Mineral Evolution Database

Created and maintained by the Mineral Evolution Project in partnership with RRUFF and mindat.

Mineral locality data provided by mindat.org

The Mineral Evolution database is currently under development.

The goal of this page is to present localities at which the mineral is found, and estimates of the oldest possible geologic age of the minerals at these localities.

Locality Name:
Western Cape, South Africa

Oldest recorded age at locality: 1378
Youngest recorded age at locality: 0

mindat Locality ID: 43088
mindat URL: http://www.mindat.org/loc-43088.html

Tectonic Settings:

Total number of sublocalities beneath "Western Cape, South Africa": 70
Total number of bottom-level sublocalities: 44

Number of Child Localities: 7
Child Localities:
Cape Town
Cape Winelands District
Central Karoo District
Diep River Meteorite
Eden District
Overberg District
West Coast District

Latitude: 33°24'34"S
Longitude: 20°0'59"E
Decimal Degree (lat, lon): -33.409444444444,20.016388888889

A	This mineral is Anthropogenic.
G	This mineral is directly dated.
B	This mineral is reported as having this age.
Y	This mineral is using an age reported as an element mineralization period.
O	This mineral is using an age calculated from all data at the locality.
R	The age displayed for this mineral originates from a different, non-child locality.
P	The age displayed for this mineral is the range of ages for this mineral at all of this locality's children.
	This mineral's age has not yet been recorded.

Amorphous	Andalusite	Apatite	Aragonite	Arsenopyrite	Atacamite	Autunite	Barringerite	Baryte	Beryl
Boracite	Calcite	Cerite	Chalcopyrite	Chlorite	Chloritoid	Clay	Clinozoisite	Copiapite	Copper
Corundum	Cubanite	Diaspore	Digenite	Dufrénite	Epidote	Feldspar	Fluorite	Garnet	Gypsum
Halotrichite	Iron	Löllingite	Magnetoplumbite	Meta-autunite	Mica	Molybdenite	Natroautunite	Nickeline	None
Not in a structural group	Olivine	Pentlandite	Perovskite	Phosphuranylite	Pyrite	Pyroxene	Quartz	Rhabdophane	Rocksalt
Rutile	Scheelite	Serpentine	Smectite-vermiculite	Sphalerite	Spinel	Struvite	Sulphur	Taranakite	Tetrahedrite
Tivanite	Tochilinite	Tridymite	Turquoise	Vesuvianite	Zircon

This Mineral list contains entries from this locality, including sub-localities. Minerals in bold are reported by mindat.org as occurring directly at this locality, and do not occur at any children (sublocalities) of this locality.

Elements at this locality, including sub-localities: Ag Al As Au B Ba Be C Ca Ce Cl Cr Cu F Fe H K Li Mg Mn Mo N Na Ni O P Pb S Sb Se Si Sn Sr Ti U V W Zn Zr

Elements from minerals reported directly at this locality:

Structural Groups for minerals in this locality:
Amorphous Andalusite Apatite Aragonite Arsenopyrite Atacamite Autunite Barringerite Baryte Beryl
Boracite Calcite Cerite Chalcopyrite Chlorite Chloritoid Clay Clinozoisite Copiapite Copper
Corundum Cubanite Diaspore Digenite Dufrénite Epidote Feldspar Fluorite Garnet Gypsum
Halotrichite Iron Löllingite Magnetoplumbite Meta-autunite Mica Molybdenite Natroautunite Nickeline None
Not in a structural group Olivine Pentlandite Perovskite Phosphuranylite Pyrite Pyroxene Quartz Rhabdophane Rocksalt
Rutile Scheelite Serpentine Smectite-vermiculite Sphalerite Spinel Struvite Sulphur Taranakite Tetrahedrite
Tivanite Tochilinite Tridymite Turquoise Vesuvianite Zircon

