The area under consideration in the Namib desert is geologically part of the 1200 Ma old Namaqualand Metamorphic Belt, consisting essentially of highly deformed, high-grade schist and granitic gneiss intruded by granite and granodiorite. At least four different stages of faulting were identified. Aquifers containing significant amounts of water are unknown from the area. The survey objective was to determine the location of any fractures in the bedrock that might serve as paths for contaminants from a planned landfill. Since the bedrock is largely covered by sand dunes and weathering debris, geophysical methods were required to map fractures hidden by unconsolidated sediments. Using photogeology together with geophysical methods made it possible to focus the geophysical ground surveys on the sand-covered areas.