The following letter was provided by Colleen and Geoff Sherrington on the eve of this weekend’s Geopeko reunion.
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We have all tasted the sweetness of success in our chosen vocations, simply by being part of Geopeko.
Mineral exploration has a clear main purpose, to discover profitable ore deposits often enough to sustain an ongoing need.
The Geopeko team, the family, reached that aim more often than most other groups. Some in Geopeko were close to several discoveries, some were more distant.
It does not matter how close each of us was, because the team dominates individual effort.
This reunion will cause many discussions about keys to success.
In hindsight, I list money, luck and skill in no particular order.
Finding the money is self-evident, but it was a primary purpose of just a few.
It took more time and effort than might be understood even now.
Time spent on funding is time not spent on exploration, so it is subtractive.
In the early 1980s our parent company struggled financially, but we managed to maintain enough funding for exploration to survive.
We did this because we were able to demonstrate with examples that money spent on exploration gave a high yield.
Luck plays a part. Tennant Creek provides an example, with more than 100 discrete magnetite bodies tested, but fewer than 10 hosting profitable ore.
In the early days, a spectacular intersection of gold in the first hole into Juno was pivotal to the future of Peko.
With bad luck, our course might have been through many barren bodies until we could afford no more.
The most relevant measure of skill is success.
An organisation of people with skills attracts more good people and the competence compounds.
There is no need to develop this theme.
I’m sure it will be discussed this weekend.
Skills can be wasted if they are not managed. For much of my 19 years with Geopeko,
John Elliston was our leader.
John’s diligence and rigour in developing concepts of colloids in rock and ore genesis was ever present as a standard to be matched, if one could.
Colleen and I have heavy hearts because we could not be here.
Ill health is the only reason.
Without us, I am sure, there will be many wonderful discussions, friendships strengthened again and a good time will be had by all, with thanks to the considerable efforts of those we thank for organising this reunion.
May you all keep well.