pg eriksson, f shillington and c-j de w rautenbach
6.1 Introduction
S
outh Africa’s unique earth science her- many challenges facing the earth sciences,
itage provides an exceptional natural including funding constraints, increasing
laboratory for the earth sciences, at student numbers, pressure to redress past
the same time affording the country’s earth imbalances in the racial composition of
science professions and educational insti-
the student population, and an ageing and
tutions an opportunity to take their rightful
predominantly white male teaching staff.
place as global leaders and innovators.
Although common to most other disci-
plines, the impact of the first two pressures
A comparison of global hypsometric curves
is particularly severe in the earth sciences
demonstrates that the African continent has
because of their heavy dependence on field
the highest average elevation above mean
work.
sea level, with South Africa comprising a
high-lying interior, with marginal escarp-
6.2 Geological Sciences
ments leading down on to relatively nar-
row coastal plains, bordered in most areas,
except the southern coast, by narrow con-
tinental shelves. This unique physiography
S
outh Africa’s mineral riches make it lit-
erally the most valuable piece of real
estate in the world, with the exception
and geographical location has endowed
of the oil-rich Middle-Eastern areas. How-
the country with particular oceanographic
ever, the long-term viability of hydrocarbon
and meteorological characteristics.
supplies cannot compare to the longevity
of most of South Africa’s mineral deposits.
South Africa is surrounded by two of Earth’s
Some pertinent examples, expressing pro-
greatest oceans and is situated astride the
portions of global mineral reserves in South
subtropical high pressure belt which deter-
Africa (using latest available figures, from
mines its meteorology. In addition, the geo-
2007) are: 88% of platinum group minerals;
logical heritage of the country is arguably
80% of manganese; 72% of chrome; 40%
the greatest endowment of any country
each of gold and vermiculite; and 32% of
or even region on Earth, providing equally
vanadium. Exploration spending in South
unique economic geological and hydro-
Africa was the eighth highest of any country
logical riches.
globally in 2007, and in that year the local
minerals industry contributed almost 8% to
However, against this backdrop of a unique gross domestic product (GDP), while em-
and globally relevant natural history and ploying approximately 10% of all registered
the opportunities it provides, there are taxpayers. This enormous industry and the
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TWAS book_Chap1-6.indd 165 2009/10/06 12:03:58 PM
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