Geology

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Browsing Geology by Author "Antrobus, T."

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    A sedimentological study of the conglomerates in the Elsburg stage on the Welkom and Western holdings gold mines
    (University of the Free State, 1970-12) Kleynhans, Jacob Johannes; Botha, B. J. V.; Visser, J. N. J.; Antrobus, T.
    A sedimentological description of the layers of conglomerate in the Elsburg Stage of the Witwatersrand System, as disclosed by 23 boreholes and underground development on the Welkom and Western Holdings Gold Mines in the Orange Free State Goldfield, is given. The palaeocurrents in the Elsburg Stage as inferred from pebble-size distribution and preferred pebble orientation, were from two different directions. On Western Holdings Limited and the Welkom Mine area west of the Arrarat Fault, the layers of conglomerate were derived from the north-west. On the Welkom Mine area east of the Arrarat Fault, the direction of transport was from the south-west. These two different palaeocurrent directions can be explained by lateral movement along the Arrarat Fault. Thus, the eastern block of the lease area of the Welkom Gold Mining Company, which was formerly situated on the north-eastern flank of a delta fan, was displaced along the strike of the Arrarat Fault for a distance of approximately 6 000 m towards the south, while the western block (Welkom No.3 Shaft and Western Holdings Limited), was displaced towards the north. A detailed analysis regarding the composition, roundness, shape, orientation and sorting of the pebbles in the layers of conglomerate was undertaken. The sorting and roundness of the pebbles increase towards the centre of the basin, while the majority are orientated with their long axes parallel to the palaeocurrent direction. The percentage of non-durabIe pebble types also decreases in a down-current direction, while the durable types remain constant. The pebbles are mostly spheroidal, although certain types show a strong tendency to disc shaped. These features indicate that the layers of conglomerate were probably deposited on an alluvial fan bordering an inland lake or sea.