124 IMA Minerals at location:

Abernathyite ()*	Albite ()*	Almandine ()*	Andalusite ()*	Anhydrite ()*
Anorthite ()*	Aragonite ()*	Ardealite ()*	Arsenopyrite ()*	Arsenuranylite ()*
Augite ()*	Autunite ()*	Barringerite ()*	Bassanite ()*	Bavenite ()*
Boltwoodite ()*	Boracite ()*	Britholite-(Ce) ()*	Calcite ()*	Carlsbergite ()*
Carnotite ()*	Cassiterite ()*	Celestine ()*	Chalcocite ()*	Chalcopyrite ()*
Chloritoid ()*	Chromite ()*	Chrysotile ()*	Clausthalite ()*	Clinochlore ()*
Clinoenstatite ()*	Coffinite ()*	Copiapite ()*	Copper ()*	Cordierite ()*
Cronstedtite ()*	Daubréelite ()*	Digenite ()*	Diopside ()*	Dolomite ()*
Dufrénite ()*	Enstatite ()*	Epidote ()*	Fayalite ()*	Fluorite ()*
Forsterite ()*	Galena ()*	Goethite ()*	Gold ()*	Guanine ()*
Gypsum ()*	Hedenbergite ()*	Hibonite ()*	Nováčekite-I ()*	Hydroxylapatite ()*
Ilmenite ()*	Iriginite ()*	Iron ()*	Isocubanite ()*	Jordisite ()*
Kosmochlor ()*	Kyanite ()*	Laumontite ()*	Lithiophorite ()*	Löllingite ()*
Mackinawite ()*	Magnetite ()*	Merrillite ()*	Meta-autunite ()*	Metakahlerite ()*
Metatorbernite ()*	Metauranospinite ()*	Metazeunerite ()*	Microcline ()*	Molybdenite ()*
Montmorillonite ()*	Muscovite ()*	Opal ()*	Orthoclase ()*	Paratacamite ()*
Uranophane-β ()*	Pentlandite ()*	Perovskite ()*	Phosphuranylite ()*	Pickeringite ()*
Planerite ()*	Powellite ()*	Pseudorutile ()*	Pyrite ()*	Pyrolusite ()*
Pyrrhotite ()*	Quartz ()*	Romanèchite ()*	Rutile ()*	Sabugalite ()*
Scheelite ()*	Schreibersite ()*	Scorodite ()*	Silver ()*	Sphalerite ()*
Spinel ()*	Strengite ()*	Struvite ()*	Sulphur ()*	Taenite ()*
Taranakite ()*	Tennantite-(Fe) ()*	Teschemacherite ()*	Tetrahedrite-(Zn) ()*	Tochilinite ()*
Todorokite ()*	Torbernite ()*	Tridymite ()*	Troilite ()*	Tungsten ()*
Uraninite ()*	Uranophane-α ()*	Uranospathite ()*	Uranospinite ()*	Variscite ()*
Vesuvianite ()*	Whitlockite ()*	Zeunerite ()*	Zircon ()*

