Description
This 6-day field trip will convent in Windhoek on the evening of September 20 with a safety and logistics briefing. The following morning of September 21 the participants will travel by road to southern Namibia with the tour leaders taking the opportunity during the drive to describe the regional geology and metallogeny.
The second day will be spent at the Haib porphyry Cu-(Mo) deposit. Haib is one of the largest (+900 Mt at 0.3% Cu) and best-preserved Paleoproterozoic porphyry Cu deposits and one of the only known porphyry deposits in Africa. Despite it's age (ca. 1886-1881 Ma) the deposit has only been subjected to minimal deformation and relatively low-grade metamorphism. The visit will include a review of drill core and outcropping veins and mineralization.
The following day will begin with a drive to Rosh Pinah where we will review drill core from the zinc-lead ores. Rosh Pinah is stratabound deposit, hosted by arkoses and quartzites in the lower sections of the Neoproterozoic to early Palaeozoic Gariep Complex comprising mixed sediments and volcanics deposited in a continental rift setting. From 1969 to 2017, a total of 27.0 Mt of ore was mined from the various ore lenses at Rosh Pinah. In 2020, the estimated remaining resource was 18 Mt at 7.5% Zn and 1.9% Pb.
The trip will then proceed with a visit to the Skorpion non-sulfide zinc deposit which is also hosted by the Neoproterozoic to early Palaeozoic Gariep Complex. The main body of supergene zinc ore at Skorpion is dominated by hemimorphite and sauconite and contains lesser smithsonite. The deposit had an estimated pre-mining resource of 25Mt at 11% Zn.
Finally, there will be a visit to the Fish River Canyon – the largest canyon in Africa and the second largest worldwide after the Grand Canyon. The canyon incises the South African Plateau revealing sub-horizontal strata of the Late Neoproterozoic, lower Nama group, unconformably overlying tilted and metamorphosed granites and gneisses of the Paleoproterozoic Namaqualand group. The trip will then conclude by returning to Windhoek the following day.
Weather conditions will be extremely hot during the day along the Orange River and will cool down during the night. Please make provision for this in terms of clothing. A sunhat, sunscreen, and water bottle are essential.
Although meals will be catered for, please provide for your own snacks if required between meals. Please let the organizers know well in advance about any dietary restrictions.
As we will likely be entering into active mining areas, you may be required to bring along personal protective equipment (PPE) such as a reflective vest and steel capped boots. More detailed information will be provided to participants as site visit details are finalized.
About the Leaders
Patrick Redmond
Independent Consultant
Patrick is an economic geologist with a passion for geoscience, mineral exploration, and mentoring the next generation of geoscientists. He has over 25 years of experience in international mineral exploration and the mining industry in multiple jurisdictions, including Namibia, and has held senior exploration roles with Teck Resources, Kobold Metals, and Copper Mountain Mining. Patrick received a B.Sc. (Hons.) degree in Earth Sciences (1991) and an M.Sc. degree in Geology (1997) from Dublin University, Trinity College, and a Ph.D. degree in Geological and Environmental Sciences (2002) from Stanford University. He is an adjunct professor at both University College Dublin and Trinity College, where he taught an economic geology course for 8 years.
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Eckhart Freyer
Independent Consultant
Eckhart is an economic geologist with over 30 years of experience in mineral exploration and mining in Southern Africa. He grew up on farms in Namibia which gave him a love of the outdoors and an interest in geology which led him to study geology at the University of Stellenbosch from which he received a B.Sc. (Hons.) degree in Geology (1982). Eckhart worked for Anglo American for 17 years in base and precious metal exploration in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Angola. As Country Manager for Anglo in Namibia from 1998 to 2003, he ran exploration programs for Gabbro-hosted Cu-Ni-Co exploration in the Kunene Complex (NW Namibia), VMS and non-sulphide Zn exploration in the Sperrgebiet (SW Namibia), Tsumeb-type Cu-Pb-Zn exploration in north central Namibia, and IOCG style mineralization in the Damara basement near Witvlei in east central Namibia. During his time with Anglo, he was part of the successful exploration teams that found and developed two mines in Namibia, the Navachab gold mine and the Skorpion zinc mine. Since 2003, Eckhart has worked as an independent consulting geologist for a number of major and junior exploration and mining companies in Namibia and for the Government of Namibia.
Registration
Early Deadline: July 22, 2024
Regular Deadline: September 12, 2024
| |
Early |
Regular |
| SEG Professional Member |
SOLD OUT |
| SEG Student and Recent Graduate Members |
SOLD OUT |
| Non-member |
SOLD OUT |
| All prices are in United States dollars (USD). SEG reserves the right to cancel this event should minimum attendance numbers not be met by July 22, 2024. All registrants will be given a full refund should SEG cancel the field trip. Cancellation policy, event photography, dietary restrictions, and more are detailed in the SEG Conference terms and conditions. |
All field trip registrants will be required to provide proof of emergency medical evacuation coverage in order to participate in conference field trips. Individuals may conveniently purchase this coverage online through various organizations such as International SOS or utilize existing coverage that they may already have through their employment. Further details and additional required documentation will be shared with registrants.
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