Geophysics is a comparatively young science which only evolved as a distinct discipline during the 19th century. However, its phenomena (like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and lightning) had been objects of fear, curiosity and speculation since ancient times. In this book, Johan de Beer and his research team reveal that geophysical activity in South Africa can be traced back to as early as 1488. This is a truly astonishing revelation which deserves to be firmly entrenched as part of the country?s proud history. The book also discusses the history and formation of South African geophysical institutions that made a huge and seldom acknowledged contribution to the technological development of southern Africa.

Before the advent of the great mineral revolution in the latter half of the 19th century, South Africa was a sleepy colonial backwater whose unpromising landscape was seemingly devoid of any economic potential. Yet lying just beneath the dusty surface of the land lay the richest treasure trove of gold, diamonds, platinum, coal and a host of other metals and minerals that has ever been discovered in one country. It was the discovery and exploitation of first diamonds in 1870 and then gold in 1886 that proved the catalyst to the greatest mineral revolution the world has ever known, which transformed South Africa into the supreme industrialised power on the African continent. Here for the first time is the complete history of South Africa's phenomenal mineral revolution spanning a period of more than 150 years, from its earliest commercial beginnings to the present day, incorporating seven of the major commodities that have been exploited. Digging Deep describes the establishment and unparalleled growth of mining, tracing the history of the industry from its humble beginnings where copper was first mined on a commercial basis in Namaqualand in the Cape Colony in the early 1850s, to the discovery and exploitation of the country's other major mineral commodities. This is also the story of how mining gave rise to modern South Africa and how it compelled the country to develop and progress the way in which it did. It also incorporates the stories of the visionary men - Cecil Rhodes, Alfred Beit, Barney Barnato, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, Sammy Marks and Hans Merensky - who pioneered and shaped the development of the industry on which modern South Africa was built.

This book examines the work of prominent South African geologist Alex Du Toit as a means of understanding the debate around continental drift both in segregation-era South Africa and internationally. It contextualises Du Toit’s work within a particularly formative period of South African science, from the paleoanthropological discoveries that sparked debates about the origins of humankind to Jan Smuts’ own theory of holism. Beyond South African scientific discoveries, the book sets Du Toit’s work against a backdrop of ideological struggles over space, both domestically in terms of segregation and nationalism, as well as internationally as South Africa sought to assert its position within the Commonwealth. These debates were embodied by Du Toit’s work on the theory of continental drift, which put Africa – and South Africa – at the centre geologically and geographically. The author also focuses on the divisions in geology caused by drift theory, tracing the vigorous intellectual debate and dissent indicative of the ideological milieu within which scientific thought is constructed. It traces the history of continental drift from its inception in the nineteenth century and later work of Alfred Wegener, which was both elaborated upon and substantiated by Du Toit. The study further focuses on Du Toit’s research on continental drift in South African and South America, and the geological, fossil and climatological evidence used to bolster this theory.

Volume 1A: Principles of Geologic AnalysisA "how-to" primer describes the basic concepts petroleum geologists and students need to understand hydrocarbon exploration in a broad range of geological settings globally. Volume 1B: Phanerozoic Rift Systems and Sedimentary BasinsIncorporates industry data to present regional seismic lines and cross sections to accurately document and analyze proven hydrocarbon systems. It also includes summaries of analogue and theoretical models as an essential backdrop to the structure and stratigraphy of a variety of geological settings. Volume 1C: Phanerozoic Passive Margins, Cratonic Basins and Global Tectonic MapsFocuses on both volcanic and non-volcanic passive margins as well as cratonic basins—critical habitats for hydrocarbons. It provides a unique basis for comparison of different passive margins and for an understanding of their structural and stratigraphic evolution, as well as their petroleum systems—especially useful to explorationists working in deep-water basins and researchers examining the tectonic evolution of the continent-ocean transition. A vast amount of data to enable hydrocarbon play assessments and analysis on passive margins is also included in this thorough yet accessible reference. Individual volumes can also be purchased:978044453042497804445635699780444563576 Volume 1A discusses in detail the principles of regional geological analysis and the main geological and geophysical tools used in basin analysis Volume 1B features simple documentation and analysis of major rift systems developed in contrasting geological settings as well as in-depth analyses of active rifts in various regions all over the world for immediately implementable petroleum exploration applications Volume 1C features real-world case studies and analyses, useful summaries of analogue and theoretical models, thorough documentation of numerous passive margins that are the focus of deep water oil exploration, and unique tectonic maps facilitating access to exact basin locations and their tectonic settings A companion website offers select downloadable images from the books: http://booksite.elsevier.com/9780444530424/index.php

Covering a broad range of topics (curricular matters in geo-engineering education, teaching; learning and assessment in geo-engineering education; challenges in geotechnical engineering education; issues in education and training in Engineering Geology; the link university -professional world in geo-engineering, this book will be invaluable to university teachers, academics and professionals involved in education and training in geo-engineering sciences.

The volume of W.S. Barnard is a first in a series of life-histories of the founding geographers in South Africa published by the Centre of Geographical Analysis at Stellenbosch University. Life-histories are reported in five ways: the commendation lauds the winner of an award; the obituary by necessity speaks well of the dead; the brief entry in a dictionary or encyclopedia is highly stylized and constrained by editorial guidelines; in the autobiography the author tells his own story in his own way; and, finally, the biography comes in a range of formats and structures. At the one extreme is the complete life-history, written by a specialist following the historiographical method and based on the critical assessment of primary sources; at the other is the belletristic overview: descriptive, anecdotal, facile and artful.