SVOLUMECIENTIS 26 NO 7 ◆ AUGUST 2016 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTISTT

GEThe Fellowship Magazine of theO Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95 [REVIEWS SPECIAL INSIDE THIS ISSUE]

SCARP A Scottish Carboniferous Research Park

SHACKLETON’S GEOLOGIST CIRCULAR ECONOMY FACE ON A STAMP Tom Sharpe and a tale Decline in coal-fired power A geologist who achieved of geological derring-do affects green projects the ultimate accolade

GEOSCIENTIST CONTENTS

16 21

10 26

FEATURESFEATURES IN THIS ISSUE... 18 SHACKLETON’S GEOLOGIST Tom Sharpe recounts a harrowing tale of fortitude and dedication by the scientific member of the ill-fated expedition REGULARS

05 Welcome Ted Nield on the intangible but nonetheless vital benefits of Fellowship

06 Society News What your Society is doing at home and abroad, in London and the regions 09 Soapbox The Circular Economy - Matt Eynon fears for PFA supply with the decline in coal-fired power generation in Britain

21 Letters we welcome your views

22 Books and arts Thirteen new titles reviewed in this On the cover: month’s Reviews Special 24 People Geoscientists in the news and on the move 10 Spireslack Canyon East Ayrshire, is an 80-85 metre-deep former 27 Calendar Society activities this month opencast mine – less an environmental threat, 24 Crossword Win a Special Publication of your choice more a learning asset

www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | AUGUST 2016 | 03 www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | AUGUST 2016 | 05

GEOSCIENTIST WELCOME ~

Geoscientist is the Advertising SALES Fellowship magazine of Hayden McIntosh Like Gentlemen’s Relish, or the Church the Geological Society T 01727 739 184 of London E hayden@centuryone of England, you don’t have to have something publishing.uk The Geological Society, every day to feel comforted that it exists Burlington House, Piccadilly, ART EDITOR London W1J 0BG Heena Gudka T +44 (0)20 7434 9944 ~ F +44 (0)20 7439 8975 desIGn & production E [email protected] Jonathan Coke (Not for Editorial - Please contact the Editor) printed by Publishing House Century One The Geological Society Publishing Ltd. Publishing House, Unit 7, Brassmill Enterprise Centre, Copyright Brassmill Lane, Bath The Geological Society of BA1 3JN London is a Registered Charity, T 01225 445046 number 210161. 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You can, if you occupy the Fellows’ Room for a ‘short External Affairs) have a moment, pop in and browse the term’ from 18 July, noting that use of the Published on behalf of the Geological Society of journals in the Library, or relax in the room by Fellows was ‘low’, that Library London by Fellows’ Room with a cup of coffee (sadly, staff will continue to have access and Century One Publishing Alban Row, 27–31 Verulam the machine dispensing miniatures went that, against an unfavourable financial Road, St Albans, Herts, some years ago, even before the still- background, Council believes this is in AL3 4DG T 01727 893 894 lamented Fellow’s Bedroom). ‘best interests of the Society and … the F 01727 893 895 Like Gentleman’s Relish, or the best way to protect the Library’. What do E enquiries@centuryone publishing.uk Church of England, you don’t have you think? W www.centuryone publishing.uk DR TED NIELD, EDITOR - [email protected] @TedNield @geoscientistmag

www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | AUGUST 2016 | 05 What your society is doing SOCIETYNEWS at home and abroad, in London and the regions

Work in the Fellows’ Room, to improve electrical and IT facilities Annual General Meeting report

Malcolm Brown takes the reins from sales. As a result, and as a ‘planning travelled to London for meetings, outgoing President David Manning. gain’ to the Society, infrastructural intending to use it for that purpose. At the Annual General Meeting held at facilities in the Fellows’ Room would be Concerns were also expressed at the Burlington House on 8 June, The Annual upgraded so as to provide electrical and AGM about whether due process had Report 2015 was accepted, the new data ports for up to 10 RA employees. been observed. Society Byelaws 6.25 fees approved (see Geoscientist May This work would mean closing the Room and 6.25(i) suggest that a full Council’s 2016 26.04 p08) and new Trustees duly immediately. unanimous agreement must be obtained elected (see p2). Incoming President, A week later, in a note to Fellows, before any of the Society’s hereditaments Malcolm Brown, thanked his predecessor distributed as item three in a Society email should be sold or ‘otherwise disposed’, for all his hard work and dedication, and newsletter (dated 31 May), Ms Fray wrote: which arguably could be seen to cover pledged to ensure during his term the “Work is currently being undertaken in the subletting. Prof Peter Styles, who as future security of the Geological Society’s Fellows’ Room as part of an improvement President signed the lease in 2006, tenure in Burlington House. to Wi-Fi and electrical facilities in the pointed out that, as far as he could At a more than usually well-attended building. Fellows … can use the Lyell recall, the terms of that lease explicitly AGM, Fellows raised concerns about the Room for the coming period, with access forbade sub-letting - at least without future of the Fellows’ Room, adjacent to to the computers and journals in the main the agreement of the Landlord (the the Main Library. At an earlier meeting library. Please forgive any untidiness Geologist’s Association’s rooms being held on 18 May, without enjoining the or disruption caused by these works.” exempted, as they are a cognate audience to secrecy, Executive Secretary, She added: “I will be contacting Fellows organisation, are included in the Lease Sarah Fray, had informed staff that the shortly with further details on Fellows’ use and do not involve payment of rent.) Fellows’ Room was to be sub-let to the of Library facilities, including the Fellows’ David Manning assured the AGM that Royal Academy for a period of 13 months and Lyell Rooms.” Officers and Council had been informed beginning in June. The purpose of this However, the move to close and of the move to lease the Fellows’ Room, was, she explained, to increase revenues sublet the Fellows’ Room had drawn but agreed that the matter should be put from the building and rebalance the unfavourable reaction from many. before the Society’s Solicitor, Bristow’s, budget, which had been blown off course The Library received several written and reconsidered by Council in the light by external factors, including turmoil in complaints about its unannounced of legal advice. commodities markets and falling book unavailability, from users who had Ted Nield

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www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | August 2016 | 07 GEOSCIENTIST SOCIETY NEWS

SOCIETYNEWS

Society Awards 2017

Make your nominations now, writes Stephanie Jones. Fellows of the Society are From the library invited to submit nominations to the Awards Committee for the u Online Library catalogue Society Awards 2017. Search the online catalogue of books, journals and Full details of how to make maps held in the Geological Society Library. Fellows nominations can be found on and Corporate Affiliate members can now login to the the website at www.geolsoc.org. Library Catalogue to renew loans, view loan history, uk/About/Awards-Grants-and- request items and create Favourite lists. http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/librarycatalogue Bursaries. u E-Journals and e-books ➤ Nominations must Fellows of the Society can access over 100+ e-journals be received at the and e-books using Athens authentication. There is no Society no later than charge to Fellows for this service. Visit 30 September 2016 http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/virtuallibrary to register. u Literature searching Not enough time or struggling to find the information you need ? We can search a wide range of resources on your behalf and send you the results directly to your inbox. To find out more about this service, please email [email protected] u Document delivery Not based in London or simply too busy to come to the Library ? We can send you by email or post copies of From the Publishing House articles from our collection. To find out more about this service, please email Anne Davenport and Jenny [email protected] or call 020 7432 0999 Davey bring you the latest news from the Society’s u Postal loans You do not need to live in London to borrow books, Publishing House. maps or journals from the Library – we can post them If you are completing fieldwork to you ! For more information, contact or going on holiday, don’t forget [email protected] or call 020 7432 0999 that the GSL online bookshop stocks a range of notebooks from u Inter-library loans ‘Rite in the Rain’. Each notebook If the item you want is not in our collection, we may be is made up of a patented, able to obtain it from another library. To find out more environmentally responsible, all- about this service, please email weather writing paper that sheds [email protected] or call 020 7432 0999 water. The GSL online bookshop also u Sponsor a Book sells a range of regional geology Sponsor a book and support the conservation of titles and field guides, published by important titles from the Geological Society’s GSL and others – including both collection. To find out more about this project: urban or rural locations. Walking http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/sponsorabook shoes & cameras at the ready! ➤ Contact: Annie Sewell, The Geological Society, ➤ To view the range of titles available visit www.geolsoc.org.uk/bookshop Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG, T: +44 and use the ‘Advance Search’ function on the right hand side. (0)20 7432 0981 E: [email protected]

08 | August 2016 | www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist GEOSCIENTIST SOAPBOX

PFA & the circular economy

Matthew Eynon* says the decline in coal-fired electricity production will have a knock-on effect on mine-works stabilisation

