Thabazimbi

Thabazimbi, South AfricaIron ore mine at Thabazimbi, Limpopo province, South Africa.

Thabazimbi, iron ore mine and town, Limpopo province, South Africa, near the Botswana border. The name means “mountain of iron.” Thabazimbi is situated in remote, semiarid country, and its superior-grade hematite was first discovered in 1919 and mined in 1931. The iron ore deposits there are estimated at 100,000,000 tons. The area surrounding Thabazimbi is also well known for cattle ranching. Thabazimbi is connected by rail to the steelworks at Pretoria. Pop. (2001) city, 28,395; municipality, 63,918.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.