IntroductionThe UNESCO/IUGS working groups on sediment-hosted sulphide deposits of West Gondwana (IGCP 450) and on global comparison of volcanic-hosted massive sulphide districts (IGCP 502) sponsored a joint inteational field workshop from 27 September to 6th October 2005 to various Proterozoic base metal deposits in South Africa and Namibia. Although the focus was on deposits of Namibia and South Africa, the perspective was global and drew on our current understanding of this broad class of deposits world-wide.