Experimental constraints on the genesis of gold-rich ore deposits. The project will provide a new set of tools to explore for gold-rich ore deposits in Australia and globally. By integrating geochemical studies with cutting-edge experiments carried out at three Australian universities in strategic partnership with industry, the outcomes of this project will provide much needed knowledge to predict the locations of large gold-rich deposits that are concealed beneath vast expanses of the Australia ....Experimental constraints on the genesis of gold-rich ore deposits. The project will provide a new set of tools to explore for gold-rich ore deposits in Australia and globally. By integrating geochemical studies with cutting-edge experiments carried out at three Australian universities in strategic partnership with industry, the outcomes of this project will provide much needed knowledge to predict the locations of large gold-rich deposits that are concealed beneath vast expanses of the Australian continent. The new results will translate into smarter exploration practice, significantly enhancing success in targeting ore deposits that are rich in high-value metal and display the smallest have a small environmental footprint, to underpin the sustainability of our nation into the future.
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Geology and geochemistry of Permian and Triassic sediments in Perth Basin for exploration of petroleum in WA. A mutlidisciplinery approach using molecular organic geochemical analyses combined with geological information will innovatively contribute to a coherent portrayal of the decline, collapse and subsequent recovery of biological species at the Permian/Triassic extinction event in Western Australia and other parts of the world. The proposed study will particulary focus on environmental ch ....Geology and geochemistry of Permian and Triassic sediments in Perth Basin for exploration of petroleum in WA. A mutlidisciplinery approach using molecular organic geochemical analyses combined with geological information will innovatively contribute to a coherent portrayal of the decline, collapse and subsequent recovery of biological species at the Permian/Triassic extinction event in Western Australia and other parts of the world. The proposed study will particulary focus on environmental changes closely related to deposition of petroleum source rocks globally but also focussing on the Perth Basin of the Triassic. This information will then be used to better identify rocks in Australia offering good sources of petroleum.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560734
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$110,000.00
Summary
Accelerated solvent extractor and evaporator for molecular and stable isotope analyses of sedimentary organic matter. The accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) uses pressurised liquid extraction to obtain the bitumen fraction easily measurable for molecular and isotopic composition of organic sediments in just a few minutes. This compares favourably to traditional extraction procedures, which can take two to three days. Our projects often require the analyses of large numbers of sediment extracts ....Accelerated solvent extractor and evaporator for molecular and stable isotope analyses of sedimentary organic matter. The accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) uses pressurised liquid extraction to obtain the bitumen fraction easily measurable for molecular and isotopic composition of organic sediments in just a few minutes. This compares favourably to traditional extraction procedures, which can take two to three days. Our projects often require the analyses of large numbers of sediment extracts to obtain chemical data at high geological resolution. The ASE/Evaporator will greatly assist these endeavours which aim to improve our understanding of Australian environments (incorporating the effects of natural and human-related processes) and identify source rocks offering good petroleum reserves.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100127
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
High resolution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (Orbitrap) for analyses of polar compounds in biomass, petroleum, potable and reclaimed water. Climate change and human impact can harm sensitive ecosystems, significantly threatening Australian biodiversity and water resources. Chemical and biological characterisation of aquatic and terrestrial environments is paramount to assessing and responding to these threats, as well as assisting natural resource utilisation. The high structural pola ....High resolution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (Orbitrap) for analyses of polar compounds in biomass, petroleum, potable and reclaimed water. Climate change and human impact can harm sensitive ecosystems, significantly threatening Australian biodiversity and water resources. Chemical and biological characterisation of aquatic and terrestrial environments is paramount to assessing and responding to these threats, as well as assisting natural resource utilisation. The high structural polarity of many environmentally occurring organics from biological, petroleum and anthropogenic sources, unamenable to gas chromatographic resolution, can now be accommodated by the advanced organic analytical technology sought in this proposal. This project will enable scholars and young professionals to be skilled in state-of-the-art technology, and prepare quality scientists, ready for employment.Read moreRead less
Chronostratigraphic, molecular and isotopic approaches to age petroleum. The project aims to reduce the costs of drilling in deep-water offshore by better identifying potential drilling sites. The North-West shelf offshore Australia is the main supplier of liquefied natural gas. However, there is uncertainty about the age of petroleum (oil and gas) discovered in the region. It is not currently possible to constrain an age of fluids to a number of source rocks. The aims are to develop a high-leve ....Chronostratigraphic, molecular and isotopic approaches to age petroleum. The project aims to reduce the costs of drilling in deep-water offshore by better identifying potential drilling sites. The North-West shelf offshore Australia is the main supplier of liquefied natural gas. However, there is uncertainty about the age of petroleum (oil and gas) discovered in the region. It is not currently possible to constrain an age of fluids to a number of source rocks. The aims are to develop a high-level age discriminative tool for fluids. An interdisciplinary approach will be applied using state-of-the-art techniques including comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry, compound specific isotope analysis of hydrocarbons, clumped isotopes of methane and metagenomics.Read moreRead less
Realising Australia’s rare earth resource potential. This project aims to reveal the potential for undiscovered economic deposits of rare earth elements within the Australian continent. Future supply of these elements underpins societies transition to clean energy and embrace of high-tech applications. The project expects to greatly enhance our knowledge of Australia’s endowment of rare earth element resources using an array of traditional and innovative geological research methods. Expected out ....Realising Australia’s rare earth resource potential. This project aims to reveal the potential for undiscovered economic deposits of rare earth elements within the Australian continent. Future supply of these elements underpins societies transition to clean energy and embrace of high-tech applications. The project expects to greatly enhance our knowledge of Australia’s endowment of rare earth element resources using an array of traditional and innovative geological research methods. Expected outcomes of this project include a greater understanding of how, where and when rare earth element orebodies form in the Earth's crust. This should provide significant benefits to exploring for––and discovering––new orebodies that are required to secure global critical metal supplies. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0347945
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$182,000.00
Summary
Extension to Stable Isotope Facility: Elemental Analyser and GC-GC Preparative Systems. To carry out compound specific stable isotope analysis, compounds need to be resolved by GC, and with samples such as petroleum, this is uncommon. We therefore seek to explore GC-GC as a novel additional preparative system in isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Within our new State