inside: 35th international€¦ · these are “africa’s top geological sites” (struik nature),...

VOLUME 45 . JUNE 2016

INSIDE:

The time has come – join us in Cape Town! I 1Greg Botha

Revival of the Young Science Forum 2016 I 2Refilwe Shelembe / Taufeeq Dhansay / Valerie Nxumalo

First CTBTO Site Inspection Regional Introductory Course in Africa I 4Michelle Grobbelaar

Coastal and marine geology in a context of palaeoanthropology: a Pondoland case study I 6Hayley Cawthra

35th International Geological Congress I 8Richard Viljoen / Jeannette McGill

Applied Geoscience Solutions

The time has come – join us in Cape Town!There are now only two months left until the start of the 35th International Geological Congress! The congress will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 28 August to 2 September 2016 and there is still time to register for this prestigious event. We anticipate that over 4 000 delegates from 115 countries will attend the congress.

The three core topics for the scientific programme are: Geoscience for Society, Geoscience in the Economy and Fundamental Geoscience. The Scientific Programme Committee and 180 expert theme champions have reviewed almost 5 000 abstracts and are busy scheduling the programme that encompasses 49 themes, comprising over 220 symposia. A wide range of short courses and workshops will be offered over the weekend preceding the congress.

Field trips are an important part of every IGC and many thematic geological

excursions are being organised across South Africa and neighbouring countries including Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Tanzania and Angola. Trips are also being offered to gold mines in Ghana and Mali. Two unique flagship field trips are the train journey between Cape Town and the Victoria Falls and a challenging excursion that spans the deepest and highest points on the African continent. Over 650 delegates have already registered for the range of field trips on offer. There are still vacancies on some of these excursions for those interested in experiencing the geological superlatives of Africa.

Two new publications on African geology will be available to interested delegates. These are “Africa’s Top Geological Sites” (Struik Nature), edited by Richard and Morris Viljoen and Carl Anhaeusser. The publication includes 44 richly illustrated chapters describing interesting geosites. In addition, a special issue of the IUGS journal “Episodes” will be published

28 AUGUST - 2 SEPTEMBER 2016 I CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

35TH INTERNATIONALGEOLOGICAL CONGRESS

I GeoClips2

www.35igc.org

For more information contact:Greg BothaSecretary-General: 35th IGC+27 (0)33 345 6265/[email protected]

describing the great mineral fields of Africa.

The congress is an ideal opportunity to expose students and young professionals to the latest developments in the geosci-ences. Sponsorships from the Depart-ment of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation has enabled the GeoHost programme of the congress to sponsor the attendance of 66 young and deserving delegates, many from low-income countries. Additional financial support from the Geological So-ciety of South Africa and other sponsors will be used to bring South African stu-dents to the event. Many volunteer staff are required in logistical support roles at the congress and unemployed graduates, postgraduate students and retired geosci-entists are welcome to apply to serve as volunteers during the event.

Staff of the Council for Geoscience played a pivotal role in compiling and presenting the successful bid to host the 35th IGC which was approved by the IUGS Executive Committee during the 33rd IGC in Oslo, Norway. The Council for Geoscience also provides the essential link between the 35th IGC Foundation (the not-for-profit company established to organise and host the congress) and government institutions, including the De-partment of Science and Technology, the National Research Foundation and the Department of Mineral Resources which have made financial contributions to the

congress. The Council for Geoscience provided a R5 million grant as bridging finance for the organisation of the 35th IGC. Staff members of the Council for Geoscience form the Secretariat that assists the 35th IGC Foundation, its Board of Directors and the Local Organising Committee. The Secretariat liaises with the IUGS and its numerous adhering members and affiliated institutions.

The Council for Geoscience has regis-tered 103 of its geoscientific staff mem-bers to the congress as delegates who will contribute to the scientific programme of oral presentations and posters and some of the field excursions. Additionally, 37 staff members will assist as volunteers in essential logistical service roles.

The Council for Geoscience would like to encourage its associated organisa-tions to follow its example in supporting the 35th IGC materially and financially to ensure that this congress is a memora-ble event that cements closer collabora-tion between South African geoscien-tists and the many visiting delegates and institutions.

Dear Colleagues,

Arrangements for the 35th International Geological Congress (IGC) are progressing apace, with two months left to register. This prestigious event, as you know, will be held inCape Town, one of the world’s top conference and tourist destinations, from 28 August to 2 September 2016.

The congress has attracted worldwide interest with over 5 000 abstracts having beenreceived and with over 4 000 delegates from 115 countries expected to attend. We have no doubt that your particular interest(s) will be more than adequately covered in one or more of the many technical sessions planned.

