Allan Fraser
(1959- )
Allan Fraser was born July 31, 1959 in Orkney, North-West Province, South Africa, the son of Anna Elizabeth Audie and Robert Allan Fraser. He spent his grade-school years in Phalaborwa, South Africa and later in Cerro de Pasco, Peru. It was in Peru at an early age that he started developing an interest in minerals. His family returned to South Africa after six years in Peru. After graduating from Jeppe Boys High School in 1977 he enrolled at the College for Advanced Technical Education (now part of University of Johannesburg) and completed a National Diploma in Analytical Chemistry.
Following completion of his studies Allan served two years in the South African Army's Engineers Corps at Kroonstad. He went on to work as an analytical chemist in various industrial laboratories including precious metals, tungsten carbide, and coal. He later joined LECO (Laboratory Equipment Company), where he was involved with sales and applications of analytical instrumentation. He went on to serve on the board of directors of Panalytical (Pty) Ltd., for six years. Today he is self-employed as a consulting analytical chemist.
Allan's passion for mineral collecting was reignited in 1998 when he met local collectors Bruce Cairncross and Jan Eklund, who introduced him to the Witwatersrand Gem and Mineral Club. Allan has a personal collection of 3000 cataloged mineral specimens from southern African localities and Peru. Specimens from the Kalahari Manganese Field and Peru form the bulk of this collection, along with specimens from the Rosh Pinah and Skorpion mines, the Witwatersrand goldfields, Tsumeb, the Vergenoeg Fluorite mine in Gauteng Province South Africa, the Palabora mine, Zomba and other regional localities.
Allan served as chairperson of the Witwatersrand Gem and Mineral club from 2001 to 2005 and has been the editor of the South African Lapidary Magazine (the official publication of the Federation of South African Gem and Mineral Societies) since 2003. He also established (in 2001) an Internet mineral dealership (www.OnlineMinerals.com), which he operates from his home in Fourways near Johannesburg. And he has written over 30 articles of collector interest which are posted on his website.
Allan is a member of the South African Chemical Institute and the South African Institute of Assayers and Analysts, and is an affiliate member of the Geological Society of South Africa. His other interests include wildlife, photography, guitar, and popular science. He is married to Ornella Paola Bracco.
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[Citation format for this entry:
WILSON, Wendell E. (2010)
Mineralogical Record
Biographical Archive, at www.mineralogicalrecord.com.]
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