+tomtwogates Posted December 1, 2010 Posted December 1, 2010 In which town in Southern Africa did the first gold rush take place? Millwood near Knysna?
+Bouts777 Posted December 1, 2010 Posted December 1, 2010 Mac-Mac, Pilgrim's Rest and then at the De Kaap Valley and Barberton.
+malo mystery Posted December 1, 2010 Posted December 1, 2010 There have been two mini gold rushes in Cape Town, one on Table Mountian which turned out to be a hoax : In 1856 Mr Salem set off a mini gold rush after displaying a gold nugget in his shop window that had apparently been found in Platteklip Gorge by one of his employees. Nobody was going to miss out on the opportunity of finding gold, after all if one nugget had been found there could surely be more. On making their way up the gorge, the people were surprised to see Mr Salem had set up a stall half way up at Silverstream Cave. He was selling food, beer, spirits and picks and shovels at double the price that they were selling for in town. No gold was ever found in the five day rush and by the time the diggers returned past the cave the shopkeeper had folded his tent and left. It turns out that the gold nugget was real but originated from Australia. and another on Lions Head a few years later in 1887 from my cache GC25EGZ
+cownchicken Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 A neighbouring country, believe it or not. Read about it in a book the other day and then did some research on Google. Would never have imagined it ever could have been in this town!
+cincol Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 During my training period in the mid-70's I spent time on Eastern Transvaal Consolidated Mines and I remember studying the gold bearing nodes of the Barberton area. On the southern side of the mountain range there had been small mines on the Swaziland side - between the border and Pigg's Peak area. I also know of the large asbestos mine that was there as well - Havelock Mine. That there was a gold rush there prior to Pilgrims' Rest I couldn't say, but would be willing to guess that there was. So my guess would be the town that you are looking for would be Pigg's Peak.
+Henzz Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 Don't know much about gold rushes, but do know a little about cache rushes...
+cincol Posted December 3, 2010 Posted December 3, 2010 Not Swaziland. Now the guessing is getting to a process of elimination then. The only other Southern African country would have been the then Southern Rhodesia. My guess would then be around the West Nicholson or Umtali areas.
+cownchicken Posted December 4, 2010 Posted December 4, 2010 Not Zimbabwe/Rhodesia. One of the neighbours though. Keep guessing cincol - you'll get it!
+Carbon Hunter Posted December 4, 2010 Posted December 4, 2010 Mozambique? I guess the Portuguese settlers?
+cincol Posted December 4, 2010 Posted December 4, 2010 All we have left now are Nambia, Lesotho and Botswana. Both Lesotho and Botswana are diamond rich and I am not aware of any gold deposits being found there - especially Lesotho as the geology is far too young for gold. That leaves us with Namibia and Botswana. My guess will have to be Namibia, but the town will have me stumped. I will guess Mariental area with a 2nd guess at Tsumeb, although that is copper territory - but gold is normally found along with copper and zinc as a secondary mineral. Rössing could also be a dark horse in this topic, but I have my doubts.
+cownchicken Posted December 5, 2010 Posted December 5, 2010 You are narrowing it down cincol! Not Namibia!! Now you just have to find the correct town in your other option!
+cincol Posted December 5, 2010 Posted December 5, 2010 You are narrowing it down cincol! Not Namibia!! Now you just have to find the correct town in your other option! OK - then it must be Botswana. Jwaneng, Muan and Francistown are mining areas but none of them gold. Francistown is in close proximity to Bulawayo where gold was mined in the Matopas. So, if we are looking at a 19th century gold rush then Francistown would be my guess.
+cincol Posted December 5, 2010 Posted December 5, 2010 Sjoe - what a process to get this one!! Here is a quick and easy one with a similar theme. What is "Fool's Gold"?
+cincol Posted December 5, 2010 Posted December 5, 2010 Iron sulphide You should be excluded from these types of questions!! So, that said, for you the answer is NOT FeS, but FeS2. I am looking for that name in particular!!
+Bouts777 Posted December 5, 2010 Posted December 5, 2010 Pyrite? Pyrite is a combination of iron and sulphur. I remember something about from EC in Barberton.
+Carbon Hunter Posted December 5, 2010 Posted December 5, 2010 (edited) Iron sulphide You should be excluded from these types of questions!! So, that said, for you the answer is NOT FeS, but FeS2. I am looking for that name in particular!! Spoil sport BTW: FeS2 is still an iron sulphide Edited December 5, 2010 by Carbon Hunter
+cincol Posted December 5, 2010 Posted December 5, 2010 (edited) Iron sulphide You should be excluded from these types of questions!! So, that said, for you the answer is NOT FeS, but FeS2. I am looking for that name in particular!! Spoil sport BTW: FeS2 is still an iron sulphide Agreed, but is known by a specific name. In any case Bouts777 managed the correct answer before your "appeal" was lodged!! Edited December 5, 2010 by cincol
+cincol Posted December 5, 2010 Posted December 5, 2010 Pyrite? Pyrite is a combination of iron and sulphur. I remember something about from EC in Barberton. That is what I was looking for - go for it Bouts777.
+Bouts777 Posted December 5, 2010 Posted December 5, 2010 Thanks. Nice EC of GPS Storm in Barberton. What was "Operation Trampoline"? And how successful was it?
+Carbon Hunter Posted December 6, 2010 Posted December 6, 2010 Would this be the removal of wildlife from the flooding of Kariba Dam? And I'd say very sucessful.
+Bouts777 Posted December 6, 2010 Posted December 6, 2010 Nope. But it has something to do with the wild and it's much closer to home. My home.
+cincol Posted December 6, 2010 Posted December 6, 2010 Anything to do with the removal of horns from rhino? I believe that it has been relatively successful.
+Carbon Hunter Posted December 6, 2010 Posted December 6, 2010 sending illegal mozambiquans back that try and cross the Kruger?
+Carbon Hunter Posted December 6, 2010 Posted December 6, 2010 ensuring that rogue elephants are sent back into the Kruger when they escape into the surrounding farms?
+Carbon Hunter Posted December 7, 2010 Posted December 7, 2010 Preventing the removal of medicinal plants from KNP?
+cincol Posted December 7, 2010 Posted December 7, 2010 Something to do with people and plants. Combating theft of cycads?
+Carbon Hunter Posted December 7, 2010 Posted December 7, 2010 Finding medical cures from indigenous plants - perhaps by using indigenous knowledge of the likes of sangomas?
+Wazat Posted December 8, 2010 Posted December 8, 2010 Removal of alien plants from the area through the use of the local population. Or was it your attempt to become the second "African in Space"
+cincol Posted December 8, 2010 Posted December 8, 2010 Hang-on - the book that I am currently reading mentioned an Ops Trampoline that took place in the late 70's along the then SWA / Angola border. The then SANDF got the idea from the Israelis and decided to plant sisal along the border to form an impenetrable, natural barrier to stop insurgents entering the country. It did not work too well as the high rainfall in the area caused the roots to rot and the plants did not grow to do what they were intended to do.
+Bouts777 Posted December 8, 2010 Posted December 8, 2010 According to the book "A game ranger remembers" by Bruce Bryden, Operation Trampoline involved planting a sisal plants fence between two fire breaks a few hundred meters apart along the entire boundary on the Eastern border of the Kruger Park. This was done in the early 70's to keep the Mozambiquans out ...(aimed to make the border people-proof). But, as soon as they planted the sisal, they were eaten by monkeys, elephants and the like. They never got off the ground and the project was a miserable failure. The operation was both an ecological and a planners failure. If the operation extended to other parts like SWA?... I don't know, but it's very possible. Go for it cincol.
+Wazat Posted December 9, 2010 Posted December 9, 2010 Is it not silica gel or the stone used in mood rings? Or the lighting system on a Chrysler? LoL
+cincol Posted December 9, 2010 Posted December 9, 2010 (edited) Is it not silica gel or the stone used in mood rings? Or the lighting system on a Chrysler? LoL hehe - nope. I don't think you would want to have any in your Chrysler...... sorry Corsa wazat! Neither would you wear it on your finger either. Although YOU might. It was used years back to treat fever and madness!!! Clue - common name refers to a colour. Edited December 9, 2010 by cincol
+cincol Posted December 11, 2010 Posted December 11, 2010 emerald? Getting closer as far as colour goes.
+cincol Posted December 12, 2010 Posted December 12, 2010 green? Kryptonite? This is more difficult than I thought it would be. The word you are looking for starts with a "P" - also known as "olivine". Think of "The 3 Magi".
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