It was announced recently going to have on the construction industry that Aberthaw Power Station in South Wales and other local coalfields? in the Vale of Glamorgan is to Will it perhaps drive research into suitable SOAPBOX downgrade operations due to alternatives (virgin and recycled)? A ‘challenging market conditions’1 It may be that the circular economy cannot CALLING! and from April 2017 will only generate immediately provide suitable recycled electricity when needed (i.e. predominantly aggregates; so virgin products could become during winter). The last few days in South necessary until materials research catches up Soapbox is open to contributions Wales has also seen climate protesters and produces a practical reality. So, for the from all Fellows. You can always occupying the coal mine at Ffos Y Fran under short-medium term at least, you can probably write a letter to the Editor, of the #EndCoal banner2. expect an increase in the project costs of course: but perhaps you feel you It is obvious that huge pressures are mine-works stabilisation, until the supply need more space? bearing down on the coal and energy and demand balance is restored. industry in the UK due to global commercial, If you can write it entertainingly in environmental and social realities. These are Contracts 500 words, t the Editor would like unlikely to change significantly in the short At my company we foresee that contract to hear from you. Email your piece, term. But a major by-product from coal-fired terms for mine-works stabilisation projects and a self-portrait, to power stations is Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA), will become an important issue over coming [email protected]. a key recycled aggregate in the construction months, as predicting and providing Copy can only be accepted industry, with large environmental and certainty on PFA costs may be challenging electronically. No diagrams, tables economic benefits. to those unaware of this issue. We are or other illustrations please. currently reviewing contracts for a range Pozzolanic of live projects and implementing cost- Pictures should be of print Given its pozzolanic nature, PFA is used in sensitivity assessments linked to this matter. quality – please take photographs low carbon cement, concrete and as a major Planning mine-works stabilisation projects on the largest setting on your component in the grout mixture used for during the cold months, as one possible camera, with a plain background. stabilising historical coal mine-workings; means of addressing peaks and troughs of typically for new developments where there supply/demand,may become a reality for Precedence will always be given is a risk of subsidence at the surface, utilising large or marginal sites. Some developments to more topical contributions. Any the WRAP protocol to meet the ‘End of may become unviable through a difficult one contributor may not appear Waste’ criteria3. period of austerity, until land values or other more often~ than once per volume We have seen an increase in PFA costs commercial factors, including new aggregate (once every 12 months). through 2016 so far and, based on the sources, redress the balance. forecast restriction of supply, can expect this cost increase to accelerate - as has References A major been experienced in Scotland recently 1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-36132870 by-product since the closure of Cockenzie power 2. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ gallery/2016/may/03/climate-protesters-occupy- from coal-fired station in 2013. uks-largest-opencast-coal-mine-in-pictures. What likely overall power stations 3. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ impact is restricted quality-protocol-pulverised-fuel-ash-pfa-and- is Pulverised Fuel supply of PFA furnace-bottom-ash-fba Ash, a key recycled aggregate with *Matt Eynon CGeol is a UK Registered Ground Engineering Specialist with Earth Science large environmental Partnership Ltd and economic benefits Matthew Eynon~

www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | August 2016 | 09 SCARPa Scottish Carboniferous Research Park

tarting from small-scale 13th Yorkshire saw an end to deep mining of Graham Leslie* Century operations, coal coal in the UK. Although underground mining in Scotland expanded working ceased in Scotland in 2002, a and Mike Browne** slowly until the 18th Century third of UK opencast coal production explore the S when, with the onset of the UK took place in surface mines across Industrial Revolution, steam engines Central Scotland up until 2010. Since created a near insatiable demand for fuel. then, weak world coal prices and other opportunities that Much of Scotland’s industrial growth issues precipitated the financial collapse and prosperity in the late 18th to mid-20th of two major operators of Scottish can be built on the Centuries depended upon the extensive opencast coal sites. legacy of Scotland’s exploitation of Central Scotland’s A whole generation of Scots has Carboniferous coal, in concert with arguably lost touch with the coal that Opencast coal ironstone, oil-shale, limestone, sandstone, provided employment, income, energy fireclay and mudstone (the last for brick- and a social structure for their parents, making). grandparents and older generations. From a peak of just under 240 million Mining communities created a strong tonnes of coal produced in 1905 when socialist heritage in many parts of the Great Britain was for a time the world’s country; James Keir Hardie, founder largest producer, coal production and the of the Labour Party, lived in nearby Above: The 80-85m deep Spireslack ‘canyon’ can workforce have declined dramatically. Cumnock for much of his life. Bill host a wide spectrum of new research in a volume of rocks where the essential stratigraphic and The announcement in 2015 of the final Shankly, arguably Liverpool FC’s most structural architecture is already well understood closure of Kellingley Colliery in North famous manager, hailed from the mining

10 | AUGUST 2016 | www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist ~

BGS believes that some of these former mines can be a Scottish Carboniferous Research Park developed during partial restoration, providing a unique opportunity for permanent geo-conservation ~ Top right: Glenbuck village, East Ayrshire, c. 1920

Left: Marine limestone with abundant Productid brachiopod shells, typically 5 to 8 cm across in this view, Spireslack OSM

Bottom right: Beautifully exposed bridging relays in a branching oblique-slip fault (F on the model). The main scarp is 2.5m high and may mark a single rupture event

community that lived, worked and out to facilitate communities and other and unique exposures of Scottish played in the village of Glenbuck. The stakeholders in bringing together viable Carboniferous geology. The Spireslack local Glenbuck Cherrypickers football restoration/redevelopment plans for ‘canyon’ was proposed by its operators team achieved fame as a source of some these orphaned opencast sites. as a local geodiversity site (LGS) as far 50 professional football players until the The British Geological Survey (BGS) back as October 2007, when a ‘Glenbuck club was disbanded in 1931, as the local believes that some of these former Geopark’ was mooted in discussions Grasshill Pit closed for the final time and surface mines can be retained and re- with Strathclyde GeoConservation underground mining ended (the young developed during partial restoration, Group, GeoConservationUK, East Shankly never played for the first team it providing a unique opportunity for Ayrshire Council and BGS. seems!). permanent geo-conservation, education What, for some, might look like an and strategic national research. BGS environmental threat can be turned into Liquidation strongly supports this initiative and will a learning asset for national good. Here, In April 2013, Scottish Coal went into deliver the strategic geological baseline we argue that a strong case can and liquidation, leaving seven ‘orphaned’ knowledge on behalf of SMRT, aiming to should be made for retaining such large- sites, all lacking the necessary kick-start research and learning at these scale and superb geological sections funding for ‘muck shift and levelling’ iconic locations. that might otherwise be lost to future restoration programmes that would Spireslack Opencast Surface Mine generations, along with their relevant have involved the opencast excavations (OSM), situated by the now disappeared digital social geological datasets and being backfilled with waste bedrock mining village of Glenbuck in East other and industrial records. The aim material. In response, and at the behest Ayrshire, and Mainshill Wood OSM, by therefore for the geoscience community of the Scottish Government, the Scottish the South Lanarkshire town of Douglas, should be to take advantage of this

Mines Restoration Trust (SMRT) set both currently still provide stunning opportunity and now develop what is ▼

www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | AUGUST 2016 | 11 Top: Glenbuck village, East Ayrshire, c. 1920.

Middle: Preserved lycopsid root, Stigmaria, c. 6 cm wide, Mainshill Wood OSM

▼ already being referred to as the Scottish Carboniferous Research Park, or SCARP. Learning Such former surface mines can provide a rich visitor and/or learning experience in coal geology, illuminating aspects of a former way of life in previous generations, while also supporting high quality research into Carboniferous geology. In 2014 the Geological Society and its partner organisations celebrated the unique geological heritage of the British Isles by launching a list of ‘100 Great Geosites’ for Earth Science Week. Site categories, including those of educational, industrial and economic importance (e.g. the National Mining Museum Scotland), and those of historical & scientific importance are celebrated. Across the UK, excavations resulting Bottom: from the extraction of economic mineral Digital resources are numerous but, perhaps reconstruction surprisingly, only a handful of those of the coals extracted from are designated geosites. Spireslack and the Spireslack Mainshill Wood opencast surface coal OSM; each of mines could have been ideal for all of the principal coals is the three Geosite categories above, but coloured were not available or accessible for public separately. promotion at that time. Note the tight folding revealed NE of Spireslack the modelled Spireslack presents a semi-continuous, fault (red almost kilometre-long, vertical high-wall plane). section locally exposing a thickness of over 130m of Carboniferous late Viséan to early Namurian Pendleian strata, including the whole of the Limestone Coal Formation - one of the main coal- producing units in Central Scotland. These coal-bearing strata represent a GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE

▼ typically fluvio-deltaic sedimentary Formation is so disturbed by faulting facies, with the Upper and Lower and folding that arguably the most Limestone formations above and below significant feature of interest for representing more marine-influenced conservation is the geological structure, facies with fossil-rich limestone units. At rather than the exposed stratigraphy; least five narrow basaltic dykes cut the though the latter includes at least section, intruded around 58-60 million 11 locally named coal seams, many years ago in the Palaeocene (just prior to of which are not exposed at surface Atlantic opening). anywhere else in Scotland. The section As a result of sinistral transpressive in the Upper Limestone Formation deformation in the mid- to late- exposes all of the known Carboniferous Carboniferous, strata at Spireslack marker limestones in the Midland now dip south-eastwards at c. 30-40° Valley of Scotland, namely the Index, across the canyon, defining one limb of Huntershill (Birchlaw), Lyoncross a broad synclinal fold. This is revealed (Tibbie Pagan’s), Orchard, Calmy (Blue by the digital reconstruction of seams Tour) and Plean limestones as well drawn from BGS data relating to both as the Ellenora and Gill coals. All of the opencast operations and early these units could eventually be safely 20th Century underground workings. examined at close quarters given Evidence of the earlier 19th/20 th Century carefully designed partial restoration - mining practice is still visible in the high an important access issue that BGS and wall face where intact (but somewhat SMRT will carefully consider as plans crushed) pillars or ‘stoops’ of the for these sites mature. Muirkirk Nine Foot Coal are juxtaposed The section in the Passage Formation laterally with packed mine waste (in at Mainshill Wood is utterly unique collapsed room or short wall workings). and known otherwise only from the Folding was accompanied by faulting, records of a few boreholes drilled to the effects of which are clearly seen on prove deep coal seams. Key features the south-dipping limestone pavement of the succession here are the three (Top Hosie), forming the northwest thick Manson Coal seams (c. 9m in back-wall of the site where stunningly all), and associated marine mudstones detailed exposures of bridging relays with conspicuous shells. No natural link to oblique-slip faults. Sinistral exposures of the Manson strata exist, strike-slip movements dominate the and normally in Central Scotland the fault-related deformation affecting these Passage Formation contains a few rocks. The scale of the high-wall section coal seams up to about 30cm thick. further reveals the curviplanar style of The atypical thicknesses of coal- faulting that disrupts the stratigraphy. bearing strata accommodated in the Initial research projects are using the depositional basin here suggests an area digitally reconstructed coal seam maps of more active localised subsidence, Above: Mainshill Wood and Spireslack OSMs are located to build ‘real’ fault frameworks and but remote from the influence of river in the southwest Midland Valley of Scotland. The BGS logo is located on Edinburgh stratigraphic models that can be used to channels bringing in sand. Below: Palaeocene basaltic dyke c. 3m wide, cutting test reservoir simulations or the forward It is perhaps not surprising that Limestone Coal Formation strata; the folded sandstone

