The South African Journal of Geology is a peer-reviewed, not-for-profit scientific journal operating under a “hybrid open access” model. It is published by the Geological Society of South Africa and traces its origins to March 1896, when it was first issued as the Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa.
Full-text and ahead-of-print articles (research papers) are continuously published online at GeoScienceWorld. Papers are bundled together into quarterly issues, which are placed online and published as physical copy.
Refer to Journal Overview for distribution channels, editorial board, subscription options, publication history, and copyright vestment.
Journal Overview S. Afr. J. Geol. (Trans. Geol. Soc. S. Afr.)
The South African Journal of Geology (along with predecessor Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa) has a publication record spanning over a century with more than 120 volumes of geological articles. The most recent volumes dated 2000 onwards (Volumes 103—) are at GeoScienceWorld¹. Volumes 1 – 102 (1896 to 1999) are at Sabinet².Volumes 97—(1994—) are available via EBSCOhost³.
GeoScienceWorld - latest research papers back to 2000 (includes ahead-of-print articles): South African Journal of Geology (Volumes 103—)
◊ Curated in the Millennium Collection. This collection includes both paywalled and open access articles in the South African Journal of Geology (2000—). Members of GSSA should request support if full-text contents are not accessible. (Open access is freely available.) Subscriber help request
South African Journal of Geology (Online ISSN 1996-8590, Print ISSN 1012-0750)
Version-of-Record
Sabinet - research papers predating 2000: South African Journal of Geology (Volumes 90 – 102) and Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa (Volumes 1 – 89)
† Curated in the Science Technology and Agriculture Collection. This collection includes both paywalled and open access articles in the South African Journal of Geology (2000—). Under construction!
‡ Curated as open access in the African Journal Archive, and considered to be the GSSA ‘Richard & Morris Viljoen Heritage Collection’. This collection comprises: South African Journal of Geology (1987–1999), Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa (1896–1986), Proceedings of the Geological Society of South Africa (1903–1970). Digitisation of the Heritage Collection is not complete – there are missing (and misplaced) articles. Please help to fully restore this collection by reporting any omitted and / or misfiled content to the Curator. Report missing content
Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa (Print ISSN 0372-0667)
Proceedings of the Geological Society of South Africa (Print ISSN 0369-9439)
Version-of-Record
EBSCOhost - latest research papers back to 1994 (does not include ahead-of-print articles): South African Journal of Geology (Volumes 97—)
* Full-text content is available on the Academic Search databases: EBSCO Database List
A freely accessible supplementary data repository provides for additional relevant data that expand specific articles published in S. Afr. J. Geol., beginning with Dann (2000) in Volume 103. Supplemental Data
S. Afr. J. Geol. is indexed and abstracted in: | Science Citation Index Expanded | Current Contents Physical, Chemical & Earth Sciences | Essential Science Indicators | Zoological Record | Scopus | GEOBASE | Chemical Abstracts | GeoRef | Environment Index | EBSCO | Information for Authors
Copyright Vestment – except for articles licensed under (libre) open access, copyright (all rights reserved) is vested in the Geological Society of South Africa. Contact one of the Editors for information regarding “fair use” and “special” permissions to reuse content published in S. Afr. J. Geol.
The South African Journal of Geology is the flagship publication of the Geological Society of South Africa. Its inaugural issue (Volume 1, Number 1) was published in March 1896. From its inception through to Volume 89 (1986), the journal was titled Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa (commonly referred to as ‘Transactions’). From 1903 to 1970, the journal incorporated the Proceedings of the Geological Society of South Africa within its volumes. Historical Timeline: S. Afr. J. Geol.
In March 1987, the journal was renamed the South African Journal of Geology as a condition for receiving (at the time) financial support from the Bureau of Scientific Publications and the Department of National Education. Despite the name change, the Geological Society of South Africa maintained continuity in volume numbering, with the first issue under the new title appearing as Volume 90, Number 1. To preserve its historical identity, each issue continued to feature the subtitle Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa on its cover and title page.
