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Abstract

Summary

The Paleoproterozoic Kalahari Manganese Field (KMF) in South Africa is composed of sedimentary-hosted manganese interbedded with banded iron formation and is host to the world’s largest known land-based manganese resources. Five 2D reflection seismic profiles were acquired at the Severn farm area to delineate the KMF sequence and the associated geological structures for Manganese (Mn) deposit exploration. A 500 kg drop hammer was used as a seismic source and 1C geophones (5 Hz) connected to Remote Acquisition Units (RAUs) as receivers along all profiles. The study area is characterized by soft sand cover, traffic along the main road, electrical power lines, and electrical fences. The seismic data acquired across all profiles were of good quality, showing clear P-wave first arrivals and several shallow reflections. A standard reflection seismic processing workflow was applied to enhance subsurface imaging. Nine distinct, nearly horizontal high-amplitude reflections were identified across processed seismic profiles at depths ranging from 0.05 to 3.42 km, marking key lithological contacts. The manganese mineralization occurs at a depth of ∼ 1.05–1.35 km, within the Hotazel Formation with moderate-amplitude reflections. Despite the use of a small energy source, near-horizontal reflections were successfully imaged to depths of approximately 5 km.

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2025-09-07
2026-02-14

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/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202520175
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Reflection Seismic Imaging of the Manganese Mineralisation in the Griqualand West Basin, South Africa
Conference Proceedings 2025, 1 (2025); https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.202520175
/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202520175
/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202520175
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