at the centre-right records collapse post-mining, modelled seismic response, all in a rock if such tectonic conditions were Spireslack OSM volume at Spireslack whose internal responsible for the localised subsidence, architecture is well understood. then similar controls might continue ~ to be reflected in the subsequent Mainshill Wood deformation that gave rise to the Mainshill Wood OSM presents a vertical, and intensely folded and continuous lateral section through over faulted strata. Near the southern The section 400m of Namurian strata that include back wall of the site, Limestone Coal at Mainshill Wood is the Limestone Coal Formation, the Formation strata define a series of overlying Upper Limestone Formation complex folds and associated faults in a utterly unique and and most of the Passage Formation. It transpressive positive flower structure known otherwise only is very unusual for such a thickness of - another unique aspect of this site. The from a few boreholes Carboniferous strata to be exposed in junction between the complexly folded one opencast excavation. This is because strata and the more regularly vertical drilled to prove deep many of the strata are now arranged strata is clearly visible and marked by coal seams vertically, or nearly so - a unique feature a conspicuous shear zone where the of this site. original continuity of the rock layers is The section in the Limestone Coal virtually destroyed. ~

www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | AUGUST 2016 | 13 GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE

▼ Environmental change unparalleled in nature; BGS is already that can help validate sub-surface The Carboniferous sedimentary rock coming together with colleagues interpretations deduced from state-of- types present on these sites represent at Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Heriot the-art seismic and other geophysical cycles of environmental change, ranging Watt, Keele, Leeds and Strathclyde methods; the geological applicability from shallow tropical seas, to advancing universities, and in the Geotechnical of 3D sub-surface planning deltas and floodplains as relative sea- and Energy sectors, to examine and methodologies and energy resource level fell in coastal areas linked with promote this hugely rich and diverse management can also be road-tested development of river channels, tropical resource for learning, research and at SCARP. soils and tropical swamp forest. These professional development. In such large ‘cyclic’ changes were symptomatic of sites, there is ample scope in the future Opportunity sea-level changes at this time in the for colleagues from other universities This is a truly exciting opportunity to Carboniferous, some 330 to 315 million and organisations to participate as well. deliver a natural rock laboratory for years ago. Bedrock in Central Scotland university and industry training and Rock types readily accessible for is generally concealed by thick research. Held in trust, responsibly learning and research include marine unconsolidated Quaternary deposits conserved, and with safe maintained limestone with abundant visible fossil and hence accessible. Informative access for future generations, SCARP shells and trees, marine and lacustrine exposures of such strategically could provide that 3D laboratory and mudstone, burrowed siltstone and important Carboniferous strata are learning platform for Masters and sandstone, cross-bedded and channelled thus rare and limited in scope, even undergraduate students, combined sandstone, flat bedded siltstone and in the region’s various Sites of Special with a rich visitor experience – sandstone and rooted seat-rocks (soils), Scientific Interest (SSSI) and other especially if supported by, and and coal. Sideritic ironstone also Geodiversity sites. By exploiting the integrated with, local community occurs as thin beds and nodules in the data collected during underground and goals and access for schools. mudstone and as fist- to football-sized surface mining operations that are now Such a restored landscape feature nodules in the rooted seat-rocks. In fact, held by BGS, the geological community can be designed to provide diversity some of the earliest mining activity in can conceive of a wide spectrum of of managed access for geological and bell pits at Glenbuck exploited these internationally significant new research other fieldwork, perhaps partially ironstones for the short-lived Glenbuck that can be pursued and monitored in addressing fieldwork and mining Ironworks (1795 -1813). a volume of rocks where the essential issues raised recently by Mike Harris Geology at the Spireslack and stratigraphic and structural architecture (Geoscientist 25.6), even making Mainshill Wood OSMs delivers is already well constrained. fieldwork more accessible – as called unique man-made exposure on a scale The Spireslack canyon is a window for in ‘Getting Out more’ by Alison

Composite image of over 400 m of Namurian strata exposed as vertical layers in the Mainshill Composite image of late Viséan to early Wood OSM; looking WSW, the back wall section is c. 75m high. The white dotted line indicates Namurian Clackmannan Group Carboniferous truncation of the vertical strata by complex faulting in a transpressive flower structure to the left; strata exposed in the Spireslack OSM, looking the thick Manson Coal seams (M) are prominent at the right hand end of the wall SSE across the ‘canyon’ GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE

Stokes and Christopher Aitchison (Geoscientist 25.4). Natural, cultural and geological heritage synergy is very strong and best viewed as a complete package; opportunities to develop other complementary activities such as cycling, climbing walls, renewable energy and forestry abound. The BGS and SMRT intend to work with others to unlock more of the secrets of these sites through video footage – see www.youtube.com/ watch?v=1um_V5Rheqw - and make a digital sub-surface accessible to all. ◆

*Graham Leslie: BGS in Scotland, The Lyell Centre, Edinburgh EH14 4AP: [email protected]. **Mike Browne: BGS in Scotland, The Lyell Centre, Edinburgh EH14 4AP & Scottish Geodiversity Forum

➤ Published with the permission of the Executive Director, British Geological Survey. Download details of the Carboniferous stratigraphic succession of Great Britain at: http://nora. nerc.ac.uk/3235/1/RR07001.pdf. Spireslack and Mainshill Wood are currently owned and administered by SMRT; BGS gratefully acknowledge the support of SMRT in accessing these sites to This truly complex fault array in limestone can only be portrayed as the gather information in support of SCARP. simple red plane in the model (p.10)

Sandstone with large well preserved Bill Shankly, arguably Liverpool FC’s most famous branching arborescent plant remains, manager, hailed from the mining community that c. 20 cm in length, Spireslack OSM lived, worked and played in the village Shackleton’s geologist

Image © Tom Sharpe Shackleton’s Tom Sharpe* recounts a harrowing tale of geological derring-do in the South Atlantic

n 30 August 1916, 27 year-old last outcrops Wordie saw for 16 months. James Wordie FGS and his Within six weeks of their departure companions were huddled in from South Georgia on 5 December 1914, the cold, filthy darkness of their Endurance was locked in the pack ice of the O makeshift hut on the bleak north Weddell Sea. It was to remain so for the coast of remote, ice-covered Elephant next 10 months. Island where they had been marooned for four and a half months. Patiently Pitied awaiting a meagre lunch of boiled seal Thomas Orde Lees recorded in his diary bones and seaweed, a shout brought (16 October 1915) “The scientist most to them rushing out, scattering their cooking be pitied on this expedition is Wordie, the pot on the way, to see an approaching geologist, for his métier lacks the necessary ship. Within an hour, lunch forgotten, materials at sea …”. But he did have some Wordie was on board the Yelcho, clutching rocks to work on, as Shackleton explained his diaries and a bag of 30 rocks. These in South: “The geologist was making the were all he had to show for two years as best of what to him was an unhappy geologist on Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial situation; but was not without material. Transantarctic Expedition. The pebbles found in the penguins were often of considerable interest, and some Distinction fragments of rock were brought up from Born in Glasgow in 1889, James Mann the sea floor with the sounding-lead and Wordie graduated in 1910 with distinction the drag-net.” in geology from Glasgow University The dredge could provide sizeable before moving to St John’s College, specimens: on 29 March 1915, Wordie Cambridge. There, in 1913, Wordie met hauled in a boulder of red grit weighing a group of scientists, recently returned about 20kg and a smaller block of from Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s British fossiliferous limestone. A month later Above top: Outline map of Elephant Island Antarctic Expedition, who were now the dredge brought up several hundred Above middle: Map of Cape (now Point) Wild by Reginald W. James of the Endurance Expedition, based at the Sedgwick Museum. Inspired pebbles in glacial mud and sand. The May 1916. The Furness Glacier has receded since and encouraged by Scott’s geologists innards of Emperor penguins, especially, 1916 and now lies near the bottom edge of this map Lower middle: James Mann Wordie (reproduced (Raymond Priestley, Frank Debenham proved a treasure-trove of rocks, with courtesy of the Scott Polar Research Institute, and Griffith Taylor) and physicist Charles one bird providing two different kinds University of Cambridge) Above lower: Looking towards the south end of Wright, in March 1914, Wordie applied of granite, other igneous rocks, grit Lookout Hill, with Gnomon Island beyond, from the to join Sir Ernest Shackleton’s proposed and several different sandstones. From east shore of the spit, Point Wild, Elephant Island.

expedition to cross the Antarctic continent these and the dredged material, Wordie The hut was situated in front of the large boulder at the foot of the cliff towards the left of the picture from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea. was able to conclude (correctly) that the

Shackleton also planned to send scientific geology of the Weddell Sea coast more Left: Point Wild from the west. Lookout (Penguin) Hill is to the left parties to explore the region at the head closely resembled that of Victoria Land on of the Weddell Sea and to establish the the far side of the continent than that of ~ relationship of Graham Land to the rest of adjacent Graham Land. the continent. It was to one of these that By August 1915 Endurance had been Wordie was to be assigned. carried over a thousand kilometres west The expedition ship Endurance set and north by the rotational current of Less than sail on the eve of the outbreak of the the Weddell Sea Gyre, but slowly the a month later, First World War and Wordie joined it pressure of the moving ice was crushing at Buenos Aires. His geological work the ship and on 27 October 1915, Endurance Endurance sank, began when they reached South Georgia. was abandoned. The men set up camp taking with it all During November 1914, while the ship on the ice and less than a month later was at the whaling station of Grytviken, Endurance sank, taking with it Wordie’s Wordie’s South Wordie collected rock specimens from South Georgia rock collections. But the Georgia rock at least six sites on the island and began loss of the specimens was the least of their collections a geological map, recording the much- worries. folded structure. These were to be the Shackleton and his 27 men spent the ▼ ~ www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | AUGUST 2016 | 17 Above: Map of Cape (now Point) Wild by Reginald W. James of the Endurance Expedi-tion, May 1916. The Furness Glacier has receded since 1916 and now lies near the bot-tom edge of this map

