The story behind Rosh Pinah’s Geo Center

Explore a journey through Earth’s wonders

Geo Center's Gisela with RPZ's Indira Shilongo

Tucked away in the quiet mining town of Rosh Pinah lies a place where geology meets passion, the Geo Center, a place born from the dedication of one remarkable woman: Gisela Hinder.

Gisela’s story with Rosh Pinah began on the 1st of July 1999, when she joined Rosh Pinah Zinc as a Senior Underground Exploration Geologist, which was then known as Imcor Zinc.

Gisela devoted 15 years to the company, with her final working day being the 13th of March 2014, following a separation package offer by Glencore, the then owner of RPZ. But Gisela’s love for geology and for Rosh Pinah did not end with her mining career.

One of Gisela’s most touching contributions to the mining community is her role in preserving its history, and as well being part of an era that laid the groundwork for what Rosh Pinah Zinc is today. Gisela also manages the “Koppie”, a hill-top memorial site with the memorial gravestone of Dr. Michael McMillan, the pioneering geologist who discovered the ore in Rosh Pinah, a monument that was paid for by PE Minerals, the mining license holder of RPZ (a story for another day!). Next to McMillan are two other memorial stones erected in memory of Jan Botha and Jan Visser by their families, as a tribute to their immense contributions to Rosh Pinah and to ensure that their legacies live on in stone and story.

With her life-long savings, Gisela envisioned something greater, a gift to the town and future generations. Following this dream, in 2008 she started building her home and what would become a cornerstone of geological preservation and education in Namibia: the Geo Center.

Officially open to the public since 2012, the Geo Center is a personal sanctuary for Gisela, a center of learning, and a magnet for international & local tourists, and local schoolchildren alike. Housing an impressive collection of approximately 1,000 semi-precious stones, 95% of which are sourced from Namibia and the remaining 5% from beyond our borders, the Geo Center serves as a vital archive of the country’s mineral wealth and natural history.

Gisela holds a valid fossil exhibition license from the Meteorite Council, enabling her to legally exhibit a range of rare specimens and fossils of San Bushmen’s way of life.

Some of the colourful rock samples on view at the Rosh Pinah Geo Center

Visitors to the Geo Center can embark on guided tours for N$100, though some guests find themselves so engrossed that their visits extend well past the booked hours. Each guest is invited to sign a guest book, where names, thoughts, and reflections are lovingly recorded, a testament to the quiet but powerful impact the Geo Center has on all who pass through it.

The Geo Center plays multiple roles in the community. It is a hub for education, hosting visits from local schools and sparking curiosity in young minds. It is a research space, where knowledge about Namibian, and RPZ in particular, geology is preserved and shared. It is a tourist attraction, bringing revenue into the Rosh Pinah economy.

A rather big smokey quartz and fluorite sample from Erongo

Through the Geo Center, Gisela Hinder continues to shape Rosh Pinah, not with drills this time, but with minerals, memory, and meaning. Her story is a reminder that even as we dig into the earth, it is the people who uncover and preserve its stories who truly enrich our world.