517 Time(s) |
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| Another piece from the same. |
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28585 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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28528 Time(s) |
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| Koker boom (quiver trees) on Blesberg. |
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28486 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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28466 Time(s) |
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| Another smoky quartz vein that was mined for, possibly, smoky quartz crystals. |
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28469 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| A piece of smoky quartz from this vein. |
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28460 Time(s) |
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Epidote from Blesberg.
81 x 60 x 27 mm |
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28519 Time(s) |
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Smoky quartz
Blesberg, Northern Cape, SA.
93 x 32 x 23 mm |
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28450 Time(s) |
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Smoky quartz
Blesberg, Northern Cape, SA.
45 x 32 x 31 mm |
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28450 Time(s) |
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| An unknown vein in quartz. |
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28465 Time(s) |
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| Spondumene. Hand for size. |
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28470 Time(s) |
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| Beryl, spondumene crystal? Hand for size. |
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28460 Time(s) |
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28490 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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28473 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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28511 Time(s) |
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| Koekepan or ore wagon in front of above building. |
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28473 Time(s) |
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| Swartberg (Black mountain) feldspar mine. |
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28575 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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28436 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!!!
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Don Lum
Joined: 03 Sep 2012
Posts: 2900
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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