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Colloquia of African Geology
Journal of African Earth Sciences 34 (2002) 97–98 www.elsevier.com/locate/jafrearsci
Colloquia of African Geology
As we bring to a close the publication of a selection of papers presented at the 18th Colloquium of African Geology, held in Graz, July 4–7, 2000, and look forward to the 19th Colloquium scheduled for El-Jadida, Morocco, in March 2002, this short contribution reflects on the origin of these colloquia and the influence they have had on African geological research. The African continent is unique in many respects (Black, 1987). In contrast to Europe, which was mobile throughout the Phanerozoic, Africa (excluding the marginal Alpine Haut Atlas, the Hercynian Mauritanides and Cape Coast belts), was a ‘‘craton’’ involved in several Pangeae and their fragmentation particularly Gondwana. During the past 30 years, major scientific contributions from Africa in a wide variety of subjects were first presented at one of the Colloquia of African Geology. These include: Archaean greenstone belts and granulite terrains; supercontinental construction and fragmentation; palaeomagnetism; terrane-accretion; continental rifting; Palaeoproterozoic-, Mesoproterozoic- and Neoproterozoic orogens; glaciations and the snowball earth; anorogenic volcanism and plutonism (alkaline ring complexes, carbonatites, kimberlites), mantle studies; komatiites; Sturtian and Vendian palaeontology, and hominid evolution. The late Prof. W.Q. Kennedy convened the very first Colloquium of African Geology at the University of Leeds during the Easter vacation in 1964. There was a pulse of excitement that electrified the assembled audience when Prof. Kennedy announced his idea of a ‘‘PanAfrican thermal-tectonic event’’. He had been involved with his research students, at the Institute of African Geology, on a series of projects collecting samples from various parts of Africa and having them dated using Rb–Sr techniques by Pat Hurley in the USA; Lucien Cahen at Tervuren, Belgium; and Maurice Roques in Clermont-Ferrand. Two distinct age patterns started to appear: those around 2000 Ma or older, and those bracketing the late Precambrian period of 800–600 Ma. The idea of Africa being constructed from 2000 Ma stable cratons surrounded by 800–600 Ma mobile belts was thus launched and had many young earth scientists completely hooked. The Colloquia themselves had their original ‘naissance’ sometime earlier than 1964. In fact, such meetings of geologists assembling to discuss ‘‘current research’’
were first conceived by the British, French and Portuguese governments as a means of constructing geological maps of Africa and assessing each country’s economic potential. These informal reunions were however limited to a chosen few such as Directors of Geological Surveys, government officials, and selected academics. It was W.Q. Kennedy who set the pattern of an African Colloquium which has continued with minor changes to the present day. Kennedy soon retired after 1964, but his original idea was developed so that the host institution for each Colloquium should alternate between the UK and continental Europe. There were 11 Colloquia between 1965 and 1983 enlivening the contact with continental European counterparts and African researchers. Memories abound of active debates in London (1965), Tervuren-Brussels (1966), Sheffield (1967), Clermont-Ferrand (1969), Leicester (1971), Florence (1973), Leeds (1975), G€ ottingen (1977), Montpellier (1979), Open University (1981), and Tervuren-Brussels (1983). Each of these Colloquia had a particular flavour often marked by the interests of the hosting university and local personalities. For example, Brussels 1966 and 1983 were much concerned by the interpretation of geochronological data and by the Kibaran orogeny; Sheffield and Leicester by geochemistry and the relationship between volcanism and tectonic setting; Clermont-Ferrand by the Mauritanides, Pan-African orogeny and geophysics; Florence by the Afar triangle; G€ ottingen and Montpellier by the Damaran of south-west Africa and the Pan-African of West Africa; and Open University, Milton Keynes, by the Pan-African of NE Africa and the Mozambique belt. Thus, the academic and social interaction at these meetings led to fruitful collaborative projects throughout Africa for all participants. In fact, the Colloquia held in Europe offered a unique opportunity both for European geologists working in isolation in different regions of Africa and for African research students in Europe to meet and confront their results before an audience including eminent scientists offering new approaches to solving African geological problems. The Colloquia certainly provoked a breakthrough in communication between Anglophones and Francophones particularly for those working in adjacent African countries. This bilingual aspect was further developed at