Left: The marooned party on Elephant Island, 10 May 1916. Wordie, wearing his glasses and smoking a pipe, is in the back row, fourth from the left (reproduced courtesy of the Royal Geographical Society)

▼ next four months dragging their success would come only at the fourth and 24 from Cape Wild, were the three lifeboats and camping on drifting attempt. first to be collected from Elephant ice floes before taking to the boats The 22 men remaining at Cape Island and were described by G W when the ice finally broke up in April Wild spent the winter in a cramped Tyrrell in Wordie’s 1921 paper on 1916. The remarkable navigational hut made from their upturned the geology of the Weddell Sea area. skills of Frank Worsley, the Captain of boats. There was little opportunity to Tyrrell struggled to make sense of Endurance, got them to Cape Valentine, explore, as the site was hemmed in by them, but today we recognise them the most easterly point of Elephant impassable cliffs and ice (which Wordie as Cretaceous chloritic schists of Island on 15 April 1916. They hauled did try, unsuccessfully, to climb). He the Scotia Metamorphic Complex. their boats ashore and set foot on land combed the beach for erratics, and The collection survives in Glasgow for the first time since leaving South recognised that the bouldery spit on University’s Hunterian Museum Georgia 16 months earlier. It soon which they were camped was the right where, neatly arranged and curated, it became clear, however, that the beach lateral moraine of the Furness Glacier, belies the tale of incredible hardship was swept by storm waves, so the party which rises steeply above Cape Wild. suffered by the expedition and of the was forced to relocate seven miles west He was also able to collect specimens endurance of Shackleton’s geologist. u along the north coast of the island to from the local bedrock, “a dozen or so a rocky point and boulder spit they fairly representative rocks. The rocks named Cape Wild. are unfortunately very monotonous - * Tom Sharpe is Chairman of the History As geologist, perhaps Wordie was metamorphic schists - and the amount of Geology Group particularly glad to see land; during his of rock accessible is extremely small”. brief stay at Cape Valentine, he found When Shackleton arrived on the time to collect half a dozen specimens, Yelcho off Cape Wild at about 1300hrs Further reading and while sailing to Cape Wild made on 30 August 1916, the men had little note of the dip of the foliation in the time to organise their departure. Ever Shackleton, E 1919. South. The Story rocks exposed along the coast which he the geologist, Wordie made sure he of Shackleton’s Last Expedition 1914-17. London: William Heinemann. described as “about as inhospitable as took some of his specimens with him. Smith, M 2004 Sir James Wordie Polar one could well imagine”. “The end was rather a hurry” Wordie Crusader. Exploring the Arctic and later wrote in his diary: “ … it was Antarctic. Edinburgh: Birlinn Elephant Island best to cut and run. And so all my Smith, M 2014 Shackleton. By Endurance Although Elephant Island offered beach exotics are left behind: the only We Conquer. London: Oneworld. refuge, there was little chance of rescue; rocks I have are those in situ. But can Sharpe, T 2014 On the rocks on Elephant Island. The James Caird Society Journal, so Shackleton took five of the party back one complain? - My notes are safe and 7, 21-32. to sea in an audacious, but ultimately every man is safe”. Wordie, J M 1921 Shackleton Antarctic successful attempt to reach South Once in Chile, Shackleton put Wordie Expedition 1914-17; geological Georgia - over 1200 kilometres away in charge of the expedition’s scientific observations in the Weddell Sea area. - to seek help from the whalers there. results which were summarised in an Transactions of the Royal Society of Organising the rescue of his men would appendix in South. The rocks Wordie Edinburgh, 53, 17-27. take Shackleton over four months, and brought back (six from Cape Valentine

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Sir, It is very hard for me to express my acute functional website for its Fellows. I (foolishly) Nic Bilham replies: We understand frustration at the seemingly never-ending lack intended to maintain my personal CPD Fellows’ frustration that website login of availability of the Society’s on-line CPD records here (compulsory for CGeol). The (and hence online CPD reporting) reporting facility. facility has been unavailable for very many remain unavailable. Please accept The Geological Society, one of the oldest months, so I’m forced to look to another our apologies. We have experienced and most erudite scientific institutions in the institution for assistance. considerable difficulty working with our world, cannot seem to be able to provide a I am affiliated to a couple of other professional website contractor and are now working organisations; the Institute of Quarrying and with a new contractor to fully replace the the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining, affected parts of the website, as part of a all with annual subscriptions that are far lower wider IT upgrade. Fellows can continue than the Geological Society’s, but which all to record their CPD activity using the boast consistently reliable and fully operational log book available on the website – websites. contact [email protected] for Professionalism really must start at home. assistance. Please get it to together guys! NIC BILHAM Director of Policy and Mark Godden Communications Extrapolation: fantasy v. reality

Sir, Martin Geach (3D models: stepping a surface down to a plane (eg the gas-water back, Geoscientist 26.5 June 2016) contact) the volumes, and the distribution is raising an issue that was familiar of volumes by block, could vary widely to many petroleum geologists in the between methods. Martin’s examples 1980s: computer mapping of geological of Kriging and IDW methods are almost structures. This old chestnut seems to incredibly close in their volumetric results. have echoed across the decades and However, the difference between them and still resonates today. I remember many a the RBF/RST method is more than a factor heated discussion about algorithms during of two - an intolerable outcome. in the other two models. A rotation of interminable meetings to agree procedures I suspect a wild over-extrapolation in the the 3D view to show the depth axis, for mapping oil and gas fields that crossed NE corner of the RBF/RST model where or a couple of cross-sections sliced North Sea block boundaries and could vary data are absent (as shown by the curious across the model, would clearly reveal in shape and volume distribution depending shape of contours in this area in the Kriging these reckless departures which, unless on which interpolation technique was used and IDW examples) and the algorithm has corroborated by real data points, should in CPS-1 or Zmap. generated an unrealistically deep hole in the be eliminated by the geologist. At least, Data points (ie wells) were usually more model. This also occurs in the SW, where they should if these deep troughs lie on than 200m apart, unlike Martin’s example. it appears the depths are much greater my side of the block boundary! Although our volumes were measured from (indigo colour) in the RBF/RST model than Chris Garland

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The Wood for the Trees a combination is possible’. What follows absorbing interest for geologists of all surely proves that it is; that the status levels. The standard of the material Someone should of beech tree and liverwort are indeed is superlative with high quality perhaps write a compatible with the play of the light; the colour photographs, illustrations and book about the passage of the seasons and people with artistic recreations added to a crystal things distinguished the ‘incomparable pleasures of discovery’. clear language. It describes the scientists get up to Indeed, as his focus widens, Fortey’s technicalities of our subject in a way when they retire. confidence as a writer seems to grow which focuses effortlessly upon the Thomas Huxley – to the point of including culinary core message: geology matters. It is a withdrew from greater suggestions and recipes (a hallmark of masterpiece of good communication. scientific affairs to his TV appearances), and even to using There are 20 chapters in three take up alpine flowers, and it is perhaps the word ‘questing’ far more often than parts, covering foundations [of the a shame that he never wrote a book any other nature writer might have science], the Evolution of Canada about them. Richard Fortey FRS (former dared. After Evelyn Waugh’s ridicule of [but not just Canada] and Wealth President of the Society and Senior the genre through the inept pen of his and Health [the way that geology Palaeontologist at the Natural History hapless journalist character William Boot is used]. Each chapter is quite short Museum), finding the proceeds from a (author of the deathless line: ‘Feather- and to the point and written by a TV series burning a hole in his pocket, footed through the plashy fen passes the phalanx of skilful authors. The whole decided that he would buy Grim’s Dyke questing vole’) this also constitutes ‘life thing has been funded by five major Wood, four acres of Chiltern woodland on the edge’. supporters and the chapters by 20 or not far from his native Henley. so backers, indeed a very impressive He made it a project, and proceeded Reviewed by: Ted Nield collaborative effort. It is a good read to study the wood’s every aspect: at an extremely reasonable price. geological, archaeological, historical, THE WOOD FOR THE TREES – THE LONG VIEW On the other hand, will the ‘40-ish botanical, mycological and zoological. OF NATURE FROM A SMALL WOOD well educated woman’ buy it and The result is this delightful amalgam of by RICHARD FORTEY. William Collins 2016 ISBN read it? Perhaps it’s up to you to natural and human history - Geoscientist’s 978-0-00-810466-5 306pp Hbk recommend it to those who might be List Price: £22.00 www.harpercollins.co.uk recommended summer read – which in need, and then you can borrow it underlines a point dear to my own heart, back! I’m just a little surprised that which is that you can tell the history of Air Canada did not part-fund the the world from any locality on its surface book because once you have this in – like William Blake, seeing the world in Four Billion Years and your hands then you may well be on a grain of sand. your way to Banff quite soon. Using a ‘country diary’ approach to Counting: Canada’s *For links, see online version of this describe life on the edge (of a Chalk Geological Heritage review in the 2015 collection. Editor escarpment), each chapter covers a different month. Fortey then draws in Before agreeing to Reviewed by: Arthur Tingley his many themes in due season – his review this book I beloved fungi in November, moths in did a quick Internet June, and so on, dragooning a dazzling search just to see if it FOUR BILLION YEARS AND COUNTING - array of experts to help him lend has a mention, what CANADA’S GEOLOGICAL HERITAGE - Eds: FENSOME R, WILLIAMS G, ACHAB A, weight and detail to his observations. price it might be and CLAGUE J, CORRIGAN D MONGER J, NOWLAN Finally, true museum man that he is, he frankly if it was worth G. Nimbus 2014 Canadian Federation of harvests some cherry wood, cuts it into reviewing. What I Earth Sciences. Reprinting June 2016. ISBN: planks which he seasons himself, and found there was a 9781551099965. www.fbycbook.com/#!home/mainPage commissions a beautiful bespoke ‘cabinet revelation! * of curiosities’ in which to keep his On another site one of the authors notebook and all the interesting bits and explained the origin of the book: “One bobs he accumulates during the year. day last summer, a 40-ish well-educated Fortey is one of those lucky writers woman visited our house. … She asked who makes his readers wish they knew me about my professional background Microbial Carbonates him better, that they could spend time and I told her that I am an Earth scientist. in Space and Time with him in tweedy pursuits, bumbling She looked puzzled and said: ‘and what about in Grim’s Dyke, getting their knees do you do with that, other than teach?’ I Recent discoveries wet from leaf mould, sitting on fallen was dumbstruck… then noticed her nice in ‘unconventional’ logs and making natural historical notes shiny and stylish watch and said ‘well, carbonate reservoirs in leather-bound books. Never has the let’s begin with your watch, where do such as the Lower author’s whimsical, woollyjumpery, you think its component materials came Cretaceous pre- Brysonesque, and (now and then) from?’” salt of the Campos donnishly testy personality come over Thus began what can be described as Basin, offshore Brazil quite as faithfully as it does in The Wood a tour de force [the book comes in English have stressed the for the Trees. and French] of geological outreach. importance of research He says in the introduction that it is a Although written from a Canadian into microbial carbonate (microbialite) book ‘both romantic and forensic, if such perspective, it has a wide, immediate and deposits. This Special Publication not

