Augusto Gansser-Biaggi

Augusto Gansser-Biaggi studied at University of Zurich. The recorded working language is Italian and German. The field of work recorded is geology, hydrocarbon exploration and stratigraphy. Places of work recorded in the authority are Zurich. Employment is recorded with University of Zurich, Shell and National Iranian Oil Company. Distinctions recorded are Patron’s Medal, Gustav-Steinmann Medal and Wollaston Medal.

• Name — Augusto Gansser-Biaggi • Born — 28 October 1910 • Birthplace — Milan, Italy • Died — 9 January 2012 • Place of death — Massagno TI, Switzerland • Fields — geology, petroleum geology • Workplaces — Shell, National Iranian Oil Company Professor of Geology, ETH Zurich (1958–1977) • Education — ETH Zurich • Known for — Geology of the Himalayas (1964), Geology of Bhutan Himalaya (1983) • Awards — Gustav-Steinmann-Medaille (1982)

His geological researches were global in scope: • East Greenland (1934), a 4-month expedition under Lauge Koch. • Himalaya (1936), an 8-month expedition under Arnold Heim. • Colombia (1937–1945, for Shell) • Trinidad (1947–1950, for Shell) • Iran (1951–1958, chief geologist of the National Iranian Oil Company) He got the Tibetan variant of malaria at the First Swiss Himalaya Expedition, and thereafter a lifelong resistance. He circumambulated Mount Kailash disguised as a pilgrim, discovering at the foot of the mountain the origin of one rock seen in the Indian part of the Himalayas and a sensation: seafloor rocks on its South side (ophiolites). Later on, he interpreted this Indus-Yarlung-Tsangpo Suture Zone (ISZ) as the border between the Indian and the Eurasian Plate. Iran: using his field notes and relief pictures taken by the Iranian Air Force, he chose a 50x 12 km area. Four drillings were not able to go through a huge salt and gypsum layer. Only Number 5 was successful, the largest known 'wildcat' oil gusher, North of Qom (Iran) on 26 August 1956 (3,000 m deep, 80,000 tons oil/day). The gas got lighted up on 13 September, sometime later the well closed itself.[2][3] From 1958 until 1977, he was professor of geology at the University and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, from where he carried out several researches in the Himalayas (Nepal, India and Bhutan). There were five expeditions between 1963 and 1977 to Bhutan. In 1980 and 1985 he was invited by Deng Xiaoping to Tibet. Notes: the Greenland expedition included Professor Eugen Wegmann (University of Neuchâtel), Swiss geologists René Masson and Eduard Wenk. The Bhutan expeditions were possible with the help of Jigme Dorje Wangchuks, King of Bhutan and his adviser Fritz von Schulthess.

After the first Himalayan expedition he married Linda Biaggi (Toti) from Lugano. The family has two sons and four daughters: Ursula (1941), Mario (1943), Luca (1945), Manuela (1949), Francesca (1956), Rosanna (1959). He named Pico Toti, Sierra Nevada del Cocuy (Colombia) after his wife following their joint first ascent. She died in 2000 (Alzheimer's disease). Gansser-Biaggi turned 100 on 28 October 2010.[4]

Augusto Gansser-Biaggi worked in geology, hydrocarbon exploration, stratigraphy, Himalayas and Alps. He was employed by University of Zurich, Shell, National Iranian Oil Company and ETH Zurich. He belonged to National Academy of Sciences and Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. He worked at Zurich.

Augusto Gansser-Biaggi is recorded with the occupation university teacher. Recorded as geologist, mountaineer, university teacher, explorer and photographer.