Mineral name	Structural Groups	IMA Formula	Max Age (Ma)	Min Age (Ma)	# of Sublocalities containing mineral	LOCALITY IDs, not mindat ids	# of localities containing mineral
Abernathyite ()*	Natroautunite	K(UO₂)(AsO₄)·3H₂O	246	213	1	107309	16
Albite ()*	Feldspar	Na(AlSi₃O₈)			1	107302	8803
Almandine ()*	Garnet	Fe²⁺₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃			1	107336	2353
Andalusite ()*	Andalusite	Al₂SiO₅			2	107320,107321	1310
Anhydrite ()*	Not in a structural group	Ca(SO₄)			1	107296	1588
Anorthite ()*	Feldspar	Ca(Al₂Si₂O₈)			1	107305	1036
Aragonite ()*	Aragonite	Ca(CO₃)			3	107296,107325,107348	3250
Ardealite ()*	Gypsum	Ca₂(PO₃OH)(SO₄)·4H₂O			1	107332	30
Arsenopyrite ()*	Arsenopyrite	FeAsS	1378	213	8	107282,107285,107286,107287,107288,107309,107311,107342	9052
Arsenuranylite ()*	Phosphuranylite	Ca(UO₂)₄(AsO₄)₂(OH)₄·6H₂O	246	213	1	107309	7
Augite ()*	Pyroxene	(Ca,Mg,Fe)₂Si₂O₆			3	107296,107305,107336	2060
Autunite ()*	Autunite	Ca(UO₂)₂(PO₄)₂·10-12H₂O	215	213	1	107311	1272
Barringerite ()*	Barringerite	(Fe,Ni)₂P			1	107296	22
Bassanite ()*	Rhabdophane	Ca(SO₄)·0.5H₂O			1	107296	82
Bavenite ()*	None	Ca₄Be_2+xAl_2-xSi₉O_26-x(OH)_2+x (x = 0 to 1)			2	107301,107302	255
Boltwoodite ()*	None	(K,Na)(UO₂)(SiO₃OH)·1.5H₂O	246	213	1	107309	67
Boracite ()*	Boracite	Mg₃B₇O₁₃Cl			1	107339	57
Britholite-(Ce) ()*	Apatite	(Ce,Ca)₅(SiO₄)₃(OH)			1	107339	115
Calcite ()*	Calcite	Ca(CO₃)	263	212	6	107296,107301,107302,107316,107325,107339	27770
Carlsbergite ()*	Rocksalt	CrN			1	107298	26
Carnotite ()*	None	K₂(UO₂)₂(VO₄)₂·3H₂O	246	213	1	107309	1184
Cassiterite ()*	Rutile	SnO₂			6	107281,107282,107285,107286,107287,107288	5171
Celestine ()*	Baryte	Sr(SO₄)			1	107325	1252
Chalcocite ()*	None	Cu₂S	246	213	1	107309	5707
Chalcopyrite ()*	Chalcopyrite	CuFeS₂	1378	1304	2	107339,107342	27198
Chloritoid ()*	Chloritoid	Fe²⁺Al₂O(SiO₄)(OH)₂			1	107320	376
Chromite ()*	Spinel	Fe²⁺Cr₂O₄	246	213	7	107290,107296,107305,107310,107312,107318,107337	3902
Chrysotile ()*	Serpentine Clay	Mg₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄			1	107296	951
Clausthalite ()*	Rocksalt	PbSe	246	213	1	107309	281
Clinochlore ()*	Chlorite Clay	Mg₅Al(AlSi₃O₁₀)(OH)₈			1	107302	1756
Clinoenstatite ()*	Pyroxene	Mg₂Si₂O₆			1	107296	94
Coffinite ()*	Zircon	U(SiO₄)·nH₂O	246	213	1	107309	566
Copiapite ()*	Copiapite	Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₄(SO₄)₆(OH)₂·20H₂O	215	213	1	107311	382
Copper ()*	Copper	Cu			1	107318	3846
Cordierite ()*	Beryl	Mg₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈			2	107283,107320	1008
Cronstedtite ()*	Clay Serpentine	(Fe²⁺,Fe³⁺)₃(Si,Fe³⁺)₂O₅(OH)₄			1	107296	54
Daubréelite ()*	Spinel	FeCr₂S₄			1	107296	157
Digenite ()*	Digenite	Cu_1.8S	215	213	1	107311	1027
Diopside ()*	Pyroxene	CaMgSi₂O₆			1	107296	4135
Dolomite ()*	None	CaMg(CO₃)₂			1	107296	9895
Dufrénite ()*	Dufrénite	Ca_0.5Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₅(PO₄)₄(OH)₆·2H₂O			1	107284	139
Enstatite ()*	Pyroxene	Mg₂Si₂O₆			1	107296	944
Epidote ()*	Epidote Clinozoisite	Ca₂(Al₂Fe³⁺)[Si₂O₇][SiO₄]O(OH)			3	107301,107302,107337	8173
Fayalite ()*	Olivine	Fe²⁺₂(SiO₄)			1	107296	371
Fluorite ()*	Fluorite	CaF₂			2	107301,107302	9617
Forsterite ()*	Olivine	Mg₂(SiO₄)			1	107296	1188
Galena ()*	Rocksalt	PbS	1378	1304	1	107342	24243
Goethite ()*	Diaspore	FeO(OH)			1	107348	7437
Gold ()*	Copper	Au	1378	212	12	107283,107289,107299,107307,107313,107316,107317,107323,107327,107328,107329,107342	30554
Guanine ()*	None	C₅H₃(NH₂)N₄O	0	0	1	107340	7
Gypsum ()*	Gypsum	Ca(SO₄)·2H₂O			3	107296,107332,107343	6890
Hedenbergite ()*	Pyroxene	CaFe²⁺Si₂O₆			1	107339	741
Hibonite ()*	Magnetoplumbite	CaAl₁₂O₁₉			1	107296	80
Nováčekite-I ()*	None	Mg(UO₂)₂(AsO₄)₂·12H₂O	246	213	1	107309	55
Hydroxylapatite ()*	Apatite	Ca₅(PO₄)₃OH			1	107332	367
Ilmenite ()*	Corundum	Fe²⁺Ti⁴⁺O₃	246	213	8	107290,107296,107305,107310,107318,107334,107336,107337	5433
Iriginite ()*	None	(UO₂)Mo⁶⁺₂O₇·3H₂O	215	213	1	107311	15
Iron ()*	Iron	Fe	246	213	7	107290,107296,107298,107305,107310,107312,107318	1089
Isocubanite ()*	Sphalerite Cubanite	CuFe₂S₃	246	213	3	107310,107312,107318	191
Jordisite ()*	Amorphous	MoS₂	215	213	1	107311	102
Kosmochlor ()*	Pyroxene	NaCr³⁺Si₂O₆			1	107298	13