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only succeeds in compiling a diverse Geodiversity the most comprehensive account of range of 14 papers on the economic geodiversity and geoconservation importance of microbialites; it also To quote the author, (from a global to a local level) to date. manages to place such deposits in a this book ‘is about the For anyone (geologist or not) context that those with a background in value of difference, who wishes to make the case for carbonate sedimentology can appreciate. diversity and geodiversity and geoconservation then Microbialite deposits are found distinctiveness in this is highly recommended reading throughout the geological record, the the natural world’. It and, if you own the first edition, don’t book addressing this with a series of case uses geological and worry - the second is an invaluable studies that spans the Neoproterozoic to geomorphological companion. the Cenozoic. The papers in each section diversity – geodiversity are varied, including facies association, – as a demonstration of this variety and Reviewed by: Jonathan Larwood stratigraphic architecture and sets out the intimate relationship and petrophysics. Each paper complements influence of geodiversity on our world: the others, with work ranging from its evolution, changing landscapes and GEODIVERSITY: VALUING AND CONSERVING microscopic to seismic scale. A biodiversity, and our own history, culture ABIOTIC NATURE 2nd Edn by MURRAY GRAY, 2013. Published by: Wiley pleasantly surprising inclusion is that and well-being. Following the simple Blackwell 508pp ISBN 978-0-470-74215-0 (sbk) of work on seismic and core from the formula ‘value + threat = conservation’ List price: £37.50 Campos Basin microbialite discoveries. Murray Gray establishes the value and The decision of companies operating importance of geodiversity, demonstrates offshore Brazil to release data into the that geodiversity is threatened and then public domain is an important one, as it sets out how geodiversity is conserved, allows those with an interest to finally reflecting both established approaches Volcanism and Global study these previously ‘classified’ and and new concepts in geoconservation. Environmental Change enigmatic deposits. This is the second edition and much Overall, the quality of the publication has changed since the first was published The publication of this is excellent, with most figures reproduced in 2004. Notably global geoconservation book comes on the back in colour. Each paper is well written effort, co-operation and profile have seen of the 2010 eruption of with clear, engaging illustrations. Of significant development. Here perhaps Eyjafjallajökull which particular note is a paper on Ediacaran the greatest advance has been in relation raised in the general microbial carbonates, which contains to Geoparks. In 2004 this was a relatively public’s consciousness eye-catching annotated field photographs new initiative with 15 European the potential of volcanic and schematic models that are a joy to Geoparks. Now worldwide there are eruptions to affect our read. As a minor point, some papers are 120 Global Geoparks recognised in 33 climate, environment printed in black and white and although countries and, as of 2015, the ‘UNESCO and how we go about our daily lives. not illegible, certain figures may lack the Global Geopark’ has become the first This multidisciplinary volume is divided impact of those printed in colour. new UNESCO designation in over 40 into three parts; the first focuses on This comprehensive SP is an ideal years. the origins, features and timing of starting point for anyone interested There has also been a gradual shift large volume volcanism; the second on in microbial carbonates. It effectively in emphasis. The established protected assessing gas and tephra release both in summarises the combined knowledge of area approach remains (for example in the present day and paleo-record; and the academia and industry, and is applicable the UK: World Heritage Site, National third deals with modes of volcanically to both. At present, most readers will Park, Site of Special Scientific Interest induced global environmental change. be postgraduates already involved in and Local Geological Site) but alongside The 20 chapters are a mixture of recent related studies. However, in the future there is a growing realisation of the advances in the field and broader this book will become increasingly importance of taking a wider and more reviews, supported generously with relevant to undergraduates as frontier integrated approach. Gray examines monochromatic illustrations, figures and microbialite plays become the norm in in detail the role of geodiversity as an diagrams, as well as a central section of the oil and gas industry. This work will ‘ecosystem service’, considers different colour figures. undoubtedly pave the way for exciting approaches to landscape characterisation The main message is that some large developments in our understanding of (which all use geodiversity as a past eruptions (e.g. continental flood a long overlooked section of carbonate fundamental character) and discusses the basalts) had global impacts affecting sedimentology. importance of integrating geodiversity climate and environmental chemistry and and biodiversity conservation. potentially triggering mass extinctions; Reviewed by: Jack Stacey My view remains that the greatest not every eruption instigates major challenge for geoconservation is the environmental change however, and the mechanisms which control different MICROBIAL CARBONATES IN SPACE value placed on geodiversity (and AND TIME: IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL therefore the need for its conservation). modes of volcanism and their range of EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION Here Gray has made a significant associated environmental effects are the by: D W J BOSENCE, K A GIBBONS, D P LE subject of ongoing research. Gas and HERON, W A MORGAN, T PRITCHARD AND B A contribution. The term ‘geodiversity’ VINING. Geological Society Special Publication has gained global traction and this aerosol particles from highly explosive 418 (hbk). ISBN: 9781862397279. second edition will continue this and volumetrically large eruptions List Price: £90. Fellows Price: £45. growth: a plethora of new examples of have the potential to circulate in the www.geolsoc.org.uk/SP418 geoconservation in practice make this stratosphere, causing hemispheric or

www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | AUGUST 2016 | 21 have no Internet access? CALL THE Library Bookshop 0207 432 0999 for [advice and to purchase publications] BOOKS & ARTS global perturbations to climate and to the high grade metamorphic and rendering many different rock groups in environment, however the complex igneous rocks of the underlying the same shade of grey. This is my only physical and chemical interactions crystalline basement. reservation about what is otherwise a of these particles remain to be fully The first three papers are fine piece of work. explored and understood. introductory: setting out the purpose For me, the best feature of the book of the book; reviewing basin Reviewed by: Pete Webb is that it brings the reader up to date classification schemes, particularly with current advances in quantifying those based on plate tectonic setting PRECAMBRIAN BASINS OF INDIA: the impacts of recent volcanic eruptions and subsidence mechanism; and STRATIGRAPHIC AND TECTONIC CONTEXT (e.g. in satellite and aircraft-based describing the structural history by R. MAZUMDER and P.G. ERIKSSON remote sensing techniques) and links and geology of the four cratons that (Eds) Published by: The Geological Society 2015 ISBN: 978-1-86239-723-1 List price: £120; this to knowledge of past events in underlie the Puranas - the Aravalli- Geological Society £60; other qualifying societies the geological record. The book deals Bundelkhand, Singhbhum, Bastar and £72. 352 pp, hbk www.geolsoc.org.uk/m0043 with a selection of impacts including Dharwar Cratons. extinctions, ocean ecosystems, and the The next 17 papers deal with the environmental and climatic impacts Purana Basins themselves, plus one specific to ash and gas deposition as chapter on some rather enigmatic Building Stones and well as those generated by large igneous metasediments south of all the other province magmatism. The authors are basins. Each of the papers follows the Stone Buildings of careful to highlight that scaling climatic same pattern: geology of the basement; Staffordshire effects of both historical and present stratigraphy and geochronology of day activity to large volume volcanism the basin fill; a detailed description We all know that the is challenging, however, if we are to be of the sediment fill; discussion and UK is rich in the use of better prepared to deal with the fallout conclusions. In each case, the basin- local natural stone for of global eruptions these are challenges fill lithologies and structures are many buildings. This which need addressing. described in considerable detail at all is a new addition to the Volcanoes and the Environment by scales. subject and you get a lot Marti and Ernst (2008, also Cambridge Most of the basins are located on the of book for your money! University Press) provides a valuable margins of their host craton, and are The book gives you 339 broad introduction into this subject related to divergent plate motion and pages covering a wide area, whereas Volcanism and Global associated lithospheric stretching and variety of topics: Environmental Change affords a useful thinning. A small number are related u Historical and geological background update of key areas where notable recent to intra-craton transtension and to to the wealth of stone utilised throughout advances have been made. convergent plate motion. the centuries The next two papers deal with the u Issues of conservation and Reviewed by: Sabina Michnowicz mineral resources. The first of the two restoration, and the problems of sourcing stresses that though the Purana Basins suitable replacement material are rich in building stone, limestone for u The major features of Staffordshire’s VOLCANISM AND GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE cement, evaporites, phosphorite, barite building limestones and sandstones, and by ANJA SCHMIDT, KIRSTEN E. FRISTAD AND and uranium, they are comparatively their physical and chemical properties LINDA T. ELKINS-TANTON (EDS.), 2015. deficient in metallic minerals, apart u Illustrated guide to the stone heritage Published by: Cambridge University Press 339pp of selected Staffordshire buildings, (hbk) ISBN: 9781107058378 from minor occurrences of pyrite, List Price: £75.00. www.cambridge.org copper-lead-zinc and manganese ores. integrating historical, architectural and The second paper deals more with the geological aspects, covering castles, cratons and their rich endowment of country houses and ecclesiastical iron, manganese, chromium, copper- buildings, as well as villages, civic Precambrian Basins lead-zinc, molybdenum, gold and buildings and monuments. platinum ores. This is a weighty volume, but it covers of India: Stratigraphic The final paper summarises the topic extremely well. It is divided into the Purana Basins, stressing that three main parts (assuming little or no and Tectonic Context the concepts and mechanisms of prior knowledge of the subject). This is a This book provides a both plate tectonics and sequence substantial work and it is easy to access. detailed and thorough stratigraphy, initially studied and As someone who travels frequently to review of the 22 basins synthesised in Phanerozoic basins, various parts of Staffordshire, I have in India (frequently are equally applicable to the Puranas. already found the book invaluable. This referred to as the Any differences in the stratigraphic book will become the standard work on ‘Purana Basins’ or architecture can be ascribed to the subject and will be invaluable for simply ‘The Puranas’) variations in accommodation vs. those engaged in preserving our building that between them sediment supply, or to the evolving heritage. preserve a sedimentary inter-relations between hydrosphere, It is written in an engaging style, and tectonic history from around 3.4Ga atmosphere and biosphere. with good use of images and maps that into the Eocambrian. The basin fill is The book is profusely illustrated, but make it accessible to those who perhaps in each case unmetamorphosed to only whereas the originals were obviously do not know the area covered in great weakly metamorphosed, in contrast coloured, nearly all are now B&W, detail. The most important part of the

