The mineral coombsite was first discovered here at Watsons Beach, Otago, and named after Douglas Coombs (left).
Douglas Coombs was professor of geology at the University of Otago from 1956 to 1990, and has continued active research into retirement. He published many scientific papers, especially on minerals formed during low-grade metamorphism, and represented New Zealand in the International Mineralogical Association. He published the first x-ray measurements on the new mineral wairakite in 1955, and co-authored the first description of ferroceladonite and ferroaluminoceladonite.
Yosuke Kawachi completed his PhD at the University of Otago, and did pioneering studies using the electron microprobe to study microscopic minerals. He was a co-author of papers describing the first occurrence of coombsite, as well as ferroceladonite and ferroaluminoceladonite.
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