0899-5362/02/$ - see front matter Ó 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. PII: S 0 8 9 9 - 5 3 6 2 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 0 9 - X
98
Editorial / Journal of African Earth Sciences 34 (2002) 97–98
the 13th Colloquium of African Geology held at the University of St. Andrews in September 1985 with abstracts published by CIFEG, Paris. From this period, the number of persons attending the Colloquia started to multiply with participants from the oil and mining industries as well as academia. What initially were informal gatherings of academics interested in African Geology, European African research students and exsurvey geologists writing up their theses, rapidly grew into large meetings with parallel sessions. Originally, in 1964 there were approximately 40 registrants––but 245 earth scientists who worked in Africa––arrived in St. Andrews for the 13th Colloquium. Over 500 attended the 14th Colloquium in Berlin (1987), and a similar number participated at the 15th convened at Nancy (1990). It was felt by many Colloquia participants that as we approached the next millennium the African Colloquium should be convened in Africa. Armed with financial support gained from the well-administered 15th Colloquium of African Geology, the Geological Survey of Swaziland organised a highly successful 16th Colloquium at Mbane in September 1993. But the next (17th)
Colloquium in Africa had to wait until September 1997 when it was convened with approximately 45 delegates alongside a major conference on ‘‘Intraplate Magmatism’’ at the University of Zimbabwe. Fortunately at that time, the Geological Society of Africa made the brave decision to accept full responsibility for future Colloquia, and suggested that there should now be a Europe–Africa alternation of venues. This resulted in the 18th Colloquium of African Geology, of which this Special Issue is a timely record, being convened at Graz, Austria, as a celebration of Eckart Wallbrecher’s 60th birthday. Reference Black, R., 1987. The Colloquia on African Geology: A Retrospect. Abstract, 14th Colloquium of African Geology, Technische Universitat Berlin, August 1987; CIFEG (Paris) Publication Occasionelle 1987/12, pp. 7–8.
Editor Emeritus Journal of African Earth Sciences Peter Bowden
Colloquia of African Geology
As we bring to a close the publication of a selection of papers presented at the 18th Colloquium of African Geology, held in Graz, July 4–7, 2000, and look forward to the 19th Colloquium scheduled for El-Jadida, Morocco, in March 2002, this short contribution reflects on the origin of these colloquia and the influence they have had on African geological research. The African continent is unique in many respects (Black, 1987). In contrast to Europe, which was mobile throughout the Phanerozoic, Africa (excluding the marginal Alpine Haut Atlas, the Hercynian Mauritanides and Cape Coast belts), was a ‘‘craton’’ involved in several Pangeae and their fragmentation particularly Gondwana. During the past 30 years, major scientific contributions from Africa in a wide variety of subjects were first presented at one of the Colloquia of African Geology. These include: Archaean greenstone belts and granulite terrains; supercontinental construction and fragmentation; palaeomagnetism; terrane-accretion; continental rifting; Palaeoproterozoic-, Mesoproterozoic- and Neoproterozoic orogens; glaciations and the snowball earth; anorogenic volcanism and plutonism (alkaline ring complexes, carbonatites, kimberlites), mantle studies; komatiites; Sturtian and Vendian palaeontology, and hominid evolution. The late Prof. W.Q. Kennedy convened the very first Colloquium of African Geology at the University of Leeds during the Easter vacation in 1964. There was a pulse of excitement that electrified the assembled audience when Prof. Kennedy announced his idea of a ‘‘PanAfrican thermal-tectonic event’’. He had been involved with his research students, at the Institute of African Geology, on a series of projects collecting samples from various parts of Africa and having them dated using Rb–Sr techniques by Pat Hurley in the USA; Lucien Cahen at Tervuren, Belgium; and Maurice Roques in Clermont-Ferrand. Two distinct age patterns started to appear: those around 2000 Ma or older, and those bracketing the late Precambrian period of 800–600 Ma. The idea of Africa being constructed from 2000 Ma stable cratons surrounded by 800–600 Ma mobile belts was thus launched and had many young earth scientists completely hooked. The Colloquia themselves had their original ‘naissance’ sometime earlier than 1964. In fact, such meetings of geologists assembling to discuss ‘‘current research’’
