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Emeritus Professor
Name: Bruce Cairncross
Location: C1 Lab 416 Auckland Park Kingsway Campus
Department of Geology Staff Staff Members
Contact Details:
Tel: +27 (0)11 559 4713
Email: brucec@uj.ac.za
About Prof Bruce Cairncross
My original field of interest was the geology, sedimentology and stratigraphy of South Africa’s Permian coal deposits. Although I still have some activity in coal research, during the past few decdes, my research focus has shifted to that of mineralogy and specifically documenting Southern Africa’s mineral and gemstone occurrences and southern African geoheritage. This mineral-related research has produced 14 books and over 126 journal articles, 45 conference proceedings and 112 public lectures. My latest book titled “Minerals and Gemstones of southern Africa” will be available from June 2022. In 2013 the International Mineralogical Association (IMA) approved the name cairncrossite for a new mineral species discovered in the Kalahari manganese field in South Africa. This honour was bestowed on me in recognition of my mineralogical work and international reputation with respect to southern African mineralogy. I am currently on the Editorial Board of Rocks & Minerals and The Mineralogical Record, both of which are mineralogical journals published in the USA.
Recent books
- Cairncross, B. (2019). Minerals and Gemstones of East Africa. Struik Nature, Random House Struik, Cape Town, 141 pages.
- McCarthy, T.S. and Cairncross, B. (2021). Minerals & Crystals: Morphology, Properties, Identification. Struik Nature, Random House Struik, Cape Town, 312 pages.
- Cairncross, B. (2022). Minerals and Gemstones of southern Africa. Struik Nature, Random House Struik, Cape Town, South Africa, 320 pages.
Recent peer-reviewed articles
2024:
- Cairncross, B. (2024). Connoisseur’s choice: aragonite Part 4 Morocco. Rocks & Minerals, 99(2), 142-147. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2024.2279425
- Roelofse, F. and Cairncross, B. (2024). Who’s who in mineral names: willemseite (1909-1967). Rocks & Minerals, 99(2), 172-175. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2024.2279465
- Cairncross, B. (2024). Postmasburg manganese field, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Rocks & Minerals, 99(3), 208-235. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2024.2303948
- Cairncross, B. (2024). Khorixasite: the where of mineral names. Rocks & Minerals, 99(3), 282-288. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2024.2303960
- Cairncross, B. (2024). Who’s who in mineral names: sewardite (1940-2022). Rocks & Minerals, 99(3), 280-281. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2024.2303959
- Cairncross, B. (2024). Topaz from Southern Africa. Rocks & Minerals, 99(4), 306-319. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2024.2331958
2023:
- Cairncross, B. (2023). “Cactus Quartz”, Boekenhouthoek, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Rocks & Minerals, 98(3), 212-235. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2023.2167449
- Cairncross, B. (2023). Connoisseur’s Choice: Schizolite: Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM Montérégie, Québec, Canada. Rocks & Minerals, 98(5), 438-445. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2023.2213152
- Cairncross, B. and M. Southwood (2023). Connoisseur’s choice: aragonite Part 3: Southern Africa. Rocks & Minerals 98(6), 518-532. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2023.2235975
- Cairncross, B. and Cawthorn, R.G. (2023). The Where of Mineral Names: Insizwaite Waterfall Gorge, Insizwa, Alfred Nzo District Municipality Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Rocks & Minerals, 98(4), 379-385. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2023.2192655
- Cairncross, B. (2023). Connoisseur’s choice: jeremejevite, Mile 72, Cape Cross area, Arandis Constituency, Erongo Region, Namibia. Rocks & Minerals, 98(2), 160-170. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2023.2129301
- Cairncross, B., Harris, C., Roelofse, F. and van Huysteen, C. (2023). Who’s who in mineral names: tredouxite (1952-2019). Rocks & Minerals, 98(2), 187-189. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2023.2129305
- Cairncross, B., van Nieuwenhuizen, J.J., Xiangping, G. and Hexiong, Y. (2023). Who’s who in mineral names: Tucson collector James “Jim” Archer McGlasson (b. 1948). Rocks & Minerals, 98(1), 94-98. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2023.2126704
2022:
- Cairncross, B. and McCarthy, T. (2022). Who’s who in mineral names: geversite. Rocks & Minerals, 97(3), 278-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2022.2028105
- Cairncross, B. (2022). The where of minerals: zimbabweite. Rocks & Minerals, 97(4), 383-386. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2022.2053643
- Cairncross, B. (2022). Connoisseur’s choice: gaudefroyite, N’Chwaning II mine, Kalahari manganese field, South Africa. Rocks & Minerals, 97(5), 424-433. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2022.2074252
- Cairncross, B. (2022). The where of mineral names: windhoekite. Rocks & Minerals, 97(5), 464-470. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2022.2074258
- Megaw, P., Jones, E., Cairncross, B. and Southwood, M. (2022). Connoisseur’s choice: malachite pseudomorphs after azurite. Part 2: Milpillas, Mexico and other worldwide localities. Rocks & Minerals, 97(6), 534-553. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2022.2087150
- Cairncross, B. (2022). The where of mineral names: todorokite, Todoroki Mine, Yoichi District, Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaidō Prefecture, Japan. Rocks & Minerals, 97(6), 570-573. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2022.2087155
- Southwood, M.J. and Cairncross, B. (2022). Malachite pseudomorphs after azurite: Part 1: Bisbee, Arizona, USA and Tsumeb, Namibia. Rocks & Minerals, 97(1), 72-83. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2022.1989955
- Cairncross, B. and Rumsey, M.S. (2022). Cuprorivaite and Papagoite from the Messina Mine, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Rocks & Minerals, 97(2), 134-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2022.2004512
- Cairncross, B. (2022). Connoisseur’s Choice: Papagoite, Messina Mine, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Rocks & Minerals, 97(2), 152-159. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2022.2004514
- Cairncross, B. (2022). The Where of Mineral Names: Carrollite, Patapsco Mine, Finksburg, Carroll County, Maryland, USA. Rocks & Minerals, 97(2), 186-191. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2022.2004520
- Elburg, M.A. and Cairncross, B. (2022). Controls on the geochemistry of southern African prehnite. South African Journal of Geology, 125(1), 113-122. https://doi.org/10.25131/sajg.125.0007