Platinum, gold and diamonds recounts the captivating story of the life of Hans Merensky, responsible for discovering the richest platinum deposit worldwide in South Africa. Born the son of a well known missionary at Botshabelo (Transvaal), Merensky was trained as a geologist in Germany and drawn back to South Africa by his creative ambition to explore the potential of his native country. On close scrutiny Hans Merensky (*March 16, 1871 to _October 21, 1952) was far more than the wizard geologist the press dubbed him during his heyday. Today it is obvious that Merensky was not only a scientist of note, but also an extremely farsighted and thoughtful economic strategist, agricultural trendsetter, humanitarian and philanthropist. Nothing could extinguish his enthusiasm for his adopted homeland _s undiscovered treasures and despite bankruptcy, internment, illness, political obstacles and later, old age, Hans Merensky saw only opportunity wherever he went. From the discovery of the Merensky-Reef (the richest platinum deposit world wide) and the richest deposits of alluvial gem diamonds ever found to the initial attempts at the commercial cultivation of avocados and the controlled planting of saligna (Eucalyptus) and pine trees_almost everything Hans Merensky touched turned to gold (platin, rather). The book however, does not stop at merely portraying Merensky's life and achievements. Text boxes throughout the text provide background information about ore geology and economic geology, mineral markets and supporting data to enable the reader to understand the implications of Merensky's achievements. About the author: As a budding geologist Eberhard W. Machens (*1929) worked in Africa for ten years, prospecting for various ores, particularly for gold. After returning to his native Germany he submitted a postdoctoral thesis on the ore deposits of the african basement complex, and took up a professorship for geology of non-European countries at the University of Mainz. Later he was a director at OECD in Paris, responsible for mining and prospecting issues in developing countries. Subsequently he was with the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs in Bonn for 14 years, responsible for raw material issues in International economic relations, before rounding off his career with a professorship in raw materials economics at the University of Cottbus. Platinum, gold and diamonds was inspired by the authort_s intimate knowledge of the international interconnectedness between raw material markets, of prospecting methods and of the life of a prospector in the African bush.

A full-colour guide for lay people and professionals about gold, platinum, palladium, silver, copper, bronze, brass, iron, titanium, niobium, aluminium, stainless steel, Damascus steel, tungsten carbide and cobalt chrome. This book explains how to test, buy, sell, and care for jewellery with precious and alternative metals. High-quality colour photographs show how these metals are creatively used in jewellery. Besides providing an historical perspective and interesting facts about the metals, this book discusses jewellery manufacturing methods, plating and responsible mining & business practices. You will learn: How to read the stamps on jewellery mountings; How to identify jewellery metals; How to determine the gold content in jewellery; How and where to sell your unwanted jewellery; How to spot a fair consignment contract; How to select refiners and prepare shipments to them; How to prevent and remove silver tarnish; How to clean metal jewellery.

Both in South Africa and in Namibia, the name Hans Merensky summons a multitude of well-known public places and instututions: There is the famous Merensky Reef in the Bushveld Complex, the Merensky Dam and Hans Merensky Nature Reserve near Tzaneen, the Hans Merensky Hotel and Golf Estate in Phalaborwa, the Hans Merensky Library at the University of Pretoria, a Hans Merensky Foundation and a Hans Merensky High School, to name but a few. These names, however, leave untold a biography that resembles an adventure novel: The story of Hans Merensky's extraordinary discoveries. Born the son of the well-know missionary Alexander Merensky at Botshabelo in the eastern Transvaal, trained as a geologist in Germany and drawn back to South Africa by his creative ambition to explore the potential of the country of his birth, Hans Merensky (16 March 1871 - 21 October 1952) proved to be far more than the "wizard geologist" the press dubbed him during his heyday. Today it is obvious that Merensky was not only a scientist of note, but also an extremely far-sighted economic strategist, agricultural trendsetter, humanitarian and philanthropist. Nothing could extinguish his enthusiasm for his adopted homeland's undiscovered treasures and despite bankruptcy, internment, illness, political obstacles and later, old age, Hans Merensky saw only opportunity wherever he went. From the discovery of the richest deposit of alluvial gem diamonds ever found at Alexander Bay to the initial attempt at the commercial cultivation of avocados and pecan nuts - almost everything Hans Merensky touched turned to gold.

Excerpt from Platinum and Gold Jewelry: Set With Diamonds, Sapphires, Emeralds, Jade, Coral, and Other Stones, Including Bracelets, Rings, Lorgnettes, Brooches, Gentlemen's Dress Sets and Other Pieces I I. In addition to the purchase price, the buyer will be required to pay the New York City sales tax, unless the buyer is exempt from the payment thereof. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The perfect pocket-sized companion for those travelling and thinking about purchasing jewellery or stones. Renee Newman, author of the highly respected gem and jewellery guides including 'Diamond Ring Buying Guide' and 'Gold and Platinum Jewelry Buying Guide', has written a concise buying guide covering gems, gold and platinum that's a perfect handy reference. Here is important information on how to select jewellers and appraisers; a chapter on notable gem sources and which countries are noted for specific gems; information on coral, ivory and amber; precautions one must take when buying from an unfamiliar source; and customs regulations, duties and how to use lab reports. This guide will become an indispensable resource that will be used time and time again.