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Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains on March 10, 2021. Image acquired by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. With Labels. Photo by NASA Earth Observatory –

Top 10 Interesting about Barberton Makhonjwa Geotrail

South Africa is one of the luckiest African countries. The country is diverse when it comes to the tourism sector. It has the best locations ranging from the most spectacular beaches to fascinating landscapes.

The Barberton Makhonjwa mountains are among the locations that the country takes pride in. The Barberton Makhonjwa mountains are among the factors that have had the greatest influence on the number of tourists visiting the area.

1. The mountain ranges have the highest significance in the world’s geological significance

Macledium zeyheri subsp. zeyheri, flowerheads; in grassland, Makhonjwa Mountains east of Barbrook Mine, Barberton, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Photo by SAplants –

The mountain ranges are not ordinary, as they have a special significance in the country’s tourism sector and the country as a whole. The mountain ranges have the highest significance in the world’s geological significance, and they have provided specimens that were used to evaluate the history of Earth and other important theories.

2. The mountains are situated in Mpumalanga province

Macledium zeyheri subsp. zeyheri, flowerhead, with metallic groove-winged flower beetles, Melyris sp. (Coleoptera: Melyridae); in grassland, Makhonjwa Mountains east of Barbrook Mine, Barberton, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Photo by SAplants –

The mountains are situated in the northeastern parts of the country, in Mpumalanga province. The ranges occupy an area of about 40% of the Barberton Greenstone Belt and have an altitude of up to 1800 meters above sea level. The Barberton geo trail is situated on the border of South Africa and the Swaziland Kingdom.

3. The mountain ranges were declared a World Heritage Site

Macledium zeyheri subsp. zeyheri, flowerheads; in grassland, Makhonjwa Mountains east of Barbrook Mine, Barberton, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Photo by SAplants –

The mountain ranges were declared a World Heritage Site. The conditions that led to the declaration are explained in the facts below. These are important facts about the ranges that played the most important role in the title.

4. It is among the oldest geological features in the world

Macledium zeyheri subsp. zeyheri, flowerheads; in grassland, Makhonjwa Mountains east of Barbrook Mine, Barberton, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Photo by SAplants –

The mountains have some of the oldest rock fragments that have been perfectly preserved. The rocks stand out as the location with the best-preserved oldest rocks.

The rocks have the highest significance as they are a sign of the Archean Eon, which refers to the first time that life was formed on Earth. This period particularly refers to the time when the earth’s crust was formed.

It also includes the time when the oceans were beginning to form and dates back to about 4 billion years ago.

5. The fallen meteor impact   

The back end of a mountain. Photo by Stephen Meyers on                                                            

The mountain ranges have an estimated age of between 3.6 to 3.25 billion years. This is way long ago when the continents were beginning to form. If you were a geologist, you would notice that it features the impact that meteors had after the fallback of breccias.                                                                                                                                        This impact resulted from the Great Bombardment that occurred about 4.6 to 3.8 billion years ago, which is the geological significance that the mountains have.

 The meteor was discovered in 2014 and the estimated size of the hole that resulted from the impact of the meteor was 37 – 58 kilometers wide. The hole which is believed to be a crater is not easy to find.

6. The ‘Genesis of life’ The mountain ranges are also referred to as the ‘Genesis of life

A mountain. Photo by Shomitro Kumar Ghosh on

This title is related to the presence of some of the most ancient rock deposits on Earth. Apart from the rocks, the mountains also have some of the most ancient proofs of life. These proofs include the microfossils of bacterias whose ages date back to 3.1 million years ago.

The bacteria was discovered in the hydrothermal deposits that include geysers. An example of these geysers includes the one at the Yellowstone National Park. The better part of the discovery of these fossil remains was found in sedimentary rocks. The fossil is dated to have been 3.2 billion old, which is the estimated age of the host rock.

7. Presence of early Stone Age artifacts

View of a mountain near clouds. Photo by Alessio Soggetti on

In Songimvelo Game Reserve, which is situated in the mountain ranges, early stone age artifacts were discovered in the location and have also acted as a roof of life. 5. Evidence of the link between Australia and Africa The Kaapvaal Craton is situated on the Eastern border of the mountain ranges.

 The Kaapvaal Craton is the oldest piece of the Earth’s crust that was formed during the Archean period. It contains evidence of the earliest photosynthesis processes, which provide a direct link that acts as evidence to prove that Africa and Australia were a single mass before the disintegration of the continents.

8. The discovery of gold

A mountain covered with snow. Photo by David Wirzba on

 Before it was insinuated that the mountains could have proof of life, there was a discovery that was made in 1884 to prove the presence of gold in the mountain ranges.

This discovery was made by two brothers; Fred Barber and Henry. The two were settlers in the region, and their discovery attracted the attention of most people who thought it could be wise to exploit the precious stone.

Their focus on the exploitation of the stone led to the growing population there, and as a result, it birthed the town of Barberton, which is now purely associated with gold mining.

9. The mountain ranges were named after George Barber

A beautiful big view of the mountains and a clear sky close to the end of the day with the woods still visible in the national park. Photo by Cody Scott Milewski on

The mountain ranges and the town of Barberton were named after George Barber, who was the man who started the gold rush in the town after the discovery of gold deposits.

10. The name Komati river has been coined from the type of rocks that are dominant in the mountain ranges

A photo filled with fog. Photo by Paul Earle on

 The name of this river has been coined from the name of the type of rocks that are dominant in the mountain ranges. Komatiites are the predominant ultramafic volcanic rocks in the area