Sua Pan: Difference between revisions
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The Sua Pan was first described to the European world by [[David Livingstone]], pursuant to his [[explorer|explorations]] in this region.<ref>D. Livingstone, 1868</ref> Significant [[archaeological]] recoveries have been made within the Nwetwe Pan, featuring [[stone-age]] tools from peoples who lived in this area when a large year-round lake occupied the Sua and Nwetwe Pans. |
The Sua Pan was first described to the European world by [[David Livingstone]], pursuant to his [[explorer|explorations]] in this region.<ref>D. Livingstone, 1868</ref> Significant [[archaeological]] recoveries have been made within the Nwetwe Pan, featuring [[stone-age]] tools from peoples who lived in this area when a large year-round lake occupied the Sua and Nwetwe Pans. |
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The Brines of Sua Pan being one of the largest playa lakes in the world spans approximately 24000 square kilometers. While [[sodium chloride]] is the prime constituent, there are many other salts found within this area such as [[sodium carbonate]], [[sodium bicarbonate]], [[sodium sulfate]], and minor amounts of [[potassium chloride]] ([[potash]]).<ref>{{Cite journal|last=|first=Republic of Botswana|date=November 24, 1980|title=Botswana Soda-ash Study Contract No. AID/SOD/PDC-C-0407|url=http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNAAY142.pdf|journal=THE BRINES OF SUA PAN|publisher=United States Agency for International Development|volume=|pages=|via=}}</ref> |
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Currently, Sua Pan is a seasonal lake; it fills with water during the Summer rainy season and retains water until April or May.<ref>http://makgadikgadi-pans.botswana.co.za/makgadikgadi-pans-climate.html</ref> Among the more successful wildlife conservation projects in Botswana was the community-initiated [[Nata Bird Sanctuary]] in the northeast of this area. It opened in 1993 and was awarded that year the "Tourism for Tomorrow Award" for the [[Southern Hemisphere]].<ref name="McIntyre2010">{{cite book|author=Chris McIntyre|title=Botswana: Okavango Delta, Chobe, Northern Kalahari|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mPXQm_qJoWQC&pg=PA387|accessdate=12 April 2011|year=2010|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=978-1-84162-308-5|pages=387–}}</ref> It is supported by members of four nearby villages, who have helped make it a success. |
Currently, Sua Pan is a seasonal lake; it fills with water during the Summer rainy season and retains water until April or May.<ref>http://makgadikgadi-pans.botswana.co.za/makgadikgadi-pans-climate.html</ref> Among the more successful wildlife conservation projects in Botswana was the community-initiated [[Nata Bird Sanctuary]] in the northeast of this area. It opened in 1993 and was awarded that year the "Tourism for Tomorrow Award" for the [[Southern Hemisphere]].<ref name="McIntyre2010">{{cite book|author=Chris McIntyre|title=Botswana: Okavango Delta, Chobe, Northern Kalahari|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mPXQm_qJoWQC&pg=PA387|accessdate=12 April 2011|year=2010|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=978-1-84162-308-5|pages=387–}}</ref> It is supported by members of four nearby villages, who have helped make it a success. |
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==Industry== |
==Industry== |
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[[File:Makgadigadi pans, Sodium Carbonate pans, Na2CO3. Algae causes the red. Camera at 10 000 feet altitude and ground is about 3 280 feet (1000 metres) altitude. - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Pans used for sodium carbonate mining]]Sua Pan is also the site of [[sodium carbonate]] (soda ash) mining company Botash. |
[[File:Makgadigadi pans, Sodium Carbonate pans, Na2CO3. Algae causes the red. Camera at 10 000 feet altitude and ground is about 3 280 feet (1000 metres) altitude. - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Pans used for sodium carbonate mining]]Sua Pan is also the site of [[sodium carbonate]] (soda ash) mining company Botash. The company is half owned by the Botswana government and produces over 300,000 tonnes of soda ash and 450,000 tonnes of salt per year.<ref name="botash.bw">http://www.botash.bw/company-history/</ref> |