Kyanite ()*	Not in a structural group	Al₂OSiO₄			2	107337,107344	1507
Laumontite ()*	Not in a structural group	CaAl₂Si₄O₁₂·4H₂O	246	213	1	107309	1271
Lithiophorite ()*	None	(Al,Li)(Mn⁴⁺,Mn³⁺)O₂(OH)₂			1	107297	210
Löllingite ()*	Löllingite	FeAs₂	215	213	1	107311	762
Mackinawite ()*	None	(Fe,Ni)_1+xS (x = 0-0.07)	246	213	2	107310,107312	451
Magnetite ()*	Spinel	Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₂O₄			5	107296,107305,107334,107336,107337	14899
Merrillite ()*	Cerite	Ca₉NaMg(PO₄)₇			1	107305	230
Meta-autunite ()*	Meta-autunite	Ca(UO₂)₂(PO₄)₂·6H₂O	215	213	1	107311	388
Metakahlerite ()*	None	Fe²⁺(UO₂)₂(AsO₄)₂·8H₂O	215	213	1	107311	18
Metatorbernite ()*	None	Cu(UO₂)₂(PO₄)₂·8H₂O	215	213	1	107311	443
Metauranospinite ()*	None	Ca(UO₂)₂(AsO₄)₂·8H₂O	246	213	1	107309	14
Metazeunerite ()*	None	Cu(UO₂)₂(AsO₄)₂·8H₂O	215	213	1	107311	182
Microcline ()*	Feldspar	K(AlSi₃O₈)			1	107302	4924
Molybdenite ()*	Molybdenite	MoS₂	246	213	6	107285,107286,107287,107288,107309,107339	5800
Montmorillonite ()*	Clay Smectite-vermiculite	(Na,Ca)_0.3(Al,Mg)₂Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂·nH₂O			1	107296	1508
Muscovite ()*	Mica Clay	KAl₂(Si₃Al)O₁₀(OH)₂			1	107302	17380
Opal ()*	Amorphous	SiO₂·nH₂O			1	107332	2994
Orthoclase ()*	Feldspar	K(AlSi₃O₈)			1	107348	2349
Paratacamite ()*	Atacamite	Cu₃(Cu,Zn)Cl₂(OH)₆	246	213	1	107309	158
Uranophane-β ()*	None	Ca(UO₂)₂(SiO₃OH)₂·5H₂O	215	213	1	107311	144
Pentlandite ()*	Pentlandite	(Ni,Fe)₉S₈	1378	1304	2	107296,107342	1512
Perovskite ()*	Perovskite	CaTiO₃			1	107296	495
Phosphuranylite ()*	Phosphuranylite	KCa(H₃O)₃(UO₂)₇(PO₄)₄O₄·8H₂O	246	213	1	107309	182
Pickeringite ()*	Halotrichite	MgAl₂(SO₄)₄·22H₂O	215	213	1	107311	265
Planerite ()*	Turquoise	Al₆(PO₄)₂(PO₃OH)₂(OH)₈·4H₂O			1	107284	43
Powellite ()*	Scheelite	Ca(MoO₄)			1	107339	494
Pseudorutile ()*	Tivanite	Fe³⁺₂Ti⁴⁺₃O₉			1	107337	30
Pyrite ()*	Pyrite	FeS₂	1378	213	3	107309,107339,107342	39462
Pyrolusite ()*	Rutile	MnO₂			2	107284,107295	3106
Pyrrhotite ()*	Nickeline	Fe₇S₈			2	107296,107339	9056
Quartz ()*	Quartz	SiO₂	1378	212	14	107282,107289,107293,107302,107303,107313,107316,107317,107321,107328,107337,107339,107342,107348	61156
Romanèchite ()*	None	(Ba,H₂O)₂(Mn⁴⁺,Mn³⁺)₅O₁₀			1	107284	312
Rutile ()*	Rutile	TiO₂			5	107296,107305,107334,107337,107348	5614
Sabugalite ()*	None	HAl(UO₂)₄(PO₄)₄·16H₂O	246	213	1	107309	87
Scheelite ()*	Scheelite	Ca(WO₄)			1	107339	4894
Schreibersite ()*	None	(Fe,Ni)₃P			3	107296,107298,107305	374
Scorodite ()*	None	Fe³⁺(AsO₄)·2H₂O			4	107285,107286,107287,107288	1153
Silver ()*	Copper	Ag	1378	1304	1	107342	5186
Sphalerite ()*	Sphalerite	ZnS	1378	1304	2	107339,107342	21482
Spinel ()*	Spinel	MgAl₂O₄			2	107296,107337	1934
Strengite ()*	None	Fe³⁺(PO₄)·2H₂O	0	0	1	107340	263
Struvite ()*	Struvite	(NH₄)Mg(PO₄)·6H₂O	0	0	1	107341	30
Sulphur ()*	Sulphur	S			1	107296	2045
Taenite ()*	None	(Ni,Fe)	246	213	4	107290,107305,107312,107318	703
Taranakite ()*	Taranakite	K₃Al₅(PO₃OH)₆(PO₄)₂·18H₂O			1	107332	57
Tennantite-(Fe) ()*	Tetrahedrite	Cu₆(Cu₄Fe₂)As₄S₁₃	246	213	1	107309	1803
Teschemacherite ()*	None	(NH₄)H(CO₃)	0	0	1	107340	6
Tetrahedrite-(Zn) ()*	Tetrahedrite	Cu₆(Cu₄Zn₂)Sb₄S₁₃	246	213	1	107309	5317
Tochilinite ()*	Tochilinite	6(Fe_0.9S)·5[(Mg,Fe)(OH)₂]			1	107296	56
Todorokite ()*	None	(Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)_1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)₆O₁₂·3-4H₂O			1	107284	433
Torbernite ()*	None	Cu(UO₂)₂(PO₄)₂·12H₂O	215	213	1	107311	1059
Tridymite ()*	Tridymite	SiO₂			1	107305	458
Troilite ()*	None	FeS	246	213	7	107290,107296,107298,107305,107310,107312,107318	1044
Tungsten ()*	Iron	W			1	107339	23
Uraninite ()*	Fluorite	UO₂	215	213	2	107309,107311	2718
Uranophane-α ()*	None	Ca(UO₂)₂(SiO₃OH)₂·5H₂O	215	213	1	107311	890
Uranospathite ()*	None	(Al, )(UO₂)₂F(PO₄)₂·20H₂O	215	213	1	107311	20
Uranospinite ()*	None	Ca(UO₂)₂(AsO₄)₂·10H₂O	215	213	1	107311	51
Variscite ()*	None	Al(PO₄)·2H₂O			1	107332	301
Vesuvianite ()*	Vesuvianite	(Ca,Na)₁₉(Al,Mg,Fe)₁₃(SiO₄)₁₀(Si₂O₇)₄(OH,F,O)₁₀			1	107339	1395
Whitlockite ()*	Cerite	Ca₉Mg(PO₃OH)(PO₄)₆			1	107332	104
Zeunerite ()*	Autunite	Cu(UO₂)₂(AsO₄)₂·12H₂O	215	213	1	107311	185
Zircon ()*	Zircon	Zr(SiO₄)			7	107290,107334,107336,107337,107339,107345,107346	5251

