Isibusiso Ngokungazi
INingizimu Afrika yindawo enenhlanhla kakhulu. Siye sabusiswa ngekhaya elizinzile kuleli zwekazi elidala kunazo zonke emhlabeni, kude nanoma yikuphi ukuzamazama komhlaba noma izintaba-mlilo. Amadwala ethu awela enhlabathini evundile esekela izinhlobo ezahlukene zezitshalo. Futhi, njengoba sekushiwo ngenhla, sinamaphesenti amakhulu kakhulu amaminerali ayigugu eplanethi agcinwe ngaphansi kwezinyawo zethu. Ngakho umthelela weVredefort wawungumbala omnyama ongavamile emkhokheni wethu. Noma kunjalo?Ucwaningo lwamuva luveze ukuthi umthelela weVredefort wawuyisibusiso ekuguquleni. Yebo, kubangele ukulimala okukhulu. Futhi yebo, kwaphumela ezinyangeni zobumnyama futhi kubanda njengoba uthuli luvimbela ilanga. Kodwa futhi kusindiswe kakhulu amasimu ethu egolide ekubhujisweni.
Igolide Eliyigugu
Ngesikhathi lesi sigameko sishaya, saphazamisa umhlabathi futhi sagubha phansi i-rock strata phansi phansi emhlabeni,s ihamba phambili phakathi nendawo. Indwangu yamatshe amakhulu kanye nothuli yahlanganiswa kuyo yonke indawo, igubha amatshe phansi. Ngakho-ke izingqimba zegolide ezithembekile zeWitwatersrand Supergroup zavikelwa futhi zaphonswa ngokuphepha ngaphansi komhlaba.Ukube kwakungazange kwenzeke umthelela weVredefort, igolide eliyigugu laliyobe selihlala eduze nendawo futhi lihlehlisiwe, kuze kube yilapho selihlakazeka. Esikhundleni salokho, igolide lahlala ligxile emifuleni ekhokhwayo ebe nempumelelo emangalisayo. Njengoba igolide litholakala ngo-1886, sithumele amathani angu 50000 wezgolide, -30% ngaphezulu kwayonke eyake yagubhwa, kanti iNingizimu Afrika isalokhu iphethe cishe amaphesenti angu-50 ezigceme zegolide ezaziwayo. Njengamanje singumkhiqizi wegolide omkhulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni okhishwe ngonyaka wamathani angaphezu kuka-400, okulinganiselwa ku-17% wegolide ekhiqizwe umhlaba jikelele.
Umthwaku weGolide
Ukuxhuma phakathi kwensimu zegolide kanye nomthelela weVredefort kuchaza izinto ezimbalwa. Okokuqala, kusisiza ukuba siqonde ukuthi kungani izimayini zegolide zeWitwatersrand zanda emgqeni omuhle waseGoli ngokusebenzisa iWest Rand neKlerksdorp, eya eWelkom. Lolucezu lwesiyingi lusethwe ibanga elihle kakhulu kude ne-Dome's, futhi kungathiwa yindulungu yangaphandle yomgodi wokuqala.Okwesibili, umthelela wenza ukuthi umthwaka ophethe igolide ugwebe phansi phansi, ekuqondeni ngaseningizimu. Lokhu kwakungeyona inkinga ukuqala, njengoba izimayini zokuqala zegolide zitholakala amaphuzu lapho umgodi wegolide wehla khona. Kodwa-ke, njengoba abavukuzi bebalandela imifula edabula amadwala ngaphansi, bathola ukuthi bazama ukujula ngaphansi komhlaba. Ngenxa yalokho, iNingizimu Afrika inezimayini ezijulile emhlabeni jikelele. Imayini yaseMonon ngasePotchefstroom, eyaziwa ngokuthi iWestern Deep Levels, okwamanje ibamba irekhodi kulokhu, ngomgodi osebenzayo osondela kumakhilomitha amane.
Omunye angacabanga nje ukuthi ikhulu leminyaka engamashumi amabili laliyoba njani ngaphandle kwegolide leWitwatersrand, noma umthelela weVredefort owawusindise ekukhusheni. Kuvele nje kukubonise ukuthi yonke inkanyezi inomthwaka wegolide.
Translated by Nsika Khoza