The main topics for the technical programme are:-• Geoscience for society• Geoscience in the economy• Fundamental geoscience

Although international in scope, the conference will also highlight the geological and mineralsuperlatives of Africa and presents a unique opportunity to learn more about the continent. The programme has been compiled under the able leadership of Prof. Laurence Robb and his team. See http://www.35igc.org/Themes for more details on the programme.

The large selection of exciting field trips on offer will cover many of the geological wonders ofSouth Africa and Namibia as well as east and west Africa and there are still some vacancies - see http://www.35igc.org/Verso/22/Field-Trips for details of the programme.

Two commemorative publications have been especially prepared for the congress. One of these highlights Africa’s top geological sites while the other, a special publication of EPISODES, the IUGS journal, describes the great mineral fields of Africa. These unique publications will bemade available exclusively to interested delegates.

The conference is an ideal opportunity to expose students and young professionals to the latest developments in best practice and cutting edge developments in the geosciences and represents a valuable opportunity for delegates to develop global networks.

We would like to extend a special invitation to you and your colleagues to attend this unique, once in a lifetime event. We look forward to your support and to welcoming you to Cape Town.

Dr Richard Viljoen 35th IGC Co-President

Dr Jeannette McGill35th IGC Co-President

www.35igc.org


35TH INTERNATIONALGEOLOGICALCONGRESS

IGC 2015_ Advert (A4)_ Rev 1.indd 4 2015/12/03 12:17:13 PM


28 AUGUST - 2 SEPTEMBER 2016 I

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

35TH INTERNATIONALGEOLOGICAL CONGRESS

Revival of the Young Science Forum 2016Since its inception in 2007 and its launch in 2008, the Young Science Forum (YSF) has endeavoured to serve early-career professionals at the Council for Geoscience by creating a platform for growth and engagement.

Because engagement takes place, not only among the young employees themselves but also with management, the forum is intended to serve as a bridge between the management of the Council for Geoscience and

young employees. In addition, the YSF is intended to serve as a platform on which young CGS employees are able to hone their capabilities, share ideas and develop their social skills. The YSF participated in the


GeoClips I 3Geoclips - Volume 45 - June 2016

CGS mentorship programme and in marketing events at schools and university open days. They organised monthly activities including excursions and presentations on a wide range of knowledge and science topics. At the time of the launch of the YSF in 2008, approximately 150 young employees joined as members. Although membership has since declined somewhat as a result of various factors, the Council for Geoscience has recently seen the appointment of a fair number of new young employees and interns in the various regional offices and the head office in Pretoria. The current YSF is determined to make a notable impact and for this reason, the young employees of the Council for Geoscience have decided to revive the YSF in recognition of the important role that the forum can play today. The main aims of the revived YSF will be to ensure that all young scientists within the Council for Geoscience, regardless

of locality, are given the opportunity to grow and diversify their skills, while ensuring adequate communication with the CGS management. Membership is free and open to any scientific and technical officer aged 40 years and younger.

The new executive committee of the YSF was formed in April 2016. It is the intention of the 2016 YSF Executive Committee to serve the young employees of the Council for Geoscience. These are young professionals who have a passion for knowledge, who want to be challenged to unleash their potential, who are determined and committed to pursue goals, who wish to improve on their past performance, who want to forge meaningful collaborations for excellence, who are curious to understand the latest technology and its application in the geosciences, who appreciate

transformation in science and who want to leave a legacy of success to future scientists. The YSF intends strengthening itself with the assistance of this committee and its membership at large.

The Executive Committee of 2016 has created several portfolios including the following service areas: internships, bursary holders, communication/interest coordinator, events and scientific excellence. These portfolios have been created to increase the utility of the YSF to the young professionals of the organisation. The YSF endeavours to continue interacting with young professionals at the Council for Geoscience while seeking to collaborate with their peers worldwide.

Within a few weeks, the YSF will be rebranding and formalising its re-establishment. Watch this space for more information!

