Established by Jeff Hedenquist and James Macdonald, this series aims to record life experiences of key figures in the field of economic geology. Guidelines for preparing an Oral History Video interview.
Paul Barton and Phil Bethke
Science
Paul Barton and Phil Bethke, both Emeritus Scientists, US Geological Survey, discuss the scientific method and ore deposit study.
Paul Barton and Phil Bethke
US Geological Survey, Reston
Paul Barton and Phil Bethke, both Emeritus Scientists, US Geological Survey, discuss the inception and evolution of experimental geochemistry studies in the USGS.
Alberto Benavides de la Quintana
Don Alberto, founder and Chairman of the Board, Cia de Minas Buenaventura, discusses his views on geology, mineral exploration, economic evalutions of prospects, and some of his philosophies. (en Español, with English captions).
Mike Etheridge
Quantification of Risk in Exploration, Part I: The Research Commences in 1990
Mike Etheridge
Quantification of Risk in Exploration, Part II: The Probability of Success
Mike Etheridge
Quantification of Risk in Exploration, Part III: Psychometric Testing - Decision Making and Uncertainty
Mike Etheridge
Quantification of Risk in Exploration, Part IV: Decision Making Behavior and Uncertainty
John Gurney
Diamonds Research, Part I: The Beginning
John Gurney describes his early research into garnet and kimberlite at The Smithsonian Institution.
John Gurney
Diamonds Research, Part II: Diamonds
John Gurney describes commencing exploration work with Falconbridge in Botswana, applying his geochemical techniques for assessing the diamond potential of kimberlite pipes.
John Gurney
Diamonds Research, Part III: Diamonds
Work commences with Hugo Dummett and Chuck Fipke.
John Gurney
Diamonds Research, Part IV: Discovery of the Ekati Mine and Working with BHP
John Gurney discusses the exploration program that led to the discovery of the Ekati Diamond Mine in Northern Canada and working with BHP.
John Gurney
Discovery of the Rosh Pinah and Aggenys (Black Mountain) Mines
John Gurney describes the discovery of the Rosh Pinah and Aggenys (Black Mountain) Mines in Namibia and South Africa.
John Hunt
John Hunt on Vincent Perry and El Salvador
John Hunt, previously with Anaconda at the El Salvador porphyry copper deposit, Chile, discusses the discovery of the deposit, and the involvement of Vincent Perry and other Anaconda geologists.
John Hunt
Chuck Meyer and Reno Sales
John Hunt, Anaconda geologist prior to becoming independent, discusses his graduate school professor, Chuck Meyer, and Reno Sales, chief geologist of Anaconda, who was instrumental in establishing the Butte laboratory and also the Anaconda mapping method.
John Hunt
John Hunt on John Proffett
John Hunt talks about his first experience in the field with John Proffett, who first recognized the evidence for listric faulting in Nevada, related to the Basin and Range extension.
John Hunt and Lewis Gustafson
El Salvador Rock Properties
John Hunt and Lewis Gustafson discuss the practical application of their work at the El Salvador porphyry Cu deposit
John Hunt and Lewis Gustafson
El Salvador Porphyry Copper Deposit
John Hunt and Lewis Gustafson and discuss their work on the El Salvador porphyry copper deposit, both production and research, that led to the well-known paper in Economic Geology in 1975. This landmark study on the zonation of alteration and sulfide minerals around multiple intrusions also led to the recognition of the systematic evolution of veins associated with porphyry deposits, and their significance.
Richard Hutchinson
A Personal Traverse
Richard Hutchinson discusses a wide variety of topics, beginning with his work on VMS deposits and covering a diverse range of exploration activities over a lifetime spent traveling the world for industry and academia. He concludes with a tribute to his students, many of whom have also become stellar additions to the economic geology community.
Shunso Ishihara
Mr. Granite: Early Interest in Geology and Education
Professor Shunso Ishihara, Emeritus Scientist at the Geological Survey of Japan, discusses his early interest and education in geology, including playing baseball on weathered granite, uranium exploration in the late 1950s, and his post-graduate studies in the US and Europe in the early 1960s.
John Proffett and Marco Einaudi
Remobilization of Porphyry Sulfides
John Proffett, consultant, talks with Marco Einaudi, Emeritus Professor of Stanford University, about observations that provide evidence for remobilization of sulfide minerals in porphyry copper deposits.
John Proffett and Marco Einaudi
Carr Fork Skarn Discovery, Bingham District
Marco Einaudi, Emeritus Professor of Stanford University, talks with John Proffett, both with the Anaconda Mining Company at the time, about the mapping that led to the 1970s discovery of the Carr Fork skarn deposit, Bingham Canyon district, Utah.
John Proffett and Marco Einaudi
Geologic Mapping, Exploration, and Discovery
John Proffett, consultant, talks with Marco Einaudi, Emeritus Professor of Stanford University, about mapping during exploration, questions that come up, and the discovery results.