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book for me is the third section which of Glamorgan. The variety of fluvial Dolaucothi Gold - a covers the use of stone in buildings systems is illustrated with examples in Staffordshire. This is the most from the Old Red Sandstone and vision revisited substantial part of the book (218 pages) the Upper Carboniferous. Upper and it covers in detail the use of building Carboniferous units dominate chapters stone in heritage and vernacular on deltas (also represented from Dolaucothi Gold buildings. Each of the buildings has a the Pleistocene of Pembrokeshire), section devoted to it, which gives the shorelines and shelves, and estuaries Mines - Geology & reader an overview of the key historical and incised valleys. The Carboniferous aspects, the architectural features and Limestone represents shallow marine Mining History the building stone. These reviews are environments, and Lower Palaeozoic Welsh Gold has accompanied by excellent photographs turbidite systems exemplify deep-sea always generated making each section easy to access systems. interest and the and understand. The book could be The author demonstrates an Dolaucothi Gold used as a building stones field guide encyclopaedic knowledge of these rock Mines (also known to Staffordshire, giving as it does such successions, derived from a career- as Ogofau) are detailed information about so many long study in the context of research, probably the of the most important buildings in the publishing, working with industry and oldest mines in the county. teaching students of all ages. Detailed United Kingdom. The author has succeeded in his aim figures enhance the text throughout, They are the only of writing a book for “...people interested including photographs, annotated known mines outside the Dolgellau in the wider field of natural history sketches, interpretive diagrams, gold belt and lie about 120km north- and earth science...” – it is quite simply graphic logs and innovative ‘mini west of Cardiff, close to the village of a stunning piece of work – I hope that analogues’ of ancient systems based Pumsaint in Carmarthenshire. They other counties will get similar coverage! on modern environments. Much of the have been worked periodically from content draws on unpublished material, Neolithic and Roman times until Reviewed by: Gordon Neighbour but there is an extensive reference list, final closure in 1940. as well as a detailed index and useful The site was resurrected from appendices. dereliction between 1978 and 1999 BUILDING STONES & STONE BUILDINGS If I wanted to be picky, I could query OF STAFFORDSHIRE by the staff and students of the by P A FLOYD. ISBN: 978 07223 4543-6 Published why the overview covers just clastic Department of Mineral Exploitation by: Arthur H. Stockwell Limited sedimentology when a major chapter (later the School of Engineering) of List Price: £14.95 www.ahstockwell.co.uk deals with carbonates, or whether the the University of Cardiff. In 1999 the Upper Carboniferous really merits such National Trust took over the lease dominance. But that really would be and has continued the development unwarranted. This book is packed with to create today’s mining heritage site. Aspects of the a wealth of detail. Although beginners The two books reviewed here, might be daunted to learn of structures although by different authors, are Sedimentology of preserved “at the base of falling-stage essentially complementary. The South Wales and forced-regressive sandbodies” first describes the geological setting, (p.25) and students are unlikely to need the mining and mineral processing Aspects of the this much detail about one part of the and industrial archaeological Sedimentology of South world, anyone who wants to know heritage of the old mining area, Wales follows Gareth the current state of understanding whilst the second gives a detailed George’s successful, on the sedimentary geology of South description of the work undertaken also self-published, Wales in one convenient source will between 1978 and 1999 to restore The Geology of South be fascinated by this book with its the abandoned mine workings and Wales: A Field Guide meticulously detailed content and create a unique experience in the (2008, revised 2015). effective, exemplary communication. industrial heritage of Wales. Both books are packed If you love the geology of Wales, or The first book, co-authored by a with detail, demanding intensive study want to plan a field course here, buy mining geologist and an industrial rather than casual reading. a copy. Better still, buy three or four archaeologist, is a revised and Following an introduction, one copies - for the field, the office, the expanded edition of a publication chapter covers clastic sedimentology, library, and at least one more for when that had seen three editions since from petrology through sedimentary you wear the others out. 1983, the last being in 1995. Data structures and facies to sequence from work undertaken by Earth stratigraphy. Sedimentary rock Reviewed by: Geraint Owen scientists and archaeologists in the units of South Wales then appear succeeding period are included, as case studies in chapters on major ASPECTS OF THE SEDIMENTOLOGY together with many colour depositional environments. Aeolian OF SOUTH WALES photographs and diagrams. systems are represented by modern by GARETH T GEORGE The text starts by presenting Published by: [email protected], coastal dunes, and alluvial fans by 2014. 277pp, sbk. ISBN 978-0-9559371-1-8, details of the history of the site’s the Ridgeway Conglomerate and List Price: £18.75 ownership and a chapter placing Triassic fanglomerates from the Vale the mineralisation in both the local

www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | AUGUST 2016 | 23 have no Internet access? CALL THE Library Bookshop 0207 432 0999 for [advice and to purchase publications] BOOKS & ARTS

and a Welsh context. The evidence On the edge - without caring about the impact of their of the Roman mining and ancillary beach construction/mining might have on operations are described followed coastlines of Britain communities elsewhere along the coast. by details of the late 19th century This book All in all, a fascinating, valuable and early 20th Century workings. summarises the and worthwhile book that will be of The final phases of commercial development of the interest to rail engineers, geologists and operation between 1930 and 1940, railways around environmentalists. which at their peak employed up to the coastline of Reviewed by James Montgomery 200 people, are described. The book Britain since the finishes with a chapter covering beginning of all rail the processing of the ores and development. The James Montgomery highlights the visible remains of the by ROBERT DUCK. Published by: Edinburgh book examines how University Press 2015 ISBN : 978-0-7486-9762-5. processing sites and buildings. railway lines have www.euppublishing.com The second book covers a period influenced and altered the physical of 21 years from 1978 to 1999 and landscape of our coastline. describes how an initial vision of a Written in a very readable style and centre for specific higher education not an academic treatise, it provides Upstream Petroleum purposes expanded to the creation plenty to think about. The only of an educational centre for the significant weakness is the lack of maps Petroleum local community and visitors of all to illustrate the often very detailed economics is a vital ages and levels of knowledge and descriptions of how railways were tool for companies, experience. constructed and impacted on our coast. investors and Work on the site is divided into For any environmentalist the first governments three phases each of which forms part of the book is a stark illustration whether the oil a chapter. The first, from 1978 to of how uncontrolled development can price is US$37/ 1984, covers the initial rehabilitation have serious detrimental effects on bbl (end 2015) or of the abandoned workings and ecosystems, the landscape/seascape, the US$110/bbl (when describes the work done, how health of coastal communities, and the this book was it was progressed and who was economic activities that our ancestors published). Economic modelling is involved. The second, from 1984 to carried out. Therefore the book is a used by companies to assist in or 1988, includes the use of the mine strong advocate (albeit silently) for determine investment decisions. On as an educational facility for both the rigour of thorough environmental the other side of the contractual fence, teaching and research and looks impact assessments of new railway modelling is used by governments to at further developments which developments. determine the fine balance between included the installation of 1930s Today, we take rail safety extremely extracting enough ‘rent’ from surface buildings and equipment seriously, but it is clear that this was companies while still make their salvaged from a closed mine in not always the case. Some startling country an attractive investment North Wales. The final phase, facts and figures are presented about opportunity. from 1988 to 1999, covers later the poor safety record of early rail The third use of economics is for developments at the site and looks travel, not all due to operational or the benefit of investors in oil and gas at the significant changes from a site design failures. Many were due to poor companies to determine the value used by a limited group from the route selection that took little account of the assets owned by the company University of Cardiff to one of much of geological setting. Numerous (conducted by the company or a wider use and interest. incidences of landslips/landslides and contracted third party). This is one These books will be a fascinating washouts along the coastal railway lines area the industry could improve. and nostalgic read for many, and are documented, many resulting in How often do companies claim their for those less familiar with the fatalities. assets are worth billions of dollars mines, certainly the first will The final part of the book looks at the and a concomitant volume of oil? be an essential read for anyone impact that access by rail to beaches has Part of the problem lies with the considering a visit to the area. had on our coastline. There are some role of the independent contractor fascinating accounts of how taking - supplied with data and guided by Reviewed by Stephen Cribb beach sand and gravels for construction the company - used to determine (often of the railways themselves) has the worth of assets in a competent resulted in complete changes to the person’s report. The authors recognise THE DOLAUCOTHI GOLD MINES – coastal hydrodynamics. As we now this issue, urging readers to be GEOLOGY AND MINING HISTORY by ANNELS, ALWYN E & BURNHAM, BARRY C know, changes to coastal flow regimes nascent economists in the treatment of (2013) Caerleon: APECS Press. 99pp are never something to be carried abandonment and income tax towards ISBN 978-0-9563965-5-6 out without considerable care and the end of field life. List price: £12.50 pbk www.apecspress.co.uk forethought. For decades there was no The authors have adopted a practical DOLAUCOTHI GOLD – A VISION REALISED control over removing beach materials; approach to the subject. Much of by ISAAC, ALUN. (2012) Caerleon: APECS Press. but slowly, control was brought to these the book is about cell formulation 200pp ISBN 978-0-9563965-2-5 practices. Yet local authorities were within spreadsheets to correctly List price: £12.50 pbk.W: www.apecspress.co.uk often the worst offenders, trying to reflect contractual arrangements. This maintain their beaches and rail access approach does not make for good

