MSc Students

Accumulation behaviours and taphonomic signatures for extant black eagle nests, Aquila verreauxii, in southern Africa.

Climate change impact assessment on groundwater: A case study of the Crocodile (West) River from Johannesburg to the Hartbeespoort Dam, South Africa. 

The project started in 2012 and is supervised by Prof. Tamiru A. Abiye

Depositional history of the Msikaba Formation: a Devonian Shallow Marine System 

The project is supervised by Dr. Jinnah.

This project involves a detailed lithological analysis of the Msikaba Formation, including measurement of stratigraphic sections; comparison of stacking patterns and facies successions as well as palaeocurrent analysis of wave, tide and unidirectional bedforms.  A comparison with the Witteberg Group of the Cape Supergroup will also be done.  This will involve the measurement of stratigraphic section and a comparison of tide, wave and fluvial elements with the Msikaba  Formation.

Blackbeard, M.

A re-examination of the rare Triassic Dinosaur, Eucnemesaurus based on an
articulated skeleton from the Eastern Cape

Burri, N.

Depositional history, chronology and climate of the western margin of the Nyls River floodplain, South Africa.

The project started in 2010 and is supervised by Prof. McCarthy.

Chunnett, G.

Exploration and development of the Styldrift platinum mining prospect in the western Bushveld Complex.

The project is supervised by Prof. Wilson.

Petrology and geochemistry of the Tjakastad Komatities in the Barberton International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP) 

The project started in 2012 and si supervisd by Prof Wilson and Dr. Arndt

Cohen, B.

Actualistic investigation of bone modification on mesomammals by mammalian and avian predators: an insight to the Taphonomy of Cooper’s Cave, South Africa.

The project started in 2011 and is supervised by Dr. Backwell.

Colarossi, D.

Geology and geochronology of the Nyl River floodplain sediments, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

The project started in 2011 and is supervised by Prof. McCarthy and Mrs Evans.

Funyufunyu, T.

The artisanal mining history of the Dem region, Burkina Faso: The geochronology, mining, processing and production of iron ore.

The project started in 2010 and is supervised by Prof. Ncube-Hein.

Houghton, K.

Is articular morphology of the calcaneus indicative of the different locomotor mode and foot posture among primates?

The project started in 2011 and is supervised by Dr. Carlson and Dr. Zipfel.

Jirah, S.

Stratigraphy and sedmentology of the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone in an area aroung Merweville, South Africa.

The project is supervised by Prof. Rubidge.

The project involves mapping out the lithology of the study area, measuring the stratigraphic section of the entire Abrahamskraal Formation in this southwestern corner of the Karoo basin, then collecting fossils and plotting them together with those already in the database to determine ranges for the different taxa in this stratigraphic succession.

Supervised by Prof. Kinnaird

The project involves 3D modelling  of structural systems and how they control the distribution of Cu and Co in the Ruashi and Kinsevere Mines in conjunction with petrographic analysis of sulphide bearing samples

Khoza, T.

Electromagnetic imaging of the Southern African lithosphere.

The project is supervised by Dr. Webb.

A geophysical investigation into the geology, geometry and the hydrological effects of the South African Pilanesberg Complex and related dykes.

The project started in 2012, and is supervised by Dr. Webb.

The intrusion geometry of the Pilanesberg Complex into the Bushveld Complex is investigated using 3D gravity modelling, while the age and intrusive relationship of the Pilanesberg Complex and the Pilanesberg dyke swarm is constrained with geochronology and paleomagnetism.

Leshomo, J.

The project started in 2009 (part-time) and is supervised by Dr. Abiye.

Loots, L.

Processing and interpretation of a reflection seismic profile across the Cape Fold Belt.

The (part-time) project is supervised by Prof. Durrheim.

High Resolution Reflection Seismic Survey With Application to Civil engineering problems and Ground water investigations

Supervised by Prof. Durrheim.

The project uses 2D seismic to investigate the offsets between water table and dolomite bedrock in old coal mining area, the aim is also to determine how close did the coal mining come to surface.

Water resource assessment in the Upper Vaal, South Africa  

The project involves groundwater flow modeling using MODFLOW, environmental modeling of mining impacts on groundwater systems, estimation of groundwater recharge and aquifer characterization.

Supervised by Prof. Abiye.

Matsheka, R.

Character, morphology and origin of gold from selected mines in the Yatela and Sadiola goldfields, Mali.

The project started in 2010 and is supervised by Prof. Ncube-Hein.

