MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

The Manganese Ore Dump and Tank Farm Through the Ages

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Mosied on over to Google Earth today to see if we could see any discernible changes in the area surrounding the Tank Farm and Manganese Ore supply area within the harbour precincts.

Images available on Google Earth range from 26 March 2004 to 28 January 2011 and present an interesting snapshot of the area through the last seven years. To my eye – and I would presume then to most other normal people’s eyes – it certainly looks like the area has suffered from an increased amount of ore being blown and leached towards Kings Beach.

Is that an underground water source that is leaching manganese ore and maybe even fuel oil onto the Kings Beach sand from the South Western Corner of the Manganese Ore Dump?

Have a look below and let us know if we have reason to be concerned or if we are just seeing “‘n kommunis onder die bed”!

20040326 Manganese Ore
26 March 2004 and the beach appears to be clean with the faint 5 'o clock shadow of ore to the east of the Manganese Ore Dump.
20061108 Manganese Ore
8 November 2006 - high winds, some leaching appears to be happening from the Southern corner of the Manganese Ore Dump.
20070224 Manganese Ore
24 February 2007 - the 5 'o clock shadow is getting darker, the leaching appears to have moved eastward and the low lying section on Kings Beach is filled with water carring ore away.
20080527 Manganese Ore
27 May 2008 - the 5 'o clock shadow is showing as a beard to the east of the dumps and the leaching continues unabated.
20090810 Manganese Ore
10 August 2009 - images is not as good as previous ones and makes the area to the east of the dumps look extremely dark with Ore. The 'famous' boom to contain fuel oil has made it's appearance.
20100105 Manganese Ore
5 January 2010 - Manganese Stocks appear to be low and the sand appears to be making some form of recovery - this was at the height of the drought so underground water levels may have had an effect. Note the ABYC Marina.
20101118 Manganese Ore
18 November 2010 - Stil in the grip of the drought and the leaching still seems to be kept at bay. Again, the image is too dark to discern any ore to the East of the dumps.
20110128 Manganese Ore
28 January 2011 - The leaching from the Southern corner has almost stopped completely and we are still in the grip of the drought. A second boom to try and contain the fuel oil spilling into the harbour has been erected. Yes, that is a plane.

Thanks Google Earth.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.

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