THE HANS MERENSKY PAPERS 1900- 1986 (ADA Acc 51)

Abstract

HANS MERENSKY 1871-1952 Hans Merensky was born at Botshabelo in 1871 and he died at Westfalia in 1952. He was educated in South Africa and Germany and graduated as a mining engineer at the University of Berlin. In 1904 Merensky started practising as a consulting geologist and mining engineer. He received many commissions for geological reports on a variety of mineral deposits and his practice became exceptionally profitable. In 1923 Merensky learnt that platinum ore had been discovered in the Waterberge. A year later the first platinum ore bearing dunite pipe was discovered. Further follow-up work led to the discovery of the Merensky Reef, a pseudo-stratified, mineralised pyroxenite stratum in the norites of the Bushveld Complex. It is estimated that the Merensky Reef extends for some 300 kilometres and constitutes by far the largest known reserve of platinum on earth. In 1926 diamonds were discovered in Namaqualand. Through negotiation he obtained twenty-three claims which he later sold to the Oppenheimer-Barnato group for more than a million pounds. Merensky also played an important role in the discovery of gold in the famous West Wits Line as well as in the Free State. In 1937 he discovered one of the world’s richest deposits of vermiculite near Phalaborwa. He discovered phosphates of good quality sufficient to provide for the country’s needs for many years to come in 1946. The state took over the claims and Foskor was established.

After his phosphate triumph, Merensky retired to Westfalia and set up the Merensky Trust of R5 000 000. During his last years he devoted himself to soil conservation, forestry and the cultivation of fruit, especially citrus and avocado pears. In 1974 the Merensky Trust was converted into the Merensky Foundation with the intention to help develop South Africa’s natural resources and to preserve its water, soil, fauna and flora.

HANS MERENSKY PAPERS (1900 – 1986) The Hans Merensky Papers were microfilmed in 1994 by the University of South Africa as a joint Unisa and Merensky Foundation Project. Microfiche copies of the Merensky Papers are available to researchers in the Unisa Archives as Accession 51 in the Hesse Collection of German Africana. The original Papers of the renowned mining engineer, geologist, prospector, farmer, nature conservationist and philanthropist are housed at the Westfalia Estate Museum in the Duiwelskloof District. The first section of the Papers reflect Merensky’s private life and his estate and the second part his geological and farming activities. A detailed index ensures easy access. The third part consists of speeches, articles, photographs, brochures and reports of the Merensky Foundation.