The character of gold mineralisation at the Yatela mine is different from that encountered anywhere else in the West African Craton. Beziat et al. identified two styles of gold mineralisation for the WAC including quartz-vein and disseminated styles in Burkina Faso. However, gold at Sadiola, Tabakoto and perhaps Segala (all in western Mali) has been classified as intrusive related or skarn related by Theron and Hein based on its spatial and temporal association with the emplacement of local plutons, as stratabound at Loulo because auriferous quartz veins are confined to tourmaline-rich sandstone. In Ghana, gold mineralisation is hosted in shear zones or the immediate hanging wall and footwall to shears. Gold in the Tarkwa succession in Ghana is classified as placer as are numerous occurrences of placer gold in the Phanerozoic palaeo-channels throughout the WAC. Gold mineralisation at Essakane, Gossey, Korizéna and Falagountou orpaillages (artisan) sites in NE Burkina Faso is classified as lode-veinstockwork type gold.

McClymont, J.

An analysis of endurance running potential in extant and extinct hominoids: distinguishing the differential locomotor mechanics between hominins.

The project started in 2011 and is supervised by Dr. Zipfel.

African Plate Project, supervised by Dr. Master.

Ncube, S.

The petrogenesis and origin of ultramafic enclaves in the Unki mining area of the Great Dyke, Zimbabwe.

The project started in 2010 and is supervised by Prof. Wilson.

An investigation to empirically determine the effect of ants, dermestid beetles and termites on modern and fossil faunal remains.

The project started in 2011 and is supervised by Dr. Backwell and Dr. McKay.

The volcanology of the Goren greenstone belt in Burkina Faso and its potential for base metal deposits

The project is supervised by Prof. Hein and Prof. McPhie.

This project includes geochemical, petrographical and field studies. It also involves the delineation of volcanic facies using lithological relationships in the field, volcanic textures and composition.

Basin Analysis, Palaeontology and Biostratigraphy of the Early to Middle Devonian Bokkeveld Group (Cape Supergroup), Western Cape, South Africa.

The project is supervised by Prof. Rubidge, Dr. Jinnah, and Dr. Almond.

This project aims to reassess the sedimentology of the Bokkeveld Group in the Cederberg Range, Western Cape, South Africa.  A new facies model, as well as a re-interpretation of the palaeo-environment of deposition, for the Bokkeveld Group shall be presented.  This will be discussed within a sequence stratigraphic framework in order to understand possible controls (tectonic vs. eustatic) within the Cape Basin on facies stacking and cyclicity during Bokkeveld Group sedimentation.  The distributions of fossil assemblages within the Bokkeveld Group will also be considered in this project, this to assess if any possible controls (temporal vs. spatial) exist over their occurrences/ranges.  The palaeontological contribution of this project will help gain insight into Devonian ecosystems and environments of southwestern Gondwana as well as to assess if a biostratigraphy/ecostratigraphy for the Bokkeveld Group is possible.

Geophysical modelling and interpretation of aeromagnetic data from Northern Namibia

Supervised by Dr. Webb.

Statistical and wavelet analysis of density and magnetic susceptibility data from the Bushveld complex.

Project supervised by Dr. Webb and Prof. Cooper.

Tilt-Angle-based Source Depth Estimation

Supervised by Prof Cooper

Sedimentology and palaeontology of the Late Permian Barberskrans Member - Implications for the Evolution of the Karoo Basin

Project supervised by Prof. Rubidge and Dr. Smith

The project will be testing the hypothesis that the sandstone rich Barberskrans Member (Balfour Formation) is present in both the distal and proximal sectors of the Karoo Basin under the paritioned basin model compiled by Catuneanu et al (1998). If this is indeed the case, it will have great implications for the evolution of the Karoo Basin, as it may be the first (and only Permian) lithostratigraphic unit recorded in both secors of the Basin.

• Characteristics and metal zonation of Merensky Facies, Bushveld Complex, in the Marikana District

The project is supervised by Prof. Cawthorn.

In the Marikana District, alternating pyroxenite and chromitite layers form multiple assemblages in the Merensky Reef referred to as facies types. Facies domains have been broadly defined but a further understanding of the transition between the different facies along dip and strike is required. The transition from one facies type to another has not been documented in detail and a large part of the uncertainty involves the chromitite occurrence as stringers and whether they can be correlated between facies or whether they merge or split as the facies types change. This study will describe the facies and their transitions; and analyse the mineral chemistry of the chromitite stringers, in both vertical and lateral geological profiles of the Merensky Pyroxenite Unit.

WELA, S'Lindile

Lithological, petrographical and geochemical investigations of the M4 borehole, Morokweng Impact Structure, South Africa.

The project started in 2010 and is supervised by Prof. Gibson and Prof. Andreoli.

YOSSI, Mamadou

Regional structural interpretation using geophysical data from southern Mali and northern Guinea, West Africa craton.

The project started in 2010 (part-time) and is supervised by Prof Ncube-Hein.

ZINTWANA, Masibule 

The Petrology and Geochemistry of the Marginal and Lower Zones of the Eastern Bushveld Complex, South Africa.

The project started in 2011 and is supervised by Prof. Wilson.