The Geologic Column is an in-depth newsletter focusing on all aspects of geology. You’ll find details explaining the geology of where some pretty mineral comes from, how the elements in those minerals are used, and the geopolitics surrounding their production, based on information in my book What Things Are Made Of. I’ll share commentary and interpretation about geological discoveries in the news, plus descriptions of earth history, expanded from my book and podcast, History of the Earth Perpetual Calendar.
I’ll be trying to make about three posts per week, ideally including one on minerals and one on tectonics, trying to find the fine line between spamming you and holding your interest. I’m probably targeting interested non-specialists more than geologists, but I hope the latter find things of interest here too, of course.
My not-too-rigorous rule is that these posts should usually be based on something in my collections, somewhere I’ve visited (ideally with my own photos of the place), and/or someplace I’ve worked (usually using geophysical data to infer tectonics and geology).
Some posts are recycled from old Facebook posts, in order to get them into a searchable format and reach additional audiences. Apologies to those who recall them from Facebook!
For what it’s worth, I shall continue to present science as well as I can, in the hope that logic, reason, and knowledge will prevail. Operating “as normal” in these posts does not mean I acquiesce to or support things happening in the USA now. Beyond that statement, I’ll try to stick to science here.
About me
I was trained as a geologist at Indiana University and the IU Geologic Field Station in Montana. In 1975 after four years analyzing the mineralogy of kidney stones, I became a geophysicist in the oil industry, focusing on geologic interpretations of gravity and magnetic data for Aero Service, Gulf Oil, and Everest Geotech. I became a full-fledged consultant in 1989.
My expertise evolved to detailed continent-scale projects, including an integrated interpretation the 48 United States, the gravity maps of Africa and South America, and the magnetic map of the Former Soviet Union. I taught at the IU Geologic Field Station for 14 summers and served as the in-house geological Study Guide for Smithsonian Journeys in Alaska, Iceland, and the National Parks of the western United States.
I now live in Butte, Montana, USA, at the corner of Quartz and Crystal Streets.
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