Address by Dr. Hahn. 4;^ 



of Science which he professes. The farther he penetrates into this 

 particular branch of Science the more he finds how little he knows 

 of the subject himself, and how little is known, and how much is 

 still awaiting investigation and research. It is therefore much to be 

 regretted that under the present regime the Professors of the Colleges 

 are so fully engaged in teaching that they cannot follow up original 

 research into the many problems and subjects which present them- 

 selves, particularly in a young country like South Africa, to the 

 student of Science, and particularly to the student of Chemistry. 



May I now draw your attention to some of the problems and 

 subjects which invite investigation and research from those students 

 and disciples of Chemistrv. who, on the one hand possesses such a 

 thorough training in theoretical and practical Chemistry as is required 

 for such work, and on the other hand have also time and leisure to 

 undertake research work, which absorbs more time and closer atten- 

 tion than any other scientific occupation. Let us commence with 

 Mineral Chemistry. There are minerals and groups of minerals 

 here in South Africa which should be submitted to very close in- 

 vestigation, the results of which would be of great scientific value, 

 inasmuch as these investigations will throw light on the mode of 

 formation of these minerals, and will also extend our knowledge of 

 the paragenesis of these minerals. 



In Little Namaqualand there occur in connection with the 

 copper ore deposits a large number of copper minerals which have 

 been formed by the action of the oxygen, carbonic dioxide, and 

 moisture of the atmosphere on the original sulphide of the ore 

 deposit. All these minerals are basic products of oxidation of the 

 original copper ores, and are distinguished bv a definite crystallo- 

 graphical form, so that there can be no doubt about their indi- 

 viduality as mineral species. Some of those minerals are known, 

 some not. They contain various amounts of water of crystallization 

 and constitution. Since they have been formed under the influence 

 of the hot and dry climate of Little Namaqualand. it would be of 

 great interest to know whether and how far a direct influence of the 

 climatic conditions upon the formation and constitution of these 

 minerals could be traced. 



Another interesting problem for research for the student of 

 Mineral Chemistry is furnished at the tin ore deposits at Embabaan 

 in Swaziland. Together with tin ore occur at this locality extra- 

 ordinarily rare and most interesting minerals, such as Aischinite, 

 Euxenite. Fergusonite, and Monazite. These minerals are not only 

 interesting because they contain numerous rare metals, amongst them 

 Thorium, which is now much in demand for the construction of 

 certain incandescent lamps, but they are of special value since they 

 contain the recently discovered noble gas Helium, which is at present 

 mainly obtained from certain Scandinavian minerals, especially 

 from Cleveite. Helium has been found also- in certain gases issuing 

 from mineral springs in the Pyrenees. It would be a matter of great 

 scientific interest to ascertain whether this element is also found ir> 

 the gases issuing from some of our mineral springs. 



