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Dr Brian Hambleton-Jones

Our Residents

Hard Rock at Lake Michelle.
He’s been to the far reaches of Canada, and to remote islands off the coast of Taiwan. He’s hiked in Iceland, and seen the Grand Canyon. Dr Brian Hambleton-Jones, resident of Evergreen at Lake Michelle, has seen and done a lot and has every intention to keep going! Born in Kenya in 1941, the young Brian moved to South Africa with his parents when he was seven. He went to school in Johannesburg and has been fascinated by rocks for as long as he can remember. After studying Geology at the University of Cape Town and doing his DSc at Tuks, he spent 27 years working for what is today the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA) as a nuclear geologist. Nuclear geology is the chemistry, mineralogy, nuclear aspects and radiation of rocks. (Fittingly for a man who loves rocks this much, he also loves rock n roll!) He says, “The nuclear industry is fascinating. I have difficulty imagining anyone having a better job than mine at the time. I looked  forward to going to work and when five o’clock rolled round, I’d be mildly annoyed.”

He and his wife, Meryl, have three children and five grandchildren. In 2018, they’ll be celebrating their golden anniversary. Her elegant, diminutive frame, has been at his side for five decades, and their beautiful home bears testament to her personal style and good taste. They moved to Evergreen at Lake Michelle after living in the same house in Pretoria for 42 years. Apart from nuclear geology, Brian also did geochemistry, nuclear geochemistry and geological studies. He says, “The geology of uranium is one of the most interesting aspects of my field, and I really enjoy it. Uranium occurs all over the world, in many formats, and the richest deposits are in Canada.”

To date, he has travelled to more than 50 countries. “I visited institutions, attended symposiums and lectured to aspiring nuclear students in African countries. I still give speeches, but I especially enjoyed the lecturing. I also consulted for foreign governments and was involved with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and similar bodies in Europe.” Is there anything or anywhere still left to explore? “Of course! My bucket list includes Antarctica, Russia, cruising the fjords of Norway… and a lot more. I maintain my passion for geology because this is where all life began and is controlled.”

Find out more about Evergreen at Lake Michelle here.