The Discovery of the Paris Silver Deposit
- Noel Ong
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Coffee with Samso – John Anderson and the Thinking Behind the Paris Silver Discovery
There are mining discoveries, and then there are stories about why discoveries happen. The difference matters.
In this episode of Coffee with Samso, I sat down with John Anderson, the geologist most closely associated with the discovery of the Paris Silver Deposit on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. John is not just another explorer who drilled a successful hole. He represents a generation of geologists who instill the life of geoscientists into the exploration industry through persistence, pattern recognition, and the willingness to challenge accepted geological thinking.
This conversation in this Coffee with Samso was less about one silver deposit and more about how discoveries are made when ideas are allowed to mature over decades.
The Geologist Behind the Discovery
John Anderson was born in South Australia and developed an early fascination with rocks, fossils, and the natural world. He graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1975 with studies in geophysics and geology before starting a career that would take him through some of Australia’s most important mining districts.
His early years included underground work at Broken Hill, nickel exploration around Kalgoorlie, tin projects, and later senior exploration roles with major mining groups. These experiences shaped a style of thinking John repeatedly referenced in our discussion — understanding how systems form, not simply where anomalies sit on a map.
That distinction is critical.
Many people talk about targets. Fewer talk about mineral systems.
In the words of Samso, get your favourite beverage and sit and listen to another great insight from Coffee with Samso.
Coffee with Samso - Episode 217 | The Discovery of the Paris Silver Deposit | Adelaide | South Australia
Audio Podcast
Coffee with Samso - Episode 217 | The Discovery of the Paris Silver Deposit | Adelaide | South Australia
Chapters
00:00 Start
01:59 Introduction to John Anderson
04:01 The Tin Connection and the see of Mienral System.
07:35 The Discussion of Mineral System Thinking?
11:38 The Investigator Resources Connection
13:22 The thinking behind the Discovery of Paris
14:22 The Beginning of the Search for A Paris Discovery
15:42 The Use of PEMA or EPMA - Electron Probe Micro-Analysis
25:30 The Diamond Drilling that proved Mineralisation.
26:41 Was there any pussback to the exploration?
29:27 Did The Discovery of Paris changed the thinking of Gawler Geology.
32:29 Is there more of the Olympic Dam scale or hybrids of smaller IOCGs
33:04 The potential of variance of the IOCGs, Porphyrys - Discovery of Hybrids.
33:54 WIll the BHP Funding Initiatves Help Discovery of the Hybrids.
35:05 John Anderson Theory for the Gawler Graton
38:19 Can we find a Cadia in the Gawler?
40:08 The Double Subduction Model
41:19 Similarities of Olympic Dam and the Paris System
44:38 The Galwer - Olympic Dam Tectonic Environment
45:39 What would John say to the Younger Generation of Geoscientists?
49:04 Lack of Boots on The Ground.
50:28 Last Words from John Anderson
51:34 Conclusion
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