Sammlung Geologischer Führer: Band 097

v. Dr.G. Schneider, Windhoek 304 Seiten, 2004 Since the beginning of the last century, Namibia has attracted scientists from all over the world to study the geology, uniquely exposed in the desert environment. Their research has shaped geological thinking worldwide, and led to the development of many new concepts. Research has been varied and widespread, as demonstrated by the numerous publications on Namibian geology. To name but a few, the work of Hans Cloos provided new insights into the formation of igneous rocks in the 1920s. Research targeting the famous Late Proterozoic Ediacaran fauna, which was first found in Namibia, changed our ideas of the evolution of life on this planet in the 1960s, and the concept of Plate Tectonics was greatly enhanced through studies in the famous Damara Orogen of Namibia in the 1970s and 1980s. More recently, research on glacial sediments within the Damara Orogen has led to the development of the concept of global glaciations, the so-called Snowball Earth concept. Due to its arid climate and low population density, geological features are ever present and eye-catching in Namibia. The sparse vegetation coupled with a limited number of towns and only isolated settlements leave ample open spaces to observe geological features. It is for these reasons, that both scientists and laymen are attracted to the country, and many a tourist develops a keen interest in geology when touring this beautiful country. This Roadside Geology Guide has been prepared in response to a growing demand for geological information. The guide provides a general introduction into the geological development of southern Africa and Namibia in particular, followed by general chapters on mineralogy, palaeontology, hydrogeology and mining. Special geological attractions of Namibia are then described in detail. The route descriptions are based on the 1999 simplified 1:2 000 000 geological map of Namibia, published by the Geological Society of Namibia. This simplified map is based on the 1:1 000 000 scale geological map of Namibia which was published by the Geological Survey of Namibia in 1980.