Still waking up dreaming of our recent trip to Namibia……
The 2018 FOSAGAMS Namibia trip was all it promised to be. Dusty, long distances and a sense of exhilaration that only rockhounds can relate to, as we crisscrossed Namibia on a whirlwind expedition visiting well known rockhunting hotspots and artisan miners
Starting this year in the south at the Rosh Pinah Geo Centre to see exquisite and varied lead and zinc specimens from the Rosh Pinah and Skorpion Mines, the convoy visited the Rosh Pinah Geo Centre where Geologist Gisela Hinder gave an interesting presentation on the geology of the Rosh Pinah area and mining in the vicinity. We then headed out through Aus to our first night camping at Mariental. There was time for a short excursion to a quarry where we were able to collect fine specimens of Calcite, Natrolite and Analcime. We then moved on to spend a few nights in the Karibib/Usakos area where the collecting began in earnest. The area is known for its window quartz, green garnets, schorl, smokey quartz, tourmaline and feldspar, but being the adventurous type, we found more! Various interests amongst the members meant that there was a huge exchange of knowledge which is one of the major benefits of partaking in a trip like this. George from the Karibib Gem CentreLearning Centre joined us to show some local spots where we were able to look for topaz, Feldspar. We also were provided with an excellent tour of the Karibib Gem Centre which was an inspiring look at how young students are trained to enter the gem-cutting industry, an excellent and successful initiative from the Namibia Ministry of Mines. A visit to the Neu Schwaben mine was also on the cards, and here we were able to purchase tourmaline as well as smokey quartz crystal specimens.
Next on the itinerary was a visit to Swakopmund to meet up with Mike from Desert Gems who took us out to the Rossing Mountains. Apart from enjoying the splendid scenery, some high grade chalcedony and gem-quality rose quartz was collected, as well as an exciting discovery of pink Zoisite, ideal for cabochon work.
The Brandberg Mountains always lives up to expectation and rock fever had definitely set in to some of the party by the time we reached Uis. Adding to the variety of specimens already collected, we trolled through the tables and chopped and chipped our way through to quartz crystal specimens, botryoidal prehnite, flourite, more tourmaline, feldspar, topaz, garnets in limestone and aquamarine. Visiting Goboboseb was once again an experience. Fortunately the road had just been graded, so we were saved from the worse of it. We saw spectacular examples of the Welwitschia, a living fossil with both male and female plants and beautiful open landscapes.
We left the area to head up north to the copper bearing mineral belt where in a flurry of collecting, we found exquisite specimens of dioptase, malachite and chrysocolla, as well as some enticing fakes. Of course, this is also the area where you come to terms with the basics of camping, offset by stunning sunsets, starry skies, prickly porcupines, shredded tires and endangered cheetahs.
Saying goodbye to some of the group in Kamanjab, the convoy headed east to the mineral rich Grootfontein area where at Abenab and Berg Aukas we were fortunate enough to collect excellent descloizite and vanadanite specimens, returning after dark to a secret world under ultra violet. After a warm welcome and fascinating mine tour at Kombat Mine, and topping 8000km, the adventurers set sights on Omaruru, home of delectable chocolate, slow roasted coffee, gemmy aquamarine and some startling specimens which on closer inspection turned out to be cleverly constructed fakes.
Back in Windhoek waiting for our permits, we were confronted with the sad news that our dear colleague Ken Coleman had passed, and it brought back a flood of memories from the 2016 trip – the Duster Boys and eating prawns at Kamp Aussicht!
Yes, the Fosagams 2018 Namibian Tour is done and dusted. It seems we brought back equal amounts of dust to specimens, but the memories of a good trip and companionship will last for many years to come.