Locality Notes from all Ages at Locality:

Age ID	Locality Notes
Giersdorf_00000797	The Rietkuil Mine is part of the Karoo Basin and the Elliot Formation of the Karoo Supergroup. The overall mineral area is referred to as the Beaufort West Uranium Deposits
Giersdorf_00000798	The Beaufort West Uranium Deposits is a series of uranium deposits found in the metamorphic belt of the Cape of Africa
Giersdorf_00000799	The Karoo Basin is a widespread sedimentary sequence that covers the majority of the country of South Africa
Giersdorf_00000800	The Karoo Basin is a widespread sedimentary sequence that covers the majority of the country of South Africa
Giersdorf_00000801	The Karoo Basin is a widespread sedimentary sequence that covers the majority of the country of South Africa
Giersdorf_00000803	The Karoo Basin is a widespread sedimentary sequence that covers the majority of the country of South Africa
Giersdorf_00000804	The Karoo Basin is a widespread sedimentary sequence that covers the majority of the country of South Africa
Jen_0001037	MAGMATIC STYLE: Heart-shaped 1.5 km diameter intrusion of at least four carbonatite types. ASSOCIATED SILICATE ROCKS: Ijolite, biotite pyroxenite, melteigite, jacupirangite, foyaite and fenite.
Michelle_0025	Guano deposit

