| There are several hundred
of copper occurances in South Africa, the vast majority of which are not
of economic importance. Early inhabitants of PHALABORWA were aware of the
copper and iron ore occurances, on the 60-m high hill called LOOLEKOP.The
PHALABORWA open- pit mine Radiocarbon dating of implements recovered from
pre-existing excavations revealed that limited mining activities had taken
place here as early as 750 AD.A German explorer (Karl Mauch) noted the
presence of mineralisation at LOOLEKOP in 1868.Between 1930 and 1934 a
company called South African Phosphates Ltd extracted, crushed and bagged
the LOOLEKOP apatite sale.At that time it was more expensive and less effective. |