NZ Geochemical and Mineralogical Society

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Download Dec 2007 newsletter - 312 kb pdf file.

Background to the NZGeMS Newsletters

Jim Ellis, President 1970-71, former director-general of the DSIR. Lower Hutt 25 March 1997

Congratulations to the Geochemical Group on the 100th Newsletter and to the editors who over the years have made it such a readable and friendly publication. The Newsletter has always distinguished itself from the journals of the societies of the parent sciences geology and chemistry by a sense of fun in conjunction with reporting good science. The Group has been enlivened by the humour, intentional or unintentional, of some of its members reported in the Newsletter along with the science (particularly in Werner Giggenbach's editorial period). Robert Brooks could always be relied on to mix his science with quirky humour which was highly reportable. It didn't pay to take yourself too seriously in delivering conference papers!

I recall that the Group at its inaugural meeting decided our only rule would be that there would be no rules. This, coupled with the talent of electing office bearers from those who didn't attend the biennial meeting, gives the flavour of a society that has survived several decades because members were interested in each other's work. The Group has always had the good sense to hold its conferences in interesting places. They have been fun meetings and long may they continue.

The original base of the Group was largely established by John Rogers as president and Stuart Wilson as Editor. Stuart was a real stalwart as editor and at DSIR Gracefield he would visit regularly with all the geochemists. He had a particularly heavy footstep and people would hear it in the corridor and say "look out, here's Stuart", knowing that you would be pinned for some time in discussing your work and his ideas for Newsletter material. Stuart was one of the rare breed of obsessive enthusiasts whose drive was undiminished by years (he got his D.Sc. when he was about 80). He stirred people into activity and the Group owes him a great debt for his many years at work. He had a good classical education and many of the early Newsletters had art works of volcanoes etc. from Greek or Roman times. Unfortunately he was possibly New Zealand's worst typist and getting the Newsletter into a publishable form was not easy (usually it was printed free by one of the DSIR Gracefield divisions). I do hope that complete sets of Newsletters are lodged in some libraries that have a permanent collection policy. [Deposited with the Turnbull Library, and collections at GNS and IRL - Editor]

It is good to see in recent Newsletters that New Zealand geochemistry is diversifying. So many of the papers at conferences in the early days were on geothermal and volcanology topics, geochemical prospecting and soil chemistry. I see that environmental geochemistry is now a healthy addition. It is not so good to see the difficulties of the editor in getting contributions now that scientists are so engrossed in fulfilling their contracts to the Foundation or industry or are busy with the demands of financially-stressed students. I hope that present systems are capable of providing a sprinkling of eccentric enthusiasts as these are as necessary for an interesting professional group as staid researchers.

While my career has separated me from activity in geochemistry (currently in energy efficiency) I still enjoy reading the Newsletter and seeing research highlights. Best wishes to the Group and to the Newsletter for the next 100 issues.

Previous newsletters (click on link to download pdf):
August 2003 | December 2003 | July 2004 | November 2004 | March 2005| Sept 2005| Jan 2006| June 2006| Dec 2006| Jul 2007| Dec 2007
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