Rudolf Krahmann (1896 - 1971)[1] was a German geophysicist who was instrumental in discovering one of the richest gold fields of South Africa.

Krahmann was born in Berlin; his father was a professor of Mining Economy at the University of Berlin.[2] As a young man, Krahmann studied economic geology, before taking a job as a prospector for which he travelled extensively (Austria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Spain, Java, Australia, New Zealand).[2] In the course of this work, he developed a method of prospecting by means of a magnetometer.[3]

In February 1930, Krahmann and his wife Gertrud emigrated to South Africa.[1] A few months later, while sitting on a hill near Krugersdorp, an area already famed for its gold, he noticed that his compass was being deflected by rocks that were rich in iron.[3] He realized that he could search for gold indirectly, by using a magnetometer to trace the iron-rich shales associated with the deep gold deposits of the Witwatersrand.[4] This soon led to the discovery of two immense deep gold deposits, the Carbon Leader Reef and the Ventersdorp Contact Reef, and the establishment of a number of new gold mines.[1]

Krahmann was a supporter of the Nazi party, and at the start of the second world war, he was interned in South Africa; he was repatriated to Germany in 1944.[1] In 1945 he was arrested by the Soviets, and spent more than three years as their prisoner in eastern Germany.[1] He and his wife returned to South Africa in 1950.

In honor of Krahmann’s achievements, the highest award of the South African Geophysical Association is named the Krahmann Memorial Medal.[5][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e van Zijl, JSV (2015), "The expansion of the Witwatersrand goldfields and the contributions of Rudolf Krahmann and Oscar Weiss", in de Beer, Johan H (ed.), The History of Geophysics in Southern Africa, African Sun Media, pp. 60–66
  2. ^ a b Cartwright, AP (1967). Gold Paved the Way. St Martin’s Press. pp. 149–151.
  3. ^ a b Oxley, John (1989). Down Where No Lion Walked: The Story of Western Deep Levels. Western Deep Levels Ltd.
  4. ^ Cartwright, AP (1967). Gold Paved the Way. St Martin’s Press. pp. 152–165.
  5. ^ Durrheim, RJ (2015), "The South African Geophysical Association", in de Beer, Johan H (ed.), The History of Geophysics in Southern Africa, African Sun Media, pp. 600–606
  6. ^ "Awards - SAGA Development of Geophysics in South Africa". SAGA Online. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Krahmann
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