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Structural geological controls on the flow and occurrence of groundwater in the basement lithologies of the Limpopo Province, South Africa

The work for this thesis was conducted on the basement lithologies of the Limpopo Province in South Africa. An investigation into the correlation between structural geology and the flow/occurrence of groundwater was conducted on these lithologies. Field measurements of geological structures were recorded and compared graphically and statistically to existing groundwater borehole data. Data analysis revealed that the structural geology in the basement lithologies of the Limpopo Province of South-Africa does not have a clearly identifiable influence in terms of spatial patterns in groundwater flow and occurrence at a regional scale. Groundwater targets created through weathering rather than tectonics were evidently more easily recognized. Structural controls on groundwater in the granitic aquifers from this specific area are not totally negligible, although it is believed that such influences will be better identified through intensive local scale investigations. As drilling for groundwater is an expensive practice, the knowledge gained through this study and the possibility of a correlation between groundwater flow/occurrence compared to structural geology might improve the odds of finding groundwater for the communities and farmers in the area. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Geology / unrestricted

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:up/oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/29924
Date29 November 2009
CreatorsPetzer, Konstant Johannes
ContributorsDr A J Bumby, Dr. K. T. Witthuser, kpetzer@angloplat.com
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeDissertation
Rights© 2009, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.

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