Witwatersrand

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Witwatersrand

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Witwatersrand [Afrik.,=white water ridge] or the Rand, region, Gauteng (formerly a part of Transvaal ), South Africa. The area, which forms the watershed between the Vaal and Olifants rivers, is c.25 mi (40 km) wide and extends more than 60 mi (100 km) from west to east in a series of parallel ranges 5,000 to 6,000 ft (1,520-1,830 m) above sea level. The Rand is one of the world's richest gold-mining regions. The gold occurs in reefs, or thin bands, that are mined at depths of up to 10,000 ft (3,050 m). Development of the Rand dates from the 1880s. Although many of the older mines are now nearly exhausted, the Rand still produces most of South Africa's gold and much of the total world output. Silver and iridium are recovered as gold-refining byproducts, and the region also has coal mines. The Rand also has such industries as engineering, steel milling, metallurgy, machine building, diamond cutting, food processing, and the manufacture of chemicals, cement, furniture, and clothing. Major cities of the Rand are Johannesburg , Benoni , Boksburg , Springs , and Germiston .

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Witwatersrand

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | © World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Witwatersrand (Rand) Series of parallel mountain ranges more than 1500m (5000ft) high, forming a watershed between the Vaal and Olifant rivers, in former Transvaal, ne South Africa. The region extends c.100km (62mi) e and w of Johannesburg. Gold was first discovered in 1884 and mining began two years later. Witwatersrand still produces c.30% of the world's total output of gold. Silver is recovered as a by-product of gold refining. Coal and manganese are also mined, and there are many ancillary industries in the region.

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Rand

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | © The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2009, originally published by Oxford University Press 2009. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Rand 1 / rand/ (the Rand) another name for Witwatersrand.

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AfriOre Limited: Witwatersrand Type Quartzites Intersected At The FSC Gold Project, South Africa.
Business Wire; 4/5/2005; 700+ words ; ...it has made its first intersection of Witwatersrand type quartzites in drill hole BH 48...determine their position within the Witwatersrand stratigraphy at the University of the Witwatersrand, Geology Department. Subsequent to...
AfriOre Limited: Witwatersrand Type Quartzites Intersected At The FSC Gold Project, South Africa
Newspaper article from: CCNMatthews Newswire; 4/5/2005; 700+ words ; ...it has made its first intersection of Witwatersrand type quartzites in drill hole BH 48...determine their position within the Witwatersrand stratigraphy at the University of the Witwatersrand, Geology Department. Subsequent to...
Archaean oil migration in the Witwatersrand Basin of South Africa
Magazine article from: Journal of the Geological Society; 3/1/2002; ; 700+ words ; ...Abstract: The Late Archaean Witwatersrand Supergroup of South Africa hosts...time after, development of the Witwatersrand Basin, consistent with progressive...prior to 2.9 Ga. Oil in the Witwatersrand Supergroup was most likely derived...
AfriOre and Wits Basin Propose Further Drilling in the Newly Discovered Extension to the Witwatersrand Basin at the FSC Gold Project, South Africa.
Business Wire; 8/18/2005; 700+ words ; ...that have been positively identified as Witwatersrand Supergroup strata and this is the first time that rocks of the Witwatersrand Supergroup have been encountered this far south of the known Witwatersrand Basin, which historically has been South...
AfriOre is Granted Prospecting Permission and Drilling Resumes on the FSC Witwatersrand-Type Gold Project.
Business Wire; 10/25/2004; 700+ words ; ...the newly acquired area of the FSC Witwatersrand-type gold project, in which AfriOre...area, interpreted to be underlain by Witwatersrand rocks. This target is one of the two...stratigraphies, similar to those in the Witwatersrand basin, thereby confirming the initial...
Wits Basin Announces Discovery of Witwatersrand Type Quartzites; Discovery Creates Great Hope for Mineralized Conglomerates.
Business Wire; 4/5/2005; 700+ words ; ...have made the first intersection of Witwatersrand type quartzites in drill hole BH48...these identical rocks overlay the Witwatersrand quartzites and mineralized conglomerates in the main Witwatersrand Basin. The subsequent intersection...
Nature and origin of 'carbon' in the Archaean Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa
Magazine article from: Journal of the Geological Society; 1/1/1998; ; 700+ words ; ...gold-bearing reefs of the Archaean Witwatersrand basin of South Africa has long been...radiation and hydrothermal fluid flow marks Witwatersrand Basin pyrobitumens out as being different...are identified in the intra-basinal Witwatersrand shale units. Lithological control...
Drilling to Commence on AfriOre's FSC Witwatersrand Gold Project, South Africa.
News Wire article from: Canadian Corporate News; 10/8/2003; 700+ words ; ...presence of stratigraphic units related to Witwatersrand gold deposits, in the depth range...and geophysical mapping indicate that Witwatersrand rocks may be preserved under Mesozoic...indicate the magnetic shale units of the Witwatersrand's West Rand Group. Elsewhere in...
New Witwatersrand model. (Exploration).(oxygen-rich atmosphere 3 billion years ago)(Brief Article)
Magazine article from: Mining Journal; 1/18/2002; 700+ words ; ...gold deposits like South Africa's Witwatersrand ... Or we may have actually found...7-2.8 billion years old in the Witwatersrand. The scientists believe that the nodules...that the conditions under which the Witwatersrand was formed were different to those...
Witwatersrand historic borehole database. (database of the gold exploration activities in South Africa's Witwatersrand Basin)
Magazine article from: Mining Magazine; 8/1/1991; ; 700+ words ; Witwatersrand Historic Borehole Database It is estimated that all of the world...40% has been extracted from the banket reefs of South Africa's Witwatersrand ("Wits") Basin. The Wits basin is also calculated to contain...
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Witwatersrand. (Image by Chris Eason, CC)

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