MASHUDU MATSHIVHA Economic GeologyDOE: 2008

2016 YSF Executive Committee

TAUFEEQ DHANSAY (Deputy Coordinator)Mapping Geology (Western Cape)DOE: 2009

VALERIE NXUMALO (Secretary)Economic GeologyDOE: 2007

VERNETIA SINDANE Coal LaboratoryDOE: 2015

DAVID NGOBENI GeophysicsDOE: 2012

NJABULO NXUMALO Engineering GeologyDOE: 2014

PUMELELA MLOKOTHI Mapping GeologyDOE: 2014

CONNIE SETLADI Coal Laboratory DOE: 2015

MARCELENE VOIGT Economic Geology (Western Cape)DOE: 2014

NOMVELO MKHIZE Engineering GeologyDOE: 2011

I GeoClips4

First CTBTO Site Inspection Regional Introductory Course in Africa

MAKGARI SEBESHO Engineering GeologyDOE: 2011

TSHIMANE MOFOKENG Mapping GeologyDOE: 2009

TEBOHO MOTSIRI LaboratoryDOE: 2009

NEO MOABI Mapping GeologyDOE: 2008

MELISSA CROWLEY LaboratoryDOE: 2012

LEAHN PIETERSE Sustainable Water and EnvironmentDOE: 2015

WAHIEBAH DANIELS Geophysics (Western Cape)DOE: 2008

PORTIA MUNYANGANE Mapping Geology (Polokwane)DOE: 2009

PONANI MTHEMBI Mapping Geology (Polokwane)DOE: 2008

ZAMA SUSELA Mapping Geology (Eastern Cape)DOE: 2015

REFILWE SHELEMBE (Coordinator)Mapping GeologyDOE: 2006

Valerie NxumaloEconomic Geology+27 (0)12 841 [email protected]

For more information contact:

Refilwe ShelembeMapping Geology+27 (0)12 841 1098 [email protected]

Taufeeq DhansayMapping Geology+27 (0)21 943 [email protected]

Members are based in the Pretoria Office unless stated otherwise. DOE: date of engagement at the Council for Geoscience.

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) aims to prevent and prohibit all nuclear weapon tests or other nuclear explosions across the world. Thus, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) was established in order to achieve the objective and purpose of the treaty through monitoring and verification

activities. The CTBTO operates and maintains the International Monitoring System (IMS) which consists of stations located throughout the world that monitor the atmosphere (infrasound), the ground (seismics), the oceans (hydroacoustics) and radionuclides. However, should a country be suspected of detonating a nuclear explosion, the CTBTO has

a separate department tasked with on-site inspections.

An On-Site Inspection (OSI) entails the deployment of a number of inspectors to the country suspected of having detonated a nuclear explosion. It is the duty of the inspectors to carry out an inspection of the identified/suspect region


using a predefined list of criteria. The inspectors are trained professionals from countries throughout the world.

Since the treaty has not yet entered into force, the CTBTO is building up a pool of trained surrogate inspectors from which the countries who are party to the treaty may choose as inspectors. Thus far, the CTBTO has conducted two three-year inspector training courses and they are planning to start the third training course at the end of 2016.

In order to increase the awareness of such a training course and to expand the representation from various countries in the third training course, especially from the Middle East, Asia and Africa, the CTBTO embarked on the presentation of Regional Introductory Courses (RIC). During November 2015, there was a RIC held in Sri Lanka for countries of the Middle East and Asia.

For the first regional introductory course to be held in Africa, the South African government was approached by the CTBTO, mainly because South Africa was one of the first countries to sign and ratify the treaty. Moreover, South Africa has consistently been operating and maintaining the South African IMS stations with a high uptime and good data quality for many years.

The request was well received by the government and, owing to the fact that the Council for Geoscience is one of the South African National Data Centres, the organisation was asked to act, together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), as the focal point of contact for this historical event.

However, organising an event of this magnitude was no mean feat and brought with it a number of logistical issues.

One such hurdle was locating a suitable venue for the course. The CTBTO had stipulated specifications for the required venue including:

• 100 km2 open terrain for field exercises, preferably with varied topography and abandoned buildings

• Security support for all delegates• Medical support

• Loading and unloading facilities from three IMRDS containers with dimensions of 2.8 x 2.3 x 2.5 m, weighing 2.5 tonnes each

• Nearby hotel facilities catering for 120 people.

These requirements were rather difficult to meet, but after quite a lengthy search, the DTI and CTBTO identified the Denel Overberg Test Range in Arniston as the most suitable venue because the test range has:

• More than 100 km2 of open terrain available owing to the nature of the work at the test range

• Very good security, again owing to the nature of the work

• Medical facilities• Unloading facilities which they use

for the loading and handling of large equipment

• A hotel on site.

Other logistical issues included the flight arrangements, accommodation and daily allowance allocations for the delegates.

In addition, discussions were held with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) on the most appropriate high-level guests to invite for the opening and closing ceremonies. The coordination of this aspect of the event was fairly challenging because of the busy schedules of many of these officials.

