The mission of the International Association of Geoanalysts states: “To serve as an international forum for the advancement of geoanalytical science and to promote the interests and support the professional needs of those involved in the analysis of geological and environmental materials.”   To attain this, one of the main objectives stated in the constitution is to organise conferences and meetings and to act as the main sponsor of the Geoanalysis series of conferences and to encourage younger scientists in the profession and their participation in meetings

And so comes to be, this seventh of the IAG’s main triennial conferences, co-hosted by the South African Spectroscopic Society and the Mineralogical Association of South Africa.  This meeting will be held from 7 to 11 September 2009 at a venue in the 3000 meter high Drakensberg Mountains of KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa.

The venue was selected to showcase South Africa’s spectacular scenery, while at the same time providing a state of the art facility for an international conference and instrument exhibition.  Champagne Sports resort was selected because of their excellent facilities combined with ambience and an environment conducive to networking between colleagues in a venue removed from the city hustle.

Bringing Geoanalysis to South Africa was motivated by the mineral riches and large mining and mineralogical industry, as well as strong geological and geochemical research initiatives.  This conference brings the opportunity of renewed scientific exchange between the South African and African geological community and the rest of the world.  It also affords the opportunity to young geoscientists to get international exposure that would otherwise be financially impossible. 

The organising committee would hereby cordially invite you to submit abstracts for oral presentations or posters with the option of publishing in a special edition of Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research.  We would also like to invite all potential exhibitors to contact the organising committee about participation in this event.  Sponsorship opportunities will be available to industrial partners.