ACTIVITIES
Activities (Project milestones are as follows):
2007
Workshops on the development of research topics under the following research themes established through the different research theme leaders. The chosen research topics should cover for student projects that can be offered at both masters and doctorate levels in different universities/institutions from which members of the project research team are beneficially employed.
- Choosing a web manager and setting up of website for the project
- Reconnaissance work which will include field workshops to different study sites where clay deposits and occurrences are found in the continent, as well as geologic terrains that have to be investigated for paleoenvironmental reconstruction.
- Directed fieldwork under different group leaders focusing on mapping and sampling
2008
- Laboratory analyses
- Workshops to discuss results from laboratory analyses and interpretative projections.
- Short courses
- Workshop for the formation of the African Clays Group (ACG) to promote Clays and Clay Minerals Body of Knowledge (CCMBK) in the continent in particular. This will be realized through anticipated support from existing clay bodies such as the Geological Society of Africa, European Clays Group, the British Clay Group, Clays and Clay Minerals Society, Australian Clays Group among several others; and industries exploiting industrial minerals in the continent.
- Further sampling and more specialized laboratory analyses
2009
- Manuscripts submission for publication through special volumes of negotiated journals such as the Journal of African Earth Sciences, Clays and Clay Minerals, Clay Minerals, Applied Clay Science
- Short courses
- Masters dissertations
- Workshop of the African Clays Group
- Collaborative work on book to be written : Clays and Clay Minerals in Africa
2010
- Workshop for the linking of clays and clay minerals in Africa to others globally
- Doctorate dissertations
- More manuscripts for publication
- Finalizing and getting book published on Clays and Clay Minerals in Africa
2011
- Workshop on Project review including project appraisal based on original aims and objectives of the project
- Advancing recommendations and way forward
- Project closure
Project publications, meeting agendas, programs
Clays in medicine/pharmaceutics and geophagia -Georges Ekosse
Human and enzootic geophagia in Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland - funded by NRF through the South African Regional cooperation fund for Scientific research and Technological Development
Meeting agendas
- 1st Geophagia workshop held 25-28 July 2007 at the Central University of Technology, South Africa
- 2nd Workshop and Fieldwork on 12 - 18th November 2007 at the Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein & Clarens area, Free State, South Africa
Publication: Mineralogy of Southern Africa Medicinal and Cosmetic Clays and Their Effects on the Growth of Selected Test Microorganisms - Mpuchane et al. (2008)
Fresenius Environmental Bulletin- in press
Book under preparation
- Regional and geological setting of geophagic clays - Georges Ekosse
- Historical aspects related to geophagia in Southern Africa - Elizabeth Morton
- Socio-cultural and socio-economics of geophagia practices - Simelane
- Physico-chemical aspects of geophagic clays - Veronica Ngole)
- Mineralogy of geophagic clays - Georges Ekosse
- Soil consumption by humans and animals and some of its potential chemical and biochemical implications - Sandile Songca
- Microbiology of geophagic clays - Sisai Mpuchane
- Human developmental aspects associated with geophagia - Linda de Jager
- Hematology associated with geophagia - Christiana Brand
- Nutritional aspects of geophagic practice - Van Schalkwyk
- Environmental Health associated with geophagia - Linda de Jager
- Ecological aspects - Marks Ditlhogo and Joseph Allotey
- Enzootic geophagia - Denis Umesiobi and Andrew Enow
- Mining and beneficiation of geophagic clays - Georges Ekosse