Amadwala ase-Richtersveld

Ibhizinisi Lokwakheka Komhlaba

©Shem Compion
Ibhizinisi lokwakheka komhlaba yinto eyinkimbinkimbi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iRichtersveld neNamaqualand zakheka ngamuva kwesikhathi eside, okuyinto engididayo engqondweni yami.
Noma kunjalo, izwe eliyingqayizivele, ukutshala izitshalo, izimali zamaminerali kanye nengcebo yamasiko esifundeni zixhumeke ngokuqondile emadwaleni. Ngakho, asibuke okwenzeka ngokusheshayo...
Amatshe okuqala esifundeni saseNamaqualand asuka eminyakeni eyizigidi zezigidi emibili edlule.Aziwa ngokuthi i-Orange River Group, amadwala avezwe umlilo owavela entabeni-mlilo. Inyibilika yentabamlilo ye-Orange River Group yayisetshenziswe ngamatshe amancane (ichoba nomkhumenge). Lezi zingabonakala ekubunjweni kweRosyntjieberg, e-Richtersveld National Park.

Izenzakalo Zokuxhantela

©Jaques Marais
Kwabe sekulandela isikhathi eside sezenzakalo zokuxhantela ngaphakathi lapho idwala elincibilikile elivela phakathi kwentabamlilo laqhutshwa phezulu ngokuqhekeka laphola duze naphezulu komhlaba. Lokhu kwaholela ekusungulweni kwezingxenye eziningana zegranayithi ezakha isisekelo, esisuka eKnersvlakte (enyakatho yeVanhyhynsdorp) siya eSteinkopf. Le ndawo manje ibizwa ngokuthi i-Namaqualand Metamorphic Complex noma iPhrovinsi, njengoba ukushisa okuvela kulezi zingxenyana ezingaphansi komhlaba kwaguqula kabusha amadwala aseduze.
Ngakho-ke, amadwala ezintaba-mlilo ashintshwe aba i-schist, umkhumenge waba ukhethe futhi ichoba yaba igcaki. Ku-Richtersveld, lezi zinhloso zihlanganisa i-Vioolsdrift Suite (inikwe iminyaka engu-1.9-1.75 yezigidigidi ezedlule), i-Richtersveld Igneous Suite (eqala eminyakeni eyisigidi sesigidi) kanye ne-Gannakouriep Suite (uchungechunge olusenyakatho-ntshonalanga olwenzela amadwala amnyama phakathi kweminyaka eyizigidi ezingu-870 kuya ku 540 edlule).

Amadwala Amnyama

©Roger de la Harpe
Isici esibalulekile salezi zenzakalo zokuxhantela, uchungechunge lwamadwala amnyama, aqukethe amasheya ethusi namanye amaminerali ayigugu. Lezi zinhlaka ezingasese zitholakala ezindaweni ezihlukile 'zezakhiwo' futhi ziyaziwa ngokuthi yi-Koperberg Suite. Izindleko ze-Namaqualand zethusi eziyiphutha kamuva zadlala indima ebalulekile ekuthuthukiseni isifunda.
Khona-ke, cishe eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingu-850 eminyakeni edlule, indawo enkulu yasePangea yaqala ukwehlukanisa (noma ukuqhuma) kwamazwenikazi esiwaziyo namhlanje. Lokhu kwabangela ukuba umkhombe wolwandle udale ukuhamba okusenyakatho-ningizimu endaweni esiyibiza Namaqualand nanamuhla. Izinto zaguguleka kusukela endaweni yangasese futhi zafakwa kulo mgwaqo, zihlanganisa ukubunjwa okuhlukahlukene kweGariep Group.

uVandersterr noStinkfontein

©Jacques Marais
E-Richtersveld, ezinye zalezi zidalwa zicatshangwa ukuthi ziqoqwe ngaphansi kwezintaba zasendulo. Lokhu okwenza ukuba i-calcium carbonate ingene emanzini, ekwakheni itshemcako ne-dolomite. Lamadwala abe sebhekene nokushisa nokucindezelwa, okwenza ukuba ekwazi ukungena eguquke abe igcake namatshe alukhuni weqembu leStinkfontein. Esinye isici seqembu leStinkfontein yiKaigas, iqoqo lamadwala azinsalela zeskhukhula seqhwa esadlula esifundeni.Insalela endala yesikhukhula seqhwa eyaziwa emhlabeni.
Izintaba zaseVandersterr naseStinkfontein (okuthiwa umgogodla weRichtersveld) ziyingxenye yaleli qembu futhi ziqukethe ezinye zezindawo eziphakeme kakhulu endaweni. Ngokwemvelo, lezi zigaba ezimbili zibalulekile ngoba ziyisivinji esivimbela amafu athwala umswakama aphuma ondlwekazini i-Atlantic angangeni ngaphakathi. Lokhu kudala izimo zezulu ezincane ezimbalwa ngaphakathi kwe-Richtersveld, okuyisinye sezici ezithinta ukuhlukahluka kwezitshalo eziphezulu.

AmaNama namaNumees

©Shem Compion
Ngokulandelayo, eminyakeni engaba izigidi ezingu-570 eyedlule, kwakukhona isikhathi sokudabuka okwakhiwa amaqembu e-Nama nama-Numees, ahlanganisa i-dolomite, itshemcako (i-Hilda Suite), umkhumenge kanye nechoba. Eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingu-540 edlule, leli qembu lamadwala ahlala phansi lafakwa ngaphakathi kwe-Kuboos-Bremen suite ye-granayithi, eyenzeka emgqeni onzima ogijima enyakatho-ntshonalanga kuya eningizimu-mpumalanga.
Intaba yasePloegberg (esiseduze nomuzi waseKuboes) kanye neTatasberg (e-Richtersveld National Park) yingxenye yalesi sihloko. La madwala amakhuu adalwa lapho izinto eziqhutshwa yintabamlilo zivela phakathi kwayo futhi ziphole emagumbini angaphansi komhlaba, kuphela ukuthi zivezwe lapho amadwala aphezulu angasuswa. Esinye isibonelo yidwala elidumile lasePaarl (Pearl), eliseningizimu-ntshonalanga yeKapa.
Eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingu-450 ezedlule, ukuqhubekela phambili kokuhlukana kwamazwekazi kwaholela ekudalweni kwesigodi esikhulu eduze neningizimu-ntshonalanga eKapa. Lokhu kwabangela ukuguguleka okukhulu okwadla umqengqe waseNamaqualand ukuba kusuke eningizimu. Ngakho-ke umhlabathi owathuthelwa emgodini omusha wakha izingxenye ezinkulu zeCape Fold Mountain kanye nomhlabathi omningi we-Cape Floral Kingdom (owaziwa ngokuthi yiFynbos).

Translated by Nsika Khoza
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