Annexures to the Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa were periodically published, encompassing the A. L. du Toit Memorial Lectures alongside other commemorative and scientific works. Notable among these are The Pioneers in South African Geology and their Work by A. W. Rogers in 1937 and New Observations on the Ores of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and their Genetic Significance by Paul Ramdohr in 1958. Beginning with Volume 86 (1983), the journal incorporated papers based on the A. L. du Toit Memorial Lectures, provided that the lecturers submitted their work.
By 2004, the journal had begun publishing full-text content online through GeoScienceWorld, a non-profit platform for geoscience publications. Online publication of the Version-of-Record began with Volume 103, Number 1 (March 2000). In 2014, the journal adopted a “hybrid open access” model, and by 2018, it transitioned from a quarterly periodical to a continuous publication format upon implementation of Early Publication. After 130 years of print, production of physical copy will cease in 2026.
Whilst digital platforms such as GeoScienceWorld,Sabinet, and EBSCOhost have broadened its global reach, the journal‘s content production remains rooted in South Africa.
Scientific Editor
Prof. Marlina Elburg
Department of Geology
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
The full-text content of the South African Journal of Geology is a benefit of membership in the Geological Society of South Africa.
Members are granted full-text access to S. Afr. J. Geol. on the GeoScienceWorld responsive split-screen display. For those preferring physical copy, each issue is available in print format as a GSSA membership option. How to join GSSA
Non-members of GSSA are welcome to subscribe to South African Journal of Geology by remitting the annual subscription rate.
To subscribe, please contact the GSSA office for further instructions. Contact GSSA
Delivery via SAPO domestic post is currently unreliable with delayed or undelivered physical copy
Timeline: S. Afr. J. Geol.
2021—
Scientific Editor: MA Elburg Managing Editor: G Henry Technical Editor: MW Knoper
2018–2021
Scientific Editor: MA Elburg Managing Editor: S McCourt Technical Editor: MW Knoper
2018
Early publication (ahead-of-print) Continuous publication / printed quarterly
“Hybrid open access” adopted Subscription based with open access
2004–2014
Scientific Editor: LD Ashwal Managing Editor: JM Barton Jr Technical Editor: MW Knoper
2004
S. Afr. J. Geol. published online Version-of-record at GeoScienceWorld
1999–2003
Editors: JM Barton Jr & LD Ashwal
1994–1998
Editor: S McCourt
1987–1994
Editor: CR Anhaeusser
1987
Renamed to S. Afr. J. Geol. Renamed from Trans. Geol. Soc. S. Afr.
1982–1986
Editor: CR Anhaeusser
1976–1982
Editor: T Stratten
1974–1975
Editor: EH Wainwright
1971–1974
Editor: DJL Visser
1970
Proc. Geol. Soc. S. Afr. halted Final year of “Proceedings”
1962–1970
Editor: DJL Visser
1961–1962
Editor: WJ van Biljon
1933–1960
Editor: E Mendelssohn
1929–1932
Editor: CJ Gray
1927–1929
Editor: PA Wagner
1926
Editor: W Kupferburger
1916–1925
Editor: RB Young
1910–1915
Editor: GS Corstorphine
1909
Editor: RB Young
1908
Editor: J McClelland Henderson
1907
Editor: JH Robertson
1906
Editor: E Jorissen
1905
Editor: GS Corstorphine
1904
Editor: FH Hatch
1903–1904
Editors: GS Corstorphine & FH Hatch
1903
Inclusion of Proc. Geol. Soc. S. Afr. GSSA procedural records first published
1902–1903
Editor: J Dampier Green
1900–1901
Lack of scientific transactions The Great Boer War / Tweede Vryheidsoorlog
1895–1901
Editor: D Draper
1895
Established as Trans. Geol. Soc. S. Afr. First issue published as printed copy in 1896
Exploration Development Production
“Providing innovative solutions for content creators and publishers. Delivering top-tier production workflows for the academic publishing of books and journals. Masterfully crafted JATS-compliant XML.”
