.: tect geological consulting :.

Dr Ian Basson

Qualifications and Memberships
B.Sc. Geology (Hons), Ph.D. Geology (U. of Natal, Durban)
Member of the Geological Society of South Africa (GSSA)
Member of the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG)
Member of the South African Council of Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP)
Council Member of the Gerson Lehrman Group

Previous Experience
1995-1996 - In-House Researcher for Gold Fields of South Africa (Natal Exploration Office - Natal Thrust Front)

1997 - Postgraduate Geologist for Gold Fields of South Africa (Oberholzer Geological Research Centre, Carletonville)

1998 - Sectional Geologist and Acting Senior Geologist for Northam Platinum Mine (Mvelaphanda)

1999-2000 - Laboratory Manager, Senior Geoscientist and Consulting Geoscientist for Mineral Services, Cape Town

Basal section of phlogopite in Gp II kimberlite from Star Mine

2000 - Consulting Structural Geologist for Moore, Spence and Jones (MSJ) and Geotec-Africa at Rössing Uranium Mine (Rio Tinto)

2001-Mid 2003 - Post-Doctoral Fellow, National Research Foundation (NRF), University of Cape Town Kimberlite Research Group (KRG), Consulting Mineralogist on Reef Characterization at Northam Platinum Mine (Mvelaphanda)

Mid 2003-Early 2004 - Consulting Structural/Economic Geologist on Lufilian Arc Project (Democratic Republic of Congo) for Anglo American plc and Exploration Consultants Limited (ECL - Henley-on-Thames), Consulting Mineralogist on Reef Characterization at Northam Platinum Mine (Mvelaphanda)

Late 2004 - Consulting Structural/Economic Geologist for De Beers Consolidated Mines - Venetia Mine Cut 3/4/5 Extension Projects; Northam Platinum Mine (Mvelaphanda); New Resolution Geophysics (interpretation of high-resolution helimag datasets)

2005 - Consulting Structural/Economic Geologist for Albidon, MSA Projects and Savannah Diamond Corporation (interpretation of high-resolution helimag datasets). Contract Lecturer in Structural Geology at the University of Cape Town. Consulting Structural Geologist on Dawa Digati shear-zone hosted, vein-Au prospect for National Mining Corporation of Ethiopia.

2006 - Consulting Structural/Economic Geologist: for Pit Optimization Projects at Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines (Debswana); for Phase 2 Lufilian Arc generative study for Anglo American Exploration Division; for Venetia Mine Cut 4/5 pit extension project (De Beers Consolidated Mines); for New Resolution Geophysics. Associate Researcher and Contract Lecturer in Structural Geology and Geodynamics at the University of Cape Town.

2007 - 2009 - Consulting Structural/Economic Geologist for Venetia Mine Cut 4/5 pit extension project (De Beers Consolidated Mines); BSGR's Simandou Iron project (Guinea); Goldcrest Resources' Kempti III and Titao vein/shear Au prospects, Gaoua Porphyry Cu-Au (Burkina Faso); Kumba/Mittal's Zandriviersfontein Greenstone Fe deposit (S.A.); Northam's Booysendal Project (Western B.C.), Birim Gold's Birimian-style Au at their Tinga, Tombe, Chert Ridge, Chenchu Mountain and Akrobi prospects (Ghana); 3-D modeling for Pan-African Resources Fair Bride vein/shear Au deposit (Manica, Mozambique); 3-D structural modeling of Amandelbult's Moddergat area adjacent to Northern Gap (Western B.C.); 3-D structural modeling of MK2 shaft block for Lonmin Platinum (Western B.C.)

Courses Attended >>

February 1999 - Carbonatite Course (Rhodes University) led by Dr Jock Harmer (Bernard Price Institute, University of the Witwatersrand): included classification, nomenclature, mineralogy, petrology, petrogenesis and mineralization.
February 1999 - Diamond Exploration Course (Rhodes University) led by Prof. J.J. Gurney (University of Cape Town), Dr J. Robey (De Beers Consolidated) and Prof. M.W. Skinner (Rhodes University, Grahamstown).
June 1999 - Optimisation of diamond exploration budgets - Workshop led by P. Zweistra (Mineral-Logic) and L. van Heerden, University of Cape Town - 11th International Conference of the Geol. Soc. of S.A.
September 1999 - Modern Approaches to Ore and Environmental Mineralogy (Council for Geoscience, Pretoria), held under the auspices of the Mineralogical Society of South Africa.
June 2000 - International Microscopy Workshop 2000 - National Accelerator Centre of South Africa
April 2001 - Joints, Faults and Fluids - led by Prof. Richard H. Sibson (University of Otago, New Zealand), held under the auspices of the Tectonics Division of the GSSA
August 2003 - Reconstruction Methods and Palaeogeography - Prof. T.H. Torsvik (Acadamy of Science and Statoil (Norway) - University of the Witwatersrand, School of Geosciences
September 2003 - Plate Tectonics and Precambrian Geology - Prof. K.C.A. Burke (U. of Houston, CIW), Prof, J.F. Dewey (UCAL, Davis and U. College, Oxford) and Prof. A.M. Celâl Sengör (Istanbul Tech. U.)
November 2004 - 5-Day GEMCOM training course, held by GEMCOM S.A.
July 2005 - Compliance, Competency and Accountability course - GSSA Directorate of Professional Programs
September 2006 - New Kimberlite and Alluvial Diamond Projects in Africa and Abroad - GSSA Directorate of Professional Programs

