Memories coming back

I always say "life is interesting" ... and it always is! Wouldn't you agree?

At the moment memories are resurfacing from more than 10 years ago ... memories from my first job as a geologist/geophysicist with North Flinders Exploration in the Tanami Desert, Northern Territory, Australia. Why? I am starting to work again back in that field after a hiatus of nearly 10 years! Gosh, how time flies!

The overwhelming memories are of those people who helped shaped me ... and the overwhelming emotion is of gratefulness. Strange. Previously I have experienced some feelings of resentment, some anger as well as much joy at the recollection of those "good old days" in the Tanami. I have numerous friends with whom I have maintained contact (and friendships) ... and even re-joined working with some of them in Africa.

I am currently trying to get my head around airborne gravity and magnetic surveys and how this relates to the iron-ore game. It is no easy task grasping back that knowledge, which for so long has remained dormant in its grey filing cabinet. Yet at the same time it is amazing how much I can recall and will rework according to the task ahead! And that is where the emotion enters the frame ...

Remember that first magnetic interpretation? Yes, who wouldn't? I was perhaps 23 years old, and very much green around the gills when it came to experience -- but nobody could ever question my enthusaism! I slaved diligently on the interpretation of aeromag and ground mag data for the Eastern ELs and once I was 'happy' with it (a VERY hard task for a self-acknowledged perfectionist) I bravely displayed it to the project geologist. My memory of the event revolves around the reaction of the geologist: "so where are the dolerites?" And my reaction? I had no answer ... I could only blush and wish for the ground to swallow me up! What did he mean -- dolerites? All I saw were magnetic anomalies! Rocks -- what the??? BUT it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened ... and I suddenly understood what I needed to provide!

Years later ... some 12 years later ... a man with whom I have great respect for, a geological guru, told me my final magnetic interpretation for that same prospect was the best he'd seen! The subsequent drilling of the prospect had proven the value of my interpretation, which of course recognised the location of the dolerites (as well as many other geological features)! Thus, much thanks goes to my friend, Jason, who made me a better geophysicist; to Mr Nick, the man who restored my self-confidence; and to the only man who knew just how to 'manage' me (without me even realising it until now), Alex! xxx