Makhonjwa Mountains

Makhonjwa Mountains
Barberton greenstone belt
Highest point
Elevation 1,800 m (5,900 ft)
Geography
Countries South Africa and Swaziland

The Makhonjwa Mountains also known as the Barberton Greenstone Belt or Barberton Mountain Land is a range of small mountains and hills that cover an 120 km by 60 km area that straddles the Mpumalanga province of South Africa and the boarder of Swaziland. It is situated in the eastern edge of Kaapvaal Craton. The area ranges in altitude from 600 to 1,800 meters above mean sea level. The range is best known for having some of the oldest exposed rocks on Earth estimated to be between 3.2 and 3.6 billion years (Ga) old, dating from the Paleoarchean.[1]

The mountain range's extreme age and exceptional preservation have yield some of the oldest undisputed signs of life on Earth and provide insight into the hostile nature of the Precambrian environment under which this life evolved.[2][3] This has led to the area being otherwise known as the “Genesis of life”.[4]

The area is also known for its gold deposits and a number of komatiites, an unusual type of ultramafic volcanic rock named after the Komati River that flows through the belt. It has a number of rocky hills, with moist grassy uplands and forested valleys.[1]

In April 2014, scientists reported finding evidence of the largest terrestrial meteor impact event to date near the area. They estimated the impact occurred about 3.26 billion years ago and that the impactor was approximately 37 and 58 kilometers (23 to 36 miles) wide. The crater from this event, if it still exists, has not yet been found.[5]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The Barberton Mountain Land, Barberton Greenstone Belt or Makhonjwa Mountains". UNESCO. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  2. ↑ de Wit, Maarten (2010). "The deep-time treasure chest of the Makhonjwa Mountains". South African journal of Science. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "A Short History Of The Barberton Makhonjwa Geotrail". Barbeton Geo Trail. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "Makhonjwa Mountains at Barberton". Mpumalanga Tourism. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  5. ↑ “Scientists reconstruct ancient impact that dwarfs dinosaur-extinction blast”, American Geophysical Union, April 9, 2014

Coordinates: 33°24′S 22°00′E / 33.4°S 22°E