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BOOK REVIEW

More trailblazing adventures

and discoveries

he second Andrew Drummond-edited book of exploits of He encountered the “third lane” culture where wealthy
Tgeologists (mostly), generally in their younger days, is not Laos could drive on roads at great speed to the detriment of
only fascinating reading but again has brought back others, creating major accidents including vulnerable
memories for this very senior journalist. motorcyclists. There were also challenges on
More Rocks In Our Heads brings out more tales developing infrastructure with entrepreneurs
by geologists including chapters from some taking inadvisable short cuts.
who missed a berth in the preceding Rocks Anthony Williamson was a strode venturer
In Our Heads. who helped mining development in
Many of the writers are well known to this PNG, spent time in Japan, Indonesia,
reviewer but none of these events had I Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar and
heard of being involved with on my global Mongolia where he was re-acquainted
travels in the Pacific, South-East Asia, with Kalgoorlie’s Doug McGay and his
China, former Soviet Union, Arab nations, future wife Oggi.
Sub-Saharan Africa or the Americas. There were adventures and learning arcs
One Andrew Drummond account shows visual Linda Frewer in all countries, including a polite death threat
beauty but snail-paced processing for exploration in Manila, geologists being lost crossing river
in New Zealand – a malaise that hasn’t changed, torrents, big snakes in Sulawesi and encounters with
while Sandy Moyle’s time in Papua New Guinea saw him political insurgents.
rubbing shoulders with some of Australia’s great explorers who Ralph Stagg’s Middle Eastern escapades included Tunisia
developed mines like Lihir Island but also showed how unique where he met with a promising young generation dealing with
the indigenous culture is, sometimes with nasty consequence. a dictator Ben Ali who ordered a general to shoot at protestors.
Moyle’s airport experiences with travel moves from familiar The general refused and that led to Ben Ali flying to sanctuary in
luggage problems, to missing seats to hairy helicopter rides and Egypt with family and treasure.
knowledge of tragic chopper crashes in Enga Province for the Linda Frewer, who had set up a diamond sample processing
Porgera project. laboratory in Perth, was lured by a client to Venezuela where the
Roger Marjoribanks’ period in Bougainville was during the rivers were considered piranha country but encountered dense
high times for copper-gold mining on this island but detailed jungles and military-excised areas on the Rio Venamo close to
the seeds of discontent between Bougainvilleans and the Port the Brazilian border.
Moresby Government that led to Rio Tinto Ltd She found the main danger there not to be
having to halt production and leave. jaguars, but old pits filled with muddy weather
Ian Plimer had a unique time in Vanuatu, feted flush with ground level. Diamonds were
by leaders on the basis of evaluating a 38kg encountered, not just with sampling but also
ruby that supposedly would end the country’s dealing with local gold and diamond seekers,
financial woes, providing it was worth $240 some of whom had underwater gear.
million that an entrepreneur indicated. Plimer Phil Fillis provided the final chapter with his
identified it was not remotely close to this hair-raising flights in Africa in old Russian
value and as he had to file a technical report to crates. With only formative pilot training, he
Vanuatu Customs, he decided as being the found himself having to fly an injured girl in
bearer of bad news he would head back to South Africa to hospital – night flying with a
Australia before filing it. girl, her worried mother, a local doctor and too
Ian Mulholland, in setting up Rox Resources Ian Mulholland much equipment.
Ltd, went to Laos looking for zinc in the footsteps Like Andrew Drummond’s previous book, More
of Oxiana and Pan Australian and encountered the challenges Rocks in Our Heads is a must for all those in the resources sector.
of an impoverished company and language barriers, recalling
Ross Louthean, foundation editor of Paydirt, who recently
landing at Vientiane international airport which was a single
co-wrote Doug McGay’s biography From Paddy Hannan to
concrete runway amid rice paddies.
Gengis Khan

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