Misac Nabighian
Use the Right Tool in Geophysical Surveying
Misac Nabighian, Distinguished Senior Scientist in the Department of Geophysics, Colorado School of Mines, and previously of Newmont Exploration (1967–1998), argues for using the right tool during geophysical exploration for mineral deposits.
Misac Nabighian
Reflections on Education
Misac Nabighian, Distinguished Senior Scientist in the Department of Geophysics, Colorado School of Mines, and previously of Newmont Exploration (1967–1998), discusses his early training, and comments on recent trends in education.
Misac Nabighian
Time-Domain Geophysical Technique
Misac Nabighian, Distinguished Senior Scientist in the Department of Geophysics, Colorado School of Mines, and previously of Newmont Exploration (1967–1998), discusses the advent of the time-domain geophysical technique, and its use in mineral exploration.
Misac Nabighian
A Geophysicist Talks About Interactions with Geologists
Misac Nabighian, geophysicist; Distinguished Senior Scientist, Colorado School of Mines, and previously of Newmont Exploration (1967–1998), speaks of the relationship between geophysicists and geologists.
Misac Nabighian
Reminiscences of a Geophysicist
Misac Nabighian, distinguished Senior Scientist in the Department of Geophysics, Colorado School of Mines, and previously of Newmont Exploration (1967-1998), discusses the many fortunate episodes of his career in geophysics, from Romania to Columbia U, then to Newmont and CSM.
Tony Naldrett
Advice for Young Geoscientists
Tony Naldrett, Emeritus Professor of the University of Toronto, offers his advice to young geologists and other scientists.
Tony Naldrett
Ph.D. Research, Ultramafic Lavas and Nickel Deposits
Tony Naldrett describes early work in the Abitibi Belt (Ontario) investigating ultramafic lavas and comments on work undertaken around the same time in South Africa and Western Australia.
Tony Naldrett
Post Doc Work and the Zenith of the USGS
Post Doc work in Washington; discusses colleagues and the USGS' zenith.
Richard Sillitoe
Conversation on Chalcocite and Deep Mining
A dinner with Richard (Dick) Sillitoe in Reno, Nevada (May 2010), discussing the distinction between supergene and hypogene chalcocite, and the future of deep mining. Also joining the discussion are Larry Meinert, Don Birak, and Jeff Hedenquist.
Richard Sillitoe and Pancho Camus
Early Porphyry Days
Richard (Dick) Sillitoe and Francisco (Pancho) Camus discuss the development of understanding of porphyry Cu deposits, from the late 1960s. Note: This is a pre-beta video of a conversation in a poorly lit, noisy restaurant in Lima, May 2009, as an example of how not to record an oral history.
Brian Skinner and Larry Meinert
How to Write (A Good Paper)
Brian Skinner (editor of Economic Geology, 1969–1996), and Larry Meinert (editor, 2009–Present) discuss the art of scientific writing, and incorporating constructive criticism.
Rick Menell
South Africa's Future
Rick Menell
Delta Gold, the Granny Smith Project, and Return to South Africa
Rick Menell
A Spell as a Wall Street Banker Then Joing Delta Gold
Rick Menell
Discovery of the Venetia Diamond Mine
Rick Menell
The Birth of the Anglo Vaal Company
Rick Menell
The Development of the Anglo Vaal Company
Rick Menell
How I Became a Geologist
Rick Menell
Advice for Young Geoscientists
Richard (Dick) Stanton
Part I: Early Work (1948)
Dick Stanton: The Island Arc Ore Formation Hypothesis, Canberra, Australia, June 3, 2010.
Richard (Dick) Stanton
Part II: Early Work (1949—1950)
Dick Stanton describes work in the Solomon Islands where he first realised he was looking at modern analogues of rocks he had worked on previously in NSW.
Richard (Dick) Stanton
Part III: VMS Research Challenges
The next "Big Thing" in VMS research.
Richard (Dick) Stanton
Part IV: Advice for Young Geoscientists
Dick passes on some advice for young geoscientists.
Morris Viljoen
Recognition of Komatiite in the Barberton Mountainland
Morris Viljoen describes the work he and his brother, Richard, undertook in the Barberton Mountain Land of South Africa that led to the first recognition of ultramafic lavas, an important host rock for nickel mineralisation.
Morris Viljoen
Metallogeny of Gold in the Witwatersrand
In the 1970s, Morris Viljoen and his brother Richard were employed by JCI in Johannesburg. The Witwatersrand gold deposit was one of the projects they worked on while at JCI. Here Morris discusses the controversies around the origin of the mineralisation: placer versus hydrothermal replacement.
Morris Viljoen
Advice for Students
Morris Viljoen provides some advice for young geoscientists who are entering the profession.