The Ngwenya Mine in eSwatini is potentially one of the oldest mining sites, located in some of the oldest rocks in the world, writes Dr. Nicolaas Steenkamp.
Ngwenya Mine Open Pit Blue Water. All images supplied by Dr. Nicolaas Steenkamp
Ngwenya Mine is situated on the north-western border of eSwatini (formerly Swaziland), located in the Barberton Mountain lands. It is the second-biggest mountain in eSwatini and is called Ngwenya because, at first glance, it looks like a crocodile.
The site shows evidence of three distinct mining activity periods within the area which is: the Lion Carven mine for specularite and red ochre, Castle carven for 400AD iron ore mining and two open casts for the 1964-1977 modern iron ore mining. The site is within the Malolotja Nature Reserve which also acts as a buffer zone. It is a protected area and mining within it is strictly prohibited by the Swaziland National Trust Commission Act of 1972.
The site has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. Archaeological studies by the Bernard Price Institute for Paleontological Research at the University of the Witwatersrand, indicated that the Lion Cave site was potentially first mined around 42 000 BCE for the extraction of red haematite and specularite (sparkling iron ores). The peoples belonged to the Middle Stone Age, which flourished in southern Africa for about 100 000 years, until almost 20 000 years ago. In 1964 charcoal nodules from the site were sent for radiocarbon dating and a date of 43 000 BCE was obtained making this one of the oldest known mining operations in the world. In addition, ancient mining tools found in the site were found to be more specialised and even foreign to those that were found on compatible Stone Age sites. These tools included choppers, picks and hammers made of dolerite and were identified as “specifically fashioned” mining tools.
Following a hiatus of studies of Stone Age sites in Swaziland since 1989, there is now renewed interest in these sites in eSwatini, with new studies being spearheaded by the German universities of Cologne and Tübingen.
The red ochre was used by the San (Bushman) for their rock paintings, of which there are numerous in eSwatini. The Swazi names of these pigments are “libovu” (red ochre) and “ludumane” (sparkling ochre).
Study of the site further indicated that by about 400 AD, another group of Bantu-speaking people had arrived from north of the Limpopo River. This group were agro-pastoralists, that also smelted iron ore. This group extracted the ore by using heavy iron hammers and it is suggested that they traded the iron widely throughout the region.
Today there is a closed modern open cast mine which was opened in 1964 to mine iron ore. The haematite iron ore with the iron content of up to 60% was prospected in the middle of the 19th century. The Swaziland Iron Ore Development Company (SIODC) is owned by the Anglo American Corporation. The operation of this open cast mine served as a catalyst to the industrial and economic development of Swaziland. The Goba railway line connected the mine with the Mozambique Railway System and electricity reticulation lines were established to support the open cast mining operation. The ore descended the mountain into Ka-Dake Station through conveyor belts after an elaborate beneficiation process. It was then loaded into trains, transported along a 210km railway line from Ngwenya to Maputo (then Lorenzo Marques) and loaded onto ships bound for Japan. The Matsapha Industrial Site area was developed as a direct result of the needs and proceeds of the mining. The material was exported via Mozambique.
Ngwenya Mine – Barberton mountains.
An estimated 20 000,000 tonnes of iron ore have been extracted from the mine, with an estimated 32 million tons of ore remaining. The mine operation was stopped after the open pit flooded and could not be revitalised and was closed in 1977.
Salgaocar operated the mine most recently from 2011 to 2014 through the Salgaocar Swaziland Limited Company. This deal was unfortunately marred by allegations of corruption and not meeting the promises made in terms of job creation and generation of income for Swaziland. Vuka Lilanga Minerals was earmarked to restart mining in 2020, but operations were never realised.
Currently Mwelase Mining Eswatini is operating the Ngwenya Iron Ore Mine. Their target was to reclaim 150 000 tonnes off the iron dumps per month. Concerns are being expressed around the dust generated and potential of more contamination of the water in the area. The company also recently had a round of lay-offs following continued issues with road transport through Mozambique.
In 2008, the Swaziland National Trust Commission (SNTC) together with the Swaziland National Museum began a process of petitioning the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to declare the whole mining area a World Heritage Site.
The visitor’s centre was opened in 2005, with the support of the Republic of China in Taiwan, and some ancient tools displayed in the centre were recovered with the help of the European Union technical and research support. The visitor’s centre burned down in 2018, but the old engine used by the mine is still visible on site. Visitors are met at the gate and for a small fee, a guided tour is offered of the site. It takes 15 minutes to walk from the parking area to the site. The site offers a platform from which the old open pit, now filled with water, can be viewed with an about-face view of the Barberton Mountains behind.
Additional Information for visitors to the site
The site is located a short distance from the Oshoek border crossing, making it an easy day trip for South African passport holders. Currently no refreshments are sold on site, and there are no public toilets. There is a local rate for eSwatini nationals and an international visitor fee. The contact details of the guides are posted at the entrance. The road to Oshoek from Barberton is also the Barberton Geoheritage route, with various stops along the way set up by the Geological Society of South Africa, with a short description of the formation. Balls of red ochre can be bought in the local markets, as it still widely used in ceremonies in eSwatini today.
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Dr Nicolaas C Steenkamp is an independent consultant, specialising in geological, geotechnical and geometallurgical projects and mining project management. He has over two decades of industry experience with global exposure. (ncs.contract@gmail.com) |