Lis Sowerbutts

Lis Sowerbutts has been both a mine and exploration geologist and has worked in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Canada. She has a BSc(Hons) in Geology from New Zealand's Victoria University of Wellington. Lis is also a published author of travel and technical books and has written many articles for online websites.

Commodities

Lis Sowerbutts June 25, 2021

The Seven Rarest Metals

In terms of abundance in the Earth’s crust, the rarest metals are: gold, platinum, osmium, iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, tellurium…
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Mine Planning and Management

Lis Sowerbutts January 27, 2014

Underground Mining Techniques and Risks

Undergrounds mining is still, even after hundreds of years of safety improvements, a dangerous and expensive business. It’s wise for…
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Mining Hostile Environments

Lis Sowerbutts January 9, 2014

Mining Active Volcanoes (Surprisingly, we can and do!)

The role that volcanoes have in creating land is obvious to anyone who has seen the spectacular eruptions in Iceland…
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Prospects and Projects

Lis Sowerbutts December 19, 2013

The Promises and Risks of the Myanmar (Burma) Mining Industry

After over fifty years of self-imposed isolation and western sanctions, Myanmar (or Burma as some still prefer), has undergone a…
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Mining Hostile Environments

Lis Sowerbutts December 6, 2013

Undersea Mining – Challenges and Potential

Although 70% of the world is covered with water, with the exception of oil and gas, under sea mineral exploration…
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Commodities

Lis Sowerbutts August 12, 2013

Diamonds – Where They Are Found and Why

Like gold, diamonds were originally recovered from alluvial deposits. However, unlike gold, the actual mining of diamonds from source deposits…
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The Basics

Lis Sowerbutts August 12, 2013

Minerals on the Edge – Plate Boundaries and Minerals

The world is a dynamic place. The earth that we stand on, and think of as fixed, is anything but.…
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Deposit Types

Lis Sowerbutts August 11, 2013

Iron Deposits – Banded Iron Formations (BIF)

All the world’s Banded Iron Formations appear to have been formed by an unusual, one-off event. With many types of…
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Deposit Types

Lis Sowerbutts August 5, 2013

Alluvial and Placer Mineral Deposits

Technically a placer deposit is the general term for a mineral deposit formed by the concentration of moving particles by…
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Ore Deposits and Mines

Lis Sowerbutts July 29, 2013

Kalgoorlie, Australia’s Largest Gold Producer

Heading east from Perth, Western Australia is one road that connects the western half of Australia with the eastern States.…
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