were first conceived by the British, French and Portuguese governments as a means of constructing geological maps of Africa and assessing each country’s economic potential. These informal reunions were however limited to a chosen few such as Directors of Geological Surveys, government officials, and selected academics. It was W.Q. Kennedy who set the pattern of an African Colloquium which has continued with minor changes to the present day. Kennedy soon retired after 1964, but his original idea was developed so that the host institution for each Colloquium should alternate between the UK and continental Europe. There were 11 Colloquia between 1965 and 1983 enlivening the contact with continental European counterparts and African researchers. Memories abound of active debates in London (1965), Tervuren-Brussels (1966), Sheffield (1967), Clermont-Ferrand (1969), Leicester (1971), Florence (1973), Leeds (1975), G€ ottingen (1977), Montpellier (1979), Open University (1981), and Tervuren-Brussels (1983). Each of these Colloquia had a particular flavour often marked by the interests of the hosting university and local personalities. For example, Brussels 1966 and 1983 were much concerned by the interpretation of geochronological data and by the Kibaran orogeny; Sheffield and Leicester by geochemistry and the relationship between volcanism and tectonic setting; Clermont-Ferrand by the Mauritanides, Pan-African orogeny and geophysics; Florence by the Afar triangle; G€ ottingen and Montpellier by the Damaran of south-west Africa and the Pan-African of West Africa; and Open University, Milton Keynes, by the Pan-African of NE Africa and the Mozambique belt. Thus, the academic and social interaction at these meetings led to fruitful collaborative projects throughout Africa for all participants. In fact, the Colloquia held in Europe offered a unique opportunity both for European geologists working in isolation in different regions of Africa and for African research students in Europe to meet and confront their results before an audience including eminent scientists offering new approaches to solving African geological problems. The Colloquia certainly provoked a breakthrough in communication between Anglophones and Francophones particularly for those working in adjacent African countries. This bilingual aspect was further developed at
0899-5362/02/$ - see front matter Ó 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. PII: S 0 8 9 9 - 5 3 6 2 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 0 9 - X
98
Editorial / Journal of African Earth Sciences 34 (2002) 97–98
the 13th Colloquium of African Geology held at the University of St. Andrews in September 1985 with abstracts published by CIFEG, Paris. From this period, the number of persons attending the Colloquia started to multiply with participants from the oil and mining industries as well as academia. What initially were informal gatherings of academics interested in African Geology, European African research students and exsurvey geologists writing up their theses, rapidly grew into large meetings with parallel sessions. Originally, in 1964 there were approximately 40 registrants––but 245 earth scientists who worked in Africa––arrived in St. Andrews for the 13th Colloquium. Over 500 attended the 14th Colloquium in Berlin (1987), and a similar number participated at the 15th convened at Nancy (1990). It was felt by many Colloquia participants that as we approached the next millennium the African Colloquium should be convened in Africa. Armed with financial support gained from the well-administered 15th Colloquium of African Geology, the Geological Survey of Swaziland organised a highly successful 16th Colloquium at Mbane in September 1993. But the next (17th)
Colloquium in Africa had to wait until September 1997 when it was convened with approximately 45 delegates alongside a major conference on ‘‘Intraplate Magmatism’’ at the University of Zimbabwe. Fortunately at that time, the Geological Society of Africa made the brave decision to accept full responsibility for future Colloquia, and suggested that there should now be a Europe–Africa alternation of venues. This resulted in the 18th Colloquium of African Geology, of which this Special Issue is a timely record, being convened at Graz, Austria, as a celebration of Eckart Wallbrecher’s 60th birthday. Reference Black, R., 1987. The Colloquia on African Geology: A Retrospect. Abstract, 14th Colloquium of African Geology, Technische Universitat Berlin, August 1987; CIFEG (Paris) Publication Occasionelle 1987/12, pp. 7–8.
Editor Emeritus Journal of African Earth Sciences Peter Bowden