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In addition to the sodium carbonate, the mine also produces [[halite]], [[sodium sulfate]] and [[sodium bicarbonate]] salts. The mine uses a variation of the [[solvay process]] to produce their soda ash and byproducts.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Frank D.Eckardt, Robert G.Bryant, Graham McCulloch, Baruch Spiro, Warren W.Wood|first=|date=2008|title=The hydrochemistry of a semi-arid pan basin case study: Sua Pan, Makgadikgadi, Botswana|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0883292708000619|journal=Applied Geochemistry|volume=23(6)|pages=1563-1580|via=Elsevier Science Direct}}</ref> |
In addition to the sodium carbonate, the mine also produces [[halite]], [[sodium sulfate]] and [[sodium bicarbonate]] salts. The mine uses a variation of the [[solvay process]] to produce their soda ash and byproducts.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Frank D.Eckardt, Robert G.Bryant, Graham McCulloch, Baruch Spiro, Warren W.Wood|first=|date=2008|title=The hydrochemistry of a semi-arid pan basin case study: Sua Pan, Makgadikgadi, Botswana|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0883292708000619|journal=Applied Geochemistry|volume=23(6)|pages=1563-1580|via=Elsevier Science Direct}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 21:17, 11 February 2018
The Sua Pan or Sowa Pan is a large natural topographic depression within the Makgadikgadi region of Botswana. It is located near the village of Sowa, whose name means salt in the language of the San.[1][2] The Sua salt pan is one of three large pans within the Makgadikgadi, the other two being Nxai Pan and Nwetwe Pan.[3]
The Sua Pan was first described to the European world by David Livingstone, pursuant to his explorations in this region.[4] Significant archaeological recoveries have been made within the Nwetwe Pan, featuring stone-age tools from peoples who lived in this area when a large year-round lake occupied the Sua and Nwetwe Pans.
The Brines of Sua Pan being one of the largest playa lakes in the world spans approximately 24000 square kilometers. While sodium chloride is the prime constituent, there are many other salts found within this area such as sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium sulfate, and minor amounts of potassium chloride (potash).[5]
Currently, Sua Pan is a seasonal lake; it fills with water during the Summer rainy season and retains water until April or May.[6] Among the more successful wildlife conservation projects in Botswana was the community-initiated Nata Bird Sanctuary in the northeast of this area. It opened in 1993 and was awarded that year the "Tourism for Tomorrow Award" for the Southern Hemisphere.[7] It is supported by members of four nearby villages, who have helped make it a success.
One of the tributaries of the Sua Pan is the Mosetse River. The village of Mosetse is named for it and lies along the river.
Industry
_altitude._-_panoramio.jpg)
Sua Pan is also the site of sodium carbonate (soda ash) mining company Botash. The company is half owned by the Botswana government and produces over 300,000 tonnes of soda ash and 450,000 tonnes of salt per year.[8]
In addition to the sodium carbonate, the mine also produces halite, sodium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate salts. The mine uses a variation of the solvay process to produce their soda ash and byproducts.[9]
See also
Sources
- David Livingstone (1868) Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa: Including a Sketch of Sixteen Years' Residence in the Interior of Africa, Harper Publishers.
- C.Michael Hogan (2008) Makgadikgadi, The Megalithic Portal, ed. A. Burnham
- Bryan Robert Davies and Keith F. Walker (1986), The Ecology of River Systems, Springer, 733 pages, ISBN 90-6193-540-7, ISBN 978-90-6193-540-7.
Footnotes
- ^ Sowa Pan. Botswana Tourism Board.
- ^ Murphy, Alan (2007). Southern Africa (4th ed.). Lonely Planet. p. 99. ISBN 978-1-74059-745-6. OCLC 156530975.
- ^ B.R. Davies, 1986
- ^ D. Livingstone, 1868
- ^ "Botswana Soda-ash Study Contract No. AID/SOD/PDC-C-0407" (PDF). THE BRINES OF SUA PAN. United States Agency for International Development. November 24, 1980.
{{cite journal}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ http://makgadikgadi-pans.botswana.co.za/makgadikgadi-pans-climate.html
- ^ Chris McIntyre (2010). Botswana: Okavango Delta, Chobe, Northern Kalahari. Bradt Travel Guides. pp. 387–. ISBN 978-1-84162-308-5. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
- ^ http://www.botash.bw/company-history/
- ^ Frank D.Eckardt, Robert G.Bryant, Graham McCulloch, Baruch Spiro, Warren W.Wood (2008). "The hydrochemistry of a semi-arid pan basin case study: Sua Pan, Makgadikgadi, Botswana". Applied Geochemistry. 23(6): 1563–1580 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)