Mention reef facies to most geologists and they might conjure up a mental image of a carbonate reef complex. But to geologists working in the Bushveld Complex, reef facies is a descriptive term used to account for the variation a single mineralized horizon exhibits within the layered ultramafic-mafic sequence. One such horizon is that of the Merensky Reef, which has been laterally subdivided into different facies based on modal characteristics and textural appearance of the reef itself. The inherent complexities of these reef facies are revealed by detailed logging of numerous diamond drill cores through stratigraphic intervals. Continue reading →