Eventually, after months of frustrating hair pulling arrangements, 10 April, which marked the start of the course, arrived. Both Ms Tebogo Pule and Ms Michelle Grobbelaar had arrived at the venue a few days before in order to make sure that everything was set for the first day of the eight day long introductory course. The Chair of the South African Council for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Mr Tseliso Maqubela, officially opened the course.

The course comprised a few lectures, but involved mainly hands-on training with a day in the field. This style was very refreshing and was well received by the delegates. The hands-on training included tabletop exercises where role playing was carried out between the “inspectors” and the “country which is being inspected”. The idea behind these tabletop exercises was to expose the delegates to negotiating and to using their rights and privileges (for both the inspectors and those being inspected) during an on-site inspection. The training also included working with and being exposed to the various technologies available to the inspectors during an on-site inspection.

Mr Tseliso Maqubela opening the Regional Introductory Course.

I GeoClips6

The closing ceremony was a grand celebration with the team spirit being very tangible during the handing out of certificates when all recipients were loudly applauded and cheered. The occasion was graced by the presence of Ambassador Lenin Shope, the CEO of the Council for Geoscience, Mr Simon Sikhosana, both of whom handed out

For more information contact:Michelle GrobbelaarProject Manager+27 (0)12 841 1200 [email protected]

Delegates receiving training on health and safety.

The VIPs at the closing ceremony. From left to right: Ambassador Lenin Shope (DIRCO), Ms Michelle Grobbelaar (CGS), Mr Simon Sikhosana (CGS), Mr Ron Gavish (CTBTO), Ms Misrak Fisseha (CTBTO), Mr Abrie van der Walt (Denel), Ms Priscilla Johnson (Denel) and Mr Edwin Ncube (DTI).

The training culminated in a day in the field where the delegates were exposed to the use of maps and GPSs to negotiate their way around the “area under inspection” and to the use of the various technologies available to search for tell-tale signs of a nuclear explosion. The delegates were then tasked to compile reports on their findings.

Coastal and marine geology in a context of palaeoanthropology: a Pondoland case studyGlacial periods in human prehistory have long been viewed as stressful times for humans, and archaeological records have shown that these periods influenced the behavioural adaptations, proliferation and survival of our African ancestors. Across Africa, numerous palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic records have shown that during glacial periods throughout the Pleistocene, large tracts of land were exposed on shallow continental margins as sea levels fell. The effects of these periodic outward expansions of the coastline would have been most pronounced across the broad and flat Agulhas Bank and the Atlantic margin. Throughout much of the glacial record, many of the famous South Coast coastal Middle Stone Age archaeological sites, such as Klasies, Pinnacle Point, Blombos and Elands Bay would have been located up to 100 km inland at these times. These vast tracts of new land are hypothesised to have supported a predominantly open habitat suitable for many large grazing wildlife. Decreased occupation intensity during earlier glacial phases prior to

~120 000 years ago at many Middle Stone Age sites is further hypothesised to show that bands of hunter-gatherers moved out onto the coastal platform to remain within easy reach of this wildlife, other plant foods and the rich coastal resources that were becoming an increasingly important food source. As sea levels rose during interglacial periods and ultimately at the onset of the Holocene ~13 000 years ago, the entire record of glacial coastal foraging on the exposed continental shelf would have been destroyed. Up to 55 % of the last 200 000 years of coastal foraging may now be lost to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

How did coastal hunter-gatherers adapt to glacial conditions? What role did coastal resources play in modern human survival and evolution during the Pleistocene? Answering these questions hinges largely on finding and studying new records of coastal foraging prehistory in areas where a narrow continental margin has created a stable coastal environment that would facilitate

the formation of long-term coastal foraging records, spanning both glacial and interglacial periods. This interest in hunter-gatherer adaptations to coastal zones has recently inspired a study in one of the few places across southern Africa where long-term and continuous records of coastal foraging may be found: Pondoland, on South Africa’s “Wild Coast”. In 2011, the Pondoland Paleoenvironment, Paleoclimate, Paleoecology, and Paleoanthropology Project (P5), led by Erich Fisher, conducted a preliminary ground survey of eastern Pondoland. The survey was limited to the Mkambati Nature Reserve, Msikaba and Lambasi areas immediately to the south where coastal exposures of hard sandstone cliffs outcrop. In 2015, P5 returned to eastern Pondoland to conduct test excavations at four of the highest priority sites, which had been identified during the 2011 survey. Criteria considered for test excavations included the abundance and diversity of stone artefacts, the presence of marine and terrestrial plant and animal remains and inferences about the sediment depth

certificates, and the CEO of the Overberg Test Range, Mr Abrie van der Walt.