Selected Publications >>

Basson, I.J. and Watkeys, M.K. (2000). Structural and stratigraphic setting of gold and base metal deposits in the Natal Thrust Front, South Africa, In: Cluer, J.K., Price, J.G., Struhsacker, E.M., Hardyman, R.F., and Morris, C.L. (Eds.), Geology and Ore Deposits 2000 - The Great Basin and Beyond: Geological Society of Nevada Symposium Proceedings, May 15-18, 2000, 571-582.

Reid, D.L. and Basson, I.J. (2002). Iron-rich ultramafic pegmatite replacement bodies within the Upper Critical Zone, Rustenburg Layered Suite, Northam Platinum Mine, South Africa. Hugh Eales Volume: Bushveld Complex Issue of Mineralogical Magazine, 66(6), 895-914.

Basson, I.J. and Watkeys, M.K. (2003). Tectonic implications from the geochemistry of Mfongosi Group metagreywackes, Natal Metamorphic Province, South Africa. South African Journal of Geology, 106(4), 265-280.

Basson, I.J., Perritt, S., Watkeys, M.K. and Menzies, A.H. (2003). Geochemical correlation between metasediments of the Mfongosi Group of the Natal Sector of the Namaqua-Natal Metamorphic Province, South Africa and the Ahlmannryggen Group of the Grunehogna Province, Antarctica. Gondwana Research - Proceedings of Gondwana 11, 7(1), 57-73.

Basson, I.J. and Viola, G.V. (2003). Structural overview of selected Group II kimberlite dyke arrays in South Africa: implications for kimberlite intrusion mechanisms. South African Journal of Geology, 106(4), 375-394.

Smith, D., Basson, I.J. and Reid, D.L. (2003). Normal Reef Subfacies of the Merensky Reef on Northam Platinum Mine, Zwartklip Facies, Western Bushveld Complex. Canadian Mineralogist, Proceedings of the 9th International Platinum Symposium, 42, 243-260.

Jelsma, H.A., de Wit, M.J., Thiart, C., Skinner, E.M.W., Dirks, P.H.G.M., Viola, G., Basson, I.J. and Anckar, E. (2004). Preferential distribution along transcontinental corridors of kimberlites and related rocks of southern Africa. South African Journal of Geology, Proceedings of the 6th Kaapvaal Craton Workshop, 107(1/2), 301-324.

Basson, I.J. and Viola, G. (2004). Passive kimberlitic fluid emplacement into dilating dyke-fracture arrays in South Africa. Lithos, Proceedings of the 8th International Kimberlite Conference, 76, 283-297.

Basson, I.J. and Greenway, G. (2004). The Rössing Uranium Deposit: A product of late tectonic localization of uraniferous granites in the Central Zone of the Damara Orogen, Namibia. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 38, 413-435.

Basson, I.J., Watkeys, M.K. and Phillips, D. (2005). Structural evolution and tectonic context of the Mfongosi Group, Natal thrust front, Tugela terrane, South Africa. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 43(4), 415-432.

Smith, D.S. and Basson, I.J. (2006). Shape and distribution analysis of Merensky Reef potholing, Northam Platinum Mine, western Bushveld Complex: implications for pothole formation and growth. Mineralium Deposita, April, Pages 1 - 15.

Roberts, M.D., Reid, D.L., Miller, J.A., Basson, I.J., Roberts, M. and Smith, D.S. (2007). Petrology and whole-rock geochemistry of Normal and Regional Pothole Sub-facies at Northam Platinum Mine: Implications for PGE mineralization in the Rustenburg Layered Suite, Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Mineralium Deposita, 42, 271-292.