24 | AUGUST 2016 | www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist have no Internet access? CALL THE Would you like to receive a free book and write a review? Library Bookshop 0207 432 0999 for Available titles are listed online, of which a small selection is shown below. advice and to purchase publications Contact the editor for further information [email protected]

reading (as the authors warn!). The Beyond Governments which a novel approach might work. book takes on the appearance of the Whatever the application, the authors transcription from a taught course - making collective repeatedly stress that one should comprising abundant bullet-pointed governance work start small to build trust between text. participants, and that the product Getting the spreadsheet cells The Extractive rather than the process should be functioning correctly to reflect contract Industries foremost. terms is one aspect of the book that Transparency It is a short book, easily read, and is very thorough. However, even if Initiative (EITI) was there are good summaries at the end of the model works correctly the results born in 2003 to try to each chapter. might be meaningless unless the reconcile the flow of Reviewed by: Richard Haworth assumptions are based on some reality. funds between the The authors hammer home the point extractive industries of ensuring that all input is properly and the recipient BEYOND GOVERNMENTS: MAKING COLLECTIVE audited and checked by a relevant government. The first GOVERNANCE WORK - LESSONS FROM THE expert. Optimistic production profiles, EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES TRANSPARENCY criterion of EITI was that there should be INITIATIVE low costs and a positive oil or gas “Regular publication of all material oil, by EDDIE RICH & JONAS MOBERG (Eds) 2015. price outlook can do wonders for the gas and mining payments by companies Published by: Greenleaf Publishing 153pp (sbk) valuations of assets. to governments and all material ISBN: 139781783531851 List Price: £20 www.greenleaf-publishing.com This book bears resemblance in style revenues received by governments from to a Haynes Manual rather than an oil, gas and mining companies to a academic treatise, but just as a Haynes wide audience in a publicly accessible, manual does not make the user a comprehensive and comprehensible BOOKS FOR REVIEW mechanic, this book will not make manner. the reader a petroleum economist. EITI’s emphasis on the oil, gas and Please contact [email protected] if you would Recently, I needed some help on a mineral sectors is the primary reason like to supply a review. You will be invited to keep the model and plunged into the book why this initiative should be of interest review copy. See a full up-to-date list at seeking solutions – I could not find the to Earth Scientists. The magnitude www.geolsoc.org.uk/reviews solution. The book is expensive and and consequences of the challenge are needs heavily discounting to reflect quite staggering. After 10 years of EITI what is required in the industry – reporting, Nigeria received US$9 billion ◆ NEW! The Psychologist’s Just Been by Tom severe cost reduction! more revenue than would have been the Lindsay. Fictionalised autobiography of an and vernacular buildings. Each of case before EITI reporting. The authors exploration geologist. Mirador publishing 2016 the buildings has a section devoted to estimate that as a consequence of the 203pp sbk. ◆ it, which gives the reader an overview improvement in accounting principles, NEW! The Origin and Nature of Life on Earth - the emergence of the fourth geosphere by of the key historical aspects, the four African states’ revenue may see Eric Smith and Harold Morowitz. Cambridge architectural features and the building revenues replacing aid within the space University Press, 677pp, hbk. stone. These reviews are accompanied of one more electoral cycle. ◆ NEW! Ecological Climatology - concepts & by excellent photographs making each The initiative has involved Applications by Gordon Bonan (3rd Edn) 2016 section easy to access and understand. representatives from diverse sectors CUP 692pp Hbk The book could be used as a building of society, each of which had different ◆ Arthur Smith Woodward - his life and influence stones field guide to Staffordshire, perspectives on the challenge. Citizens on modern vertebrate palaeontology by giving as it does such detailed wanted a better deal and to participate in Johanson Z. et al. (Eds) Geological Society of information about so many of the most policy discussions; governments wanted London 2016 Spec Pub #430 362pp (hbk) ◆ important buildings in the county. more revenue and investment and to Stochastic Analysis of Scaling Time Series - from turbulence theory to applications by The author has succeeded in his polish their reputation, and companies Schmitt FG and Huang Y. Cambridge UP 2016 aim of writing a book for “...people wanted a more predictable environment 204pp hbk interested in the wider field of natural in which to operate and demonstrate ◆ Rock Deformation from Field, Experiments and history and earth science...” – it is their social and economic contribution. Theory by Faulkner et al. GSPH Special quite simply a stunning piece of work The authors propose that the EITI Publication #409 – I hope that other counties will get principles can be usefully applied ◆ Industrial Structural Geology by F L Richards et similar coverage! where there is a problem in which there al. (eds) Geological Society Special Publication is a wide range of opinions and no #421 267pp hbk Reviewed by: Stephen Crabtree consensus. They suggest that review ◆ Chemical, Physical and Temporal Evolution of international financial flows might of Magmatic Systems by L Caricchi et al. (eds) Geological Society IAVCEI Special Publication #422 benefit from this approach (illicit flows 223pp hbk UPSTREAM PETROLEUM FISCAL AND from Africa amounted to US $865 billion VALUATION MODELING IN EXCEL: A WORKED ◆ Volcanic Geology of Sao Miguel Island (Azores EXAMPLES APPROACH between 1970 and 2008). They even note Archipelago) by Gaspar et al (Eds) Geological by KEN KASRIEL & DAVID WOOD, 2013. the use of these principles with respect to Society Memoir #44, 2015 hbk 309pp Published by John Wiley & Sons, 344pp (plus the conflict in Syria as an example. ◆ Applied Thermodynamics for Meteorologists, CD with supporting EXCEL models) (hbk) ISBN by Sam Miller. 2015. Cambridge University Press 9780470686829 I wonder whether it might work for List Price £100 www.eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/ Climate Change. The challenge seems 285pp, hbk WileyTitle/productCd-0470686820.html to me to be to get potential participants to recognise that there is a situation in

www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | AUGUST 2016 | 25 PEOPLE NEWS CAROUSEL All Fellows of the Society are A working party reports entitled to entries in this column. Please email [email protected], quoting your Fellowsip number.

◆ Michael D Campbell Vice President of the American Association of Professional Geologists (AIPG), has presented a Gene Shoemaker Graduate Scholarship ($2,500.00) and the Ted H. Foss Undergraduate Scholarship ($1,000.00) to two students at Rice The latest in the series of Engineering Group Working Party Reports was published in June, the occasion being University. The awards marked by an all-day meeting at Burlington House. Members of the Working Party on the ‘Engineering Geology and Geomorphology of Glaciated and Periglacial Terrains’ were (pictured L-R): Dr Sven Lukas, Prof Julian Murton, were among a record seven Prof David Norbury, Prof Martin Culshaw, Prof David Evans, Prof James Griffiths, Mrs Anna Morley, Prof Mike scholarships awarded by Winter, Dr David Giles, Dr Michael de Freitas, Mr Chris Martin. AIPG and the Texas Chapter, to students attending Texas universities. See W: http:// aipg-tx.org/_docs/RiceU- Personals EarthScienceGrad-2016.pdf Neil McLaurin is looking for someone who can give a good home to his collection of the journal Economic Geology (published by the Society of Economic Geologists, SEG). The collection ◆ John Ludden contains all the issues (thought with just one or two missing) from 1982 to 2012. Neil says he will Executive even deliver within a 60 mile radius; otherwise it can be collected from his home in Oxfordshire. Director of the BGS received ➤ If you are interested, please contact E: [email protected] a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for his services to ◆ geoscience. John said: “I am Verity Smith IN MEMORIaM www.geolsoc.org.uk/obituaries extremely proud to receive a CGeol, Senior CBE and view this as powerful Geotechnical THE SOCIETY NOTES WITH SADNESS THE PASSING OF: recognition of the importance Engineer at Armitage, John * Gosse, Andrew * of the geosciences to the UK Atkins, was Bishopp, David * Morgan, Daniel * economy and the role that the recently named Burri, Peter O’Donoghue, Michael*§ British Geological Survey has the ‘Best Woman in Highways’ Colley, H * Piffaretti, Joseph* in developing this.” at the 2016 European Davis, Robert Vincent * Ramsden, Robert * Exley, Colin Van der Werde, Roelef * Women in Construction and Flood, Raymond Edward * Wood, Christopher J * ◆ Martin Rudwick Engineering (WICE) Awards has been given for her work and contribution In the interests of recording its Fellows’ work for posterity, the Society the Vladimir to knowledge in the field publishes obituaries online, and in Geoscientist. The most recent additions V. Tikhomirov of Highways Geotechnical to the list are shown in bold. Fellows for whom no obituarist has yet been History of Asset Management. Verity commissioned are marked with an asterisk (*). The symbol § indicates that biographical material has been lodged with the Society. Geology award joined Atkins in 2005, by the International Union of following a summer student If you would like to contribute an obituary, please email ted.nield@geolsoc. Geological Sciences (IUGS) placement with the company’s org.uk to be commissioned. You can read the guidance for authors at for 2016. The Award was ground engineering team in www.geolsoc.org.uk/obituaries. To save yourself unnecessary work, please do not write anything until you have received a commissioning letter. made for his lifetime’s work Birmingham. One of her most on the history of the Earth significant achievements has Deceased Fellows for whom no obituary is forthcoming have their names sciences. Martin said: “As a been her role, since 2011, as and dates recorded in a Roll of Honour at www.geolsoc.org.uk/obituaries. paid-up historian for the past Deputy Geotechnical Liaison half-century, it gives me special Engineer on the M25 motorway pleasure to be given an IUGS design, build, finance and ‘Science Excellence Award’!” operate contract.