The CTBTO was very impressed with the facilities provided by the Denel Overberg Test Range and has asked the government to consider nominating the test range as a more permanent training facility for OSI inspectors in the future. This is a great achievement for not only South Africa, but also for the continent, as it provides the country, and more so the Council for Geoscience, with an opportunity to remain active and relevant to this important treaty.


and stratification based on natural erosional profiles and the geomorphic configurations of the rock shelters.

Eastern Pondoland is dominated by Msikaba Formation sandstones that are located primarily within a ~20 km wide coastal belt from Port St Johns in the south to Margate in the north. The Msikaba Formation is characterised by alternating layers of quartz arenite, conglomeratic quartz arenite and granule conglomerates that had been laid down during the Late Devonian (385–359 Ma). The Msikaba Formation was subsequently sheared by the movement of the Falklands microplate during the breakup of Gondwanaland (135–115 Ma), which resulted in an exceptionally narrow continental shelf. Uplift of the southern African landmass either during the Early Miocene (~20 Ma) and Pliocene (3–5 Ma) or in a more continuous sense, has created a stepped landscape of raised neocoastal plains. Erosion of those near-horizontal beds along the coastline or up riverine valleys has favoured the formation of near-horizontal rock shelters that are primarily lithologically controlled. This pattern differs substantially to the Cape south coast where local sandstone formations were tilted and deformed. The small embayments along this coastline are small depositaries for aeolian and marine sediments, creating scattered rocky and sandy beaches.

The Pondoland continental shelf is extremely narrow (~8 km) compared to

The four archaeological sites excavated during the 2015 field season. A. Open-air excavation in the Mkambathi Nature Reserve. B. Mkweni River. C. Waterfall Bluff site. D. Mtentu River, Mkambathi Nature Reserve.

the global average of 78 km. Despite substantial fluctuations in Pleistocene glacio-eustatic sea level changes, it is anticipated that the narrow shelf would have induced a compact history of glacio-eustatic sea level change preserved in the Quaternary rock record. The palaeo-shorelines associated with lowered sea levels would not have extended far from the modern-day coast, remaining relatively accessible to hunter-gatherers abiding in this region.

The role of geology in a context of human origins

Understanding the sense, magnitude and timing of palaeo sea levels and the response of sedimentation to these fluctuations is critical in piecing together coastal evolution. The results of this work will ultimately be fed into holistic models for changing ecosystems through time and will help to interpret how this may have affected early human use of the area. The geological investigations for the P5 project consist of two closely linked parallel objectives.

On a fine scale, the stratigraphy of sediments which have accumulated in Pondoland archaeological sites will be analysed through techniques applied in micromorphology and geochemistry. On the broader landscape scale, depositional processes along the coastal zone through glacial–interglacial periods with respect to sediment sources and geomorphological trends will be critically

scrutinised, addressing the following broad questions:

1. Was there climate variability through glacials, or was the east coast quite stable throughout? To address this, wetland palaeoclimatic and environmental proxies from wetland and interdune cores will be studied.

2. What was the response of the shifting sediments through time on this narrow coastal plain? This involves studying cemented palaeobeach and palaeodune deposits.

3. What is the direct link to the continental shelf? With a strong understanding of the coastal region, the intention is to map the adjacent shelf using marine geophysical methods.

4. A strontium isoscape will be constructed, linking palaeobotany to fauna.

The field survey conducted in 2015 generated a total of twelve geological samples, two sediment cores and seven micromorphological casts. The geological samples are housed at the Council for Geoscience Bellville regional office and include aeolianite and cemented beach deposits. The archaeological sediments are stored at the laboratory at the East London Museum, where they are awaiting analyses. Hayley Cawthra is leading and conducting these geological and micromorphological investigations.

Collaborative studies

In addition to the archaeological excavations, geological field surveys and techniques mentioned above, other areas which are being considered in this project include archaeobotany, archaeomalacology, lithic analyses, luminescence dating, magnetic susceptibility, modern ecology, micromammals and terrestrial fauna.

For more information contact:Hayley CawthraMarine Geoscience+27 (0)21 943 [email protected]

If you are not on our mailing list and you would like to receive a copy of GEOclips, please send an e-mail to:Mahlatse Mononela, Go to Market, [email protected]

Private Bag X112, Pretoria 0001, South Africa / 280 Pretoria Street, Silverton, PretoriaTel: +27 (0)12 841 1911 / Fax: +27 (0)12 841 1221 / www.geoscience.org.za

Dear Colleagues,











www.35igc.org





Dear Colleagues,











www.35igc.org






inside: 35th international€¦ · these are “africa’s top geological sites” (struik nature),...

Documents