KURUMAN TO OLIFANTSHOEK

It is the morning of the 4th of November. I had listened for rain during the night. There had been a few raindrops, but typical of the desert, the rainfall is meagre. I was disappointed, but ... today was THE DAY ! We hurriedly packed our overnight bags, filled our remaining water containers, and bade farewell to our host, Pieter Pretorius and Frikkie, the resident African Grey parrot at Azalea Guest House. Early Sunday morning, and everything  was quiet in Kuruman after the raucous street parties we had witnessed the evening before. We met the Mullins who had over-nighted at De Mynhuis Guest House, checked the vehicles, and we were on the road again. Next stop was Olifantshoek.

The scenery consisted of arid shrub savannah and slag heaps due to the mining of iron ore. Beneath the desert sand lies the largest land-based sedimentary manganese deposit in the world. I had to research manganese and find out why it was a valuable resource. I learnt that 80 percent of the world's commercially viable manganese sources are found in South Africa. Manganese is essential in the manufacture of steel, as it adds strength to the metal compound. It is also used to to produce an alloy, which together with aluminium, produces a metal which is resistant to corrosion, for example, aluminium beverage cans. It may also be used to manufacture monetary coins. Manganese dioxide is used in disposable batteries, and in the making of clear glass. Pigments derived from manganese are used to colour paint and ceramics. It is also used in laboratories to produce oxygen and chlorine. Organo-manganese compounds are added to petroleum to increase its octane rating, and it also reduces "engine knock." Phew, I never knew that a mineral would have so many uses, then I read that manganese is also found in our bodies. As a trace element, it is found in tiny amounts and plays a role in forming bones, connective tissue, blood clotting, hormone production, and fat and carbohydrate metabolism.

 Manganese is often found with iron ore, and this region is also home to big iron ore mines like the Kumba Mine in Sishen. The Kumba Mine is one of the world's seven largest open-pit mines, measuring 900 metres across (almost a kilometre). The largest single blasting operation took place here in 1981. A single blast broke up 7,2 million tonnes of rock. The mine operates 24/7, and in 2011, 38,9 million tonnes of iron ore were produced. It is said the Kumba Mine has sufficient reserves to sustain production for the next twenty years.

The iron ore is processed and then transported by rail to Saldanha Bay in the Cape Province, where it is exported. The Sishen-Saldanha railway line is known as the "Iron Ore Export Line " and is a long-haul heavy railway line. This railway line is 861 kilometres long ( 535 miles ) and is used almost exclusively for the transport of iron ore. One trip usually transports 22 000  tonnes of iron ore, and the wagons with their payloads are about four kilometres long. The longest and heaviest train trip was the carrying of iron ore from the Kumba Mine in Sishen to Saldanha Bay in August 1987. The train was 7,5 kilometres long, and consisted of 660 wagons carrying 68 640 tonnnes of ore. We saw a train hauling its long load against the backdrop of the Langeberg Mountain range as we approached Olifantshoek. It was an impressive sight, as is the following link to video footage I found on YouTube:
                   

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB0UyVZQhYo

However, the Kumba Mine saw strike action on October, the 3rd until October the 15th. Strikers illegally occupied the mine, prevented operations from taking place, and damaged the heavy mining equipment. The strikers were only dispersed when the South African Police force evacuated them. We were fortunate that we did not see any protests or rioting, as it was both the mine-workers and the farm workers that were causing unrest. It would have taken only one incident of stone throwing to damage a vehicle, and to cause the holiday to be cancelled. Olifantshoek had seen parents rioting in the streets, only two weeks prior to our visit, as they were protesting about their children's education.

 

 Dave and Noel were grumbling that they were hungry, so we stopped in the small town of Olifantshoek. It was peaceful, with only a few people milling about, but, breakfast is not served in Olifantshoek. I could not believe that menus did not have variations of bacon, eggs, muesli, yoghurt, fruit salad etc. We settled down to a bread roll with lettuce, tomato and avocado. Thank goodness, we could have coffee. Refreshed and with full tummies, we resumed our trip on the N14 down to Upington.