26 | AUGUST 2016 | www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist GEOSCIENTIST PEOPLE NEWS

Geoscientists in the news and on the move in the UK, Europe and worldwide

DISTANT THUNDER Stamp of approval geological map; found Rise & fall Geologist and Science evidence of extensive former Hector arrived in New Zealand glaciation; and sketched out writer Nina Morgan* in 1882, during the height of the structure of the Rocky describes the revival of a the Otago gold rush and set Mountains. forgotten geological hero to work. After mapping huge But in the Canadian areas in Otago Province, he popular imagination, Hector produced the first geological One of the most high profile is best known not for his map of the region in 1864. He honours a scientist can receive geological prowess, but for his went on to set up the New must surely be to appear on involvement with the naming Zealand Geological Survey a postage stamp. And one of of Kicking Horse Pass – which and Colonial Museum in 1865. the least-known geologists to straddles the Continental Then, as the only scientist achieve this public recognition Divide on the border between working for the New Zealand must be James Hector [1834 British Columbia and Alberta. Government, he became the – 1907]. Born in Edinburgh, The name recalls an accident official adviser on all things Hector received a medical that nearly killed him. Post Office put the seal on scientific. At various times degree from Edinburgh Hector’s return to grace by he found himself running University in 1856, and using his portrait on a stamp Kick many of New Zealand’s thanks to a recommendation While the Palliser expedition issued to commemorate the scientific institutions. He from Roderick Murchison was exploring there in 1858, centenary of the founding was also instrumental in [1792—1871], then Director Hector was kicked in the chest of the Royal Society of New the development of what of the Geological Survey of by a horse. The result, recalled Zealand. And to top it off, the is now the Royal Society of Great Britain, was appointed Metis Peter Erasmus, another Geoscience Society of New New Zealand. In addition he as surgeon and geologist on member of the expedition, Zealand has now established published numerous scientific the Palliser Expedition [1857 – was that: “The doctor [Hector] an annual Hector Day on 16 papers on topics ranging 60], which was searching for was knocked unconscious. March, Hector’s birthday. from geology to botany and new routes in western Canada We all leapt from our horses Celebrations range from zoology. He wrote two books: for the Canadian Pacific and rushed up to him but picnics to cricket matches and Handbook of New Zealand, Railway. During the course all our attempts to help him geological field trips. All, it first published in 1879, and of the expedition among recover his senses were of seems, has been forgiven. Outline of New Zealand other things, he measured no avail... Dr Hector must Geology, a summary of the first the first stratigraphic section have been unconscious for at 20 years of the New Zealand ➤ Acknowledgement in the region; produced a least two hours.” In Hector’s Geological Survey. The inspiration for this own version of the story, his vignette came from the But in the late 1880s, “grave was dug, and they article Promoting geologi- following a series of were preparing to put me cal heritage through post- disagreements with members in it” when he regained age stamps by Jane Dove, of the New Zealand scientific consciousness and Geology Today, vol. 32, establishment, Hector fell March – April 2016, pp 70 winked at them. from grace. Although he was – 74. Additional informa- The Palliser knighted in 1887 and received tion was gathered from expedition numerous honours, he was the Wikipedia entry for proved a great relieved of responsibility for James Hector; entries for success and in Sir James Hector, Kicking many of the organisations 1860 Hector Horse Pass and the Palliser he ran. He retired from returned Expedition on W: www. Government service in poor triumphant thecanadianencyclopedia. health in 1903, and died in to London to ca; entries about Hector 1907. His death was marked write up the on W: www.gsnz.org.nz/ by obituaries in many scientific final report. intormation/hector-day- publications abroad, but he i-9.html; and about his But he wasn’t received little recognition in map on: W: www.otago. there for New Zealand at the time. ac.nz/library/treasures/ long. In 1861, hector. Murchison again Resurrection recommended * Nina Morgan is a geologist and Sixty years after his death Hector for a job science writer based near Oxford. the tide turned, and Hector’s – this time for the Her latest book, The Geology of reputation underwent a revival. Provincial Council of Oxford Gravestones, is available via In 1967 the New Zealand Otago, New Zealand. www.gravestonegeology.uk

www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | AUGUST 2016 | 27 GEOSCIENTIST CALENDAR Can’t find your meeting? Visit www.geolsoc.org.uk/listings [Full, Accurate, Up-To-Date]

ENDORSED TRAINING/CPD

Course Date Venue and Details

Introduction to Micromine 16-17 August Micromine, Challoner House, 19 Clerkenwell Close, Clerkenwell, London, EC1R 0RR. Charges. See website for links and details. E: [email protected]

Resource Estimation in Micromine 18-19 August Micromine, Challoner House, 19 Clerkenwell Close, Clerkenwell, London, EC1R 0RR. Charges. See website for links and details. E: [email protected]

Lapworth’s Logs n/a ‘Lapworth’s Logs’ is a series of e-courses involving practical exercises of increasing complexity. Contact: [email protected]. Lapworth’s Logs is produced by Michael de Freitas and Andrew Thompson.

Diary of meetings August 2016

Course Date Venue and Details

Magmatism of the Earth Conference and 4-9 August Inernational Conference, organised by Viktor Zaitsev. Venue: Maiss, related strategic metal deposits Russia. See website for links and details. W: http://emsmd.ru/ V.I. Vernadsky Institute RAS, Mineralogical Contact: [email protected] Institute of the Ural Branch of RAS.

Volcanism Plate, Tectonics, 23 August – Summer school. Venue: University of the Azores, Portugal. Hydrothermal Vents and Life 1 September Charges. See website for details. Convener: Wolf Geppert E: Nordic Network of Astrobiology [email protected]

The 35th International Geological Congress 27 August – Venue: International Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa. IGC/IUGS 4 September See website for details and links. Contact Danie Barnardo E: [email protected]

28 | August 2016 | www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist GEOSCIENTIST CROSSWORD

Crossword no.205 set by platypus WIN A SPECIAL 1234 5 6

78PUBLICATION!

9 The winner of the June Crossword puzzle 10 11 prize draw was Richard Pidcock of Wakefield, UK.

All correct solutions will be placed in the 12 13 draw, and the winner’s name printed in the October 2016 issue. The Editor’s 14 decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Closing date - 15 16 17 18 September 12.

19 The competition is open to all Fellows, Candidate Fellows and Friends of the 20 21 22 23 Geological Society who are not current Society employees, officers or trustees. 24 This exclusion does not apply to officers of joint associations, specialist or regional 25 26 groups.

Please return your completed crossword to Burlington House, marking your 27 28 envelope “Crossword”. Do not enclose any other matter with your solution. Overseas Fellows are encouraged to scan the signed form and email it as a PDF to [email protected] ACROSS DOWN Name ...... 7 Line joining points of similar principal Sinuous ridge of gravel deposited ...... stress orientations (9) by subglacial stream (5) Membership number ...... 8 Third order geological time period (5) Medium-grade metamorphic 10 Gently sloping, concave-up erosion rock characterised by flat, Address for correspondence ...... surface flanking a mountain or mesa (8) sheet-like grains in preferred ...... 11 Erosional stack in arid or semiarid orientation (6) areas of US (6) Younger faunal stage of the ...... 12 Case for bodkins (4) Middle Devonian (8) ...... 13 Slide of sediment downslope Common unicellular algal ...... under gravity (4,4) phytoplankton (7) 15 Haliotid Archaeogastropod commonly One standard unit that helps ...... found in bathrooms (7) medicine go down, apparently (8) Postcode ...... 17 Mixture in which microscopically Citadel on an elevated site, dispersed insoluble particles are usually with precipitous sides (9) suspended throughout another Units of resistance (4) Solutions MONTH substance (7) Degree of inclination, 20 Stand on a ship’s deck, mounted before notably of the ecliptic (9) Across: the helmsman and credited to Lord Kelvin, Dipnoan airbreather, often found 7 Upwelling 8 Praia 10 Perlitic 11 Angler 12 Oslo 13 Reactors 15 Academe 17 Adenine housing navigational instruments (8) stuck in the mud (8) 20 Radiates 22 Mobs 25 Soiled 26 Honolulu 22 See from afar (4) Habitat of the 27 Earns 28 Blackdamp 25 French naturalist, mathematician and ‘sunshine miner’ (8) encyclopaedist 1707-1788 (6) Westphalian sandstone (7) Down: 26 Lustre, as seen on the inside of a 15a (8) Volcanic edifice (4) 1 Upper 2 Realms 3 Flatworm 4 Unicorn 27 Secret store (5) Lateral segment of a trilobite (6) 5 Brighton 6 Firebrand 9 Lava 14 Octagonal 28 Each of these is 10 billionths of a metre (9) Ventriloquist’s spokesman (5) 16 Drilling 18 Dominica 19 Asphalt 21 Tide 23 Bolide 24 Flume

www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | August 2016 | 29 www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist | AUGUST 2016 | 31