9 Ages assigned to this locality:

Excel ID	Max Age (Ma)	Min Age (Ma)	Age as listed in reference	Dating Method	Age Interpret	Sample Source	Dated Mineral	MinDat Locality ID	Dated Locality (Max Age)	Location as listed in reference	Reference	Reference DOI	Reference ID	Age Notes
Giersdorf_00000799	263	253	258±5	Ar-Ar				236269	Central Karoo District, Western Cape, South Africa	Karoo Basin	Bordy et al. (2005)	10.2113/108.3.454	SAJG107_397	Age given for a minor plateau-forming event of the Karoo Basin supergroup
Giersdorf_00000800	250	246	248±2	Ar-Ar				236269	Central Karoo District, Western Cape, South Africa	Karoo Basin	Bordy et al. (2005)	10.2113/108.3.454	SAJG107_397	Age given for a major plateau-forming event of the Karoo Basin supergroup
Giersdorf_00000801	218	212	215±3	U-Pb	Age given in support of earlier works by Gentle el al. (1978) due to its consistency in its findings	zircon	Zircon	236269	Central Karoo District, Western Cape, South Africa	Karoo Basin	Bordy et al. (2005)	10.2113/108.3.454	SAJG107_397	Age of tectonically-driven fluid migration in the southern Karoo
Giersdorf_00000803	250	244	247±3		Age given in support of earlier works by Gentle el al. (1978) due to its consistency in its findings			236269	Central Karoo District, Western Cape, South Africa	Karoo Basin	Bordy et al. (2005)	10.2113/108.3.454	SAJG107_397	Age attributed to a metamorphic event of the Karoo group
Giersdorf_00000804	260	256	258±2		Age given in support of earlier works by Gentle el al. (1978) due to its consistency in its findings			236269	Central Karoo District, Western Cape, South Africa	Karoo Basin	Bordy et al. (2005)	10.2113/108.3.454	SAJG107_397	Age attributed to a metamorphic event of the Karoo group
Giersdorf_00000798	246	217	246-217	U-Pb	Age given in support of earlier works by Gentle el al. (1978) due to its consistency in its findings			56312	Beaufort West, Central Karoo District, Western Cape, South Africa	Beaufort West	Bordy et al. (2005)	10.2113/108.3.454	SAJG107_397	Pb207-U235 age
Giersdorf_00000797	215	213	215-213	U-Pb	Age given in support of earlier works by Gentle el al. (1978) due to its consistency in its findings			56313	Rietkuil, Beaufort West, Central Karoo District, Western Cape, South Africa	Rietkuil	Bordy et al. (2005)	10.2113/108.3.454	SAJG107_397	Pb207-U235 age
Michelle_0025	0	0	0					31410	Saldanha Bay, West Coast District, Western Cape, South Africa	Saldanha Bay
Jen_0001037	1378	1304	1341±37	Rb-Sr				230318	Spitskop Deposit, West Coast District, Western Cape, South Africa	Spitskop	Woolley and Kjarsgaard (2008)	10.4095/225115	GSCOF5796

Sample	Source Locality	Reference URL

All locality data graciously provided by mindat.org

All age data...