Exploration on the frontline of one of West Africa’s forgotten gems: Liberia by Rowan Thorne, Project Geologist at Origin Exploration Ltd.
UNGLE J E H T O T E M O C L E W ‘Boss, which line am I on today?...’, ‘Do we have any spare batteries?’, ‘Are there any biscuits left to take to the bush?’ are some of the questions that hit you every morning whilst trying to get the field crews ready for the daily jaunt into the wild. 46
No amount of planning and preparation the night before can prepare you for the variety and minutiae of questions and challenges that await you in the morning before heading out to explore one of the most challenging environments one could encounter as a geologist. However, this is what we signed up to when we chose to go into this profession, the unknown, the unpredictable and the persistent optimism that today could be ‘the day’ you find the mineralized outcrop that could turn out to be the next big discovery; this is what it means to be an exploration geologist. After getting all the field crews mobilized, organized and confident in their day’s objectives, it’s time to grab the Thurya satellite phone and wander up to the highest point in the immediate proximity to the camp and undertake the usual 8:00 check-in to the office back in Monrovia. Coring Magazine #16
