A tale of an extraordinary prospector

John Gurney

doi:10.4102/sajs.v105i11/12.134

Abstract

Hans Merensky, who lived from 1871 to 1952, is a legend to anyone involved in mineral exploration in southern Africa. His contributions to the development of world-class mines in the Bushveld (platinum group metals and chrome ore); on the southern African west coast for diamonds; and the Phalaborwa carbonatite are well recognised. That he had other less spectacular but important successes, such as a role in developing the Free State goldfields near Odendaalsrus, is one of the many interesting facts that emerge from this entertaining and inspiring biography.

Highlights

Hans Merensky, who lived from 1871 to 1952, is a legend to anyone involved in mineral exploration in southern Africa
Born in South Africa, where his German parents were missionaries, he relocated with his family to Berlin at the age of 11, only to return to South Africa as a fully trained geologist and mining engineer in 1904 at the age of 33
A number of years operating as a successful consultant were brought to a temporary halt by a bankruptcy during a global recession, followed by the further misfortune of being interned at Fort Napier in Pietermaritzburg for the duration of World War I

Summary

Introduction

Hans Merensky, who lived from 1871 to 1952, is a legend to anyone involved in mineral exploration in southern Africa. The centrality of that theme, mining in the age of empire and how it came to shape the course of world history, is knitted together authoritatively by Raymond Dumett in a substantial thematic introduction.

Results

Conclusion