Vredefort Dome – exploration heaven for geologists

There is no doubt that the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site, located near Parys, is an exploration heaven for geologists all over the world. It has recently become the focus of attention for an international group of 38 geophysics students under the leadership of Prof. Susan Webb from Wits University.
The group will spend one week of a three week program at Kopjeskraal Country Lodge where they will collect the data using various different geophysical methods such as gravity, magnetic, seismology and electrical resistivity methods. They use these methods to study fault lines in the Vredefort Dome, examine the structural integrity of the dam wall on the Kopjeskraal farm, and explore for groundwater.
The program is sponsored by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, UNESCO and a variety of companies.
According to Prof. Webb, there are only about ten academics in geophysics in South Africa. Geophysics can be used in various applications in industry where it can add value in the planning process of most projects, like mining and exploration of minerals, oil and gas or the search for ground water.
The School of Geosciences at Wits University is the largest and most diverse academic Earth Science institution in Southern Africa and the only one offering specialist Honours degrees in Geophysics and Palaeontology, in addition to Geology, Geochemistry and Environmental Earth Science. The School leads several initiatives for geosciences research and training nationally and on the African continent.