PHALABORWAEstablished in 1957, the town of Phalaborwa is founded upon rich copper and other mineral deposits, which attracted the attention of Iron Age people as early as the 8th century. The baPhalaborwa people dug trenches and shafts up to 6 m deep to exploit the rich copper deposits, smelted the ore and also worked iron. Important Early Iron Age sites in the area include Loolekop, Sealene and Kgopolwe. |
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The geological history of what is known as the Phalaborwa Complex goes back some 2 050 million years ago, when molten matter intruded into granite along three large and numerous smaller volcanic pipes. A variety of minerals were formed within these pipes, such as copper, phosphate, iron, baddeleyite and vermiculite. Over countless aeons, the overlying rock was eroded away to expose the more resistant hills that punctuate the plains around Phalaborwa. Modern mining dates back to 1938, when exploitation of vermiculite began, and today Phalaborwa is responsible for about half the annual world production of this mineral.
Mining of the copper-rich central volcanic pipe began in 1956 and has created one of the largest man-made holes in Africa. With a circumference of over 5 km and a diameter of nearly 1 900 m, the near-circular open pit is 762 m deep and six times the size of Kimberley’s famous Big Hole. In addition to the rich copper deposits, the mine has also been a source of phosphate (used in the fertiliser industry) and magnetite, a byproduct of copper and phosphate.
As the mine has reached the maximum depth for open-cast mining, it has become necessary to switch to conventional underground mining. To appreciate the area’s mining history, a visit to the Foskor Mine Museum is a must. Guided mine tours are also available. The Hans Merensky Golf Club is well known among golfers as the course is often visited by game from the adjoining Kruger National Park.
Siyabona Africa Travel recommends accommodation near Kruger Park |
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK (KNP)Covering nearly 2 000 000 ha, the Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s great game parks and ranks among the world’s top conservation areas. From the Crocodile River in the south, the park stretches northwards for 350 km to the Limpopo River, and ranges in width from 25 km in the far north to 85 km in the south. This unspoilt wilderness of bushveld, woodland and thornveld is home to a rich diversity of wildlife which includes 147 mammal species. In addition to the Big Five (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard), the park is home to a wide variety of antelope, such as sable, roan, impala, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, waterbuck, tsessebe, kudu and nyala, as well as hippo, giraffe and Burchell’s zebra. It also provides protection to the only viable wild dog population in South Africa. With 490 bird species recorded to date (about 55 per cent of the total number found in southern Africa), the park is truly a birder’s paradise. More than 50 raptor species have been recorded, while many of the species occurring in the north of the park have a limited distribution elsewhere in South Africa. |
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The park is also an archaeological treasure chest, with over 250 cultural heritage sites, ranging from rock art sites (about 130 have been recorded) and Late Iron Age settlements to early transport routes. Access to Kruger is via eight gates, and accommodation ranges from rest camps with all the necessary facilities (filling station, shop, restaurant) to smaller bushveld camps without facilities, and bush lodges for groups. A vast network of roads traverses the bush, providing access to rivers, water holes, dams and viewpoints, while picnic sites in the bush allow motorists to take a break from the driving. In addition to self-drive game-viewing, the park offers a host of outdoor and adventure activities such as short, self-guided nature walks in some of the rest camps, night drives and guided walks of between three and four hours. There are also seven three-day guided wilderness trails in various remote areas of the park. Because the park lies within a malaria area, it is advisable to consult a doctor about prophylaxis, especially if visiting between December and April. |
CENTRAL KRUGERCentral Kruger covers a large tract of land stretching between the Sabie River
in the south and the Olifants River in the north. The western half of the central area is largely a vast swathe of woodland dominated by mixed bushwillow and mopane, while the vegetation in the east is more varied. The area is noted for its breeding herds of elephant, while white rhino, buffalo, eland, sable (common in the Phalaborwa area), blue wildebeest and Burchell’s zebra also occur. |
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