Story: Geology – overview

Douglas Coombs, geologist

Douglas Coombs, geologist

While working on Murihiku rocks from the Taringatura Hills in Southland for his MSc thesis, Douglas Coombs noticed that calcium-bearing minerals, especially zeolites, progressively changed in composition through the 8,500-metre thick sequence of greywacke and tuff. When published in 1954, it was the first description of this type of mineralogical change when rocks are buried (low grade metamorphism), but the same pattern has subsequently been recognized in many other parts of the world. Coombs and his co-workers set up a classification of low-grade metamorphism that has now been adopted internationally.

From 1956 to 1990 Douglas Coombs was professor of geology at the University of Otago, and he has continued active research in retirement. For many years he represented New Zealand on the committee of the International Mineralogical Association, and the mineral coombsite was named in his honour.

Using this item

Private collection

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Eileen McSaveney and Simon Nathan, 'Geology – overview - Building a continent', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/8308/douglas-coombs-geologist (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Eileen McSaveney and Simon Nathan, published 12 Jun 2006