Geology trip to Limpopo

It has been a while since I posted. Ten days to be exact. Life has happened. I thought that I need to make a concerted effort to post today as tomorrow I reach my day 100 on steemit. I would say it's quite a milestone.

So this last week I went on a trip to Limpopo to assist a post doc student in core logging and sampling. For those of you who don't know what core logging is, it's basically looking at almost every inch of drill core and you log what you see, like the mineralogy, mineralisation, contacts between packages, alteration etc etc. You generally sample subjectively based on what you are looking for. Core logging forms part of most new geologist's portfolios at some point. It is tedious and time consuming. We had laid out about 1.2 km of core.

A little more about geology in case you were thinking of going into it

The location of geology jobs or ventures is often remote, untainted shrubbery anf bushes. You basically have to find out what's going on underneath you using various techniques. Geologists have to be fimiliar with all forms of sciences, especially physical sciences. Most geologists are semi well versed in geochemistry, geophysics, volcanology, seismology, cosmology, paleantology, economic geology, geography, geochronology, hydrogeology, geomorphology, geotectonics, mining geology, sedimentology, minor metallurgy (normally a field of specialisation in mining), GIS, geomechanics and structural geology and the list goes on. The fact that it is so broad is what led me to geology, but it also frustrates me the most, especially when looking for a job. Jobs are very much based on the prices of the major commodities. You have to be versatile and flexible as a geologist, because you might be an expert in tin, and then the tin price drops and the gold price soars, which results in the loss of employment, pushing you to consider a job in the gold industry.

I am at a crossroads now as this phase of my studies will be coming to an end soon, hopefully. The matter in question is... do I continue to study, or do I work? With the economy being low, the jobs available are mostly in exploration, which takes you away from your family for sometimes up to months at a time. The money is good, but the life is not too great. The other option is to continue and eventually end up as an academic, lecturing and researching. The money is poor at first, and it takes long to get to where you want to be, but life is way more family conducive. Decisions, decisions. It's kind of difficult to pick academics if all you have known as a married couple of 5 years, is the student life (not the glamorous student life, but the non-glamorous type)

So in a nutshell, I have been busy in deed and in thought. Good vibes and prayers this way would be appreciated.

Keep well and have a good week 😀

Some photos from my Limpopo ventures

This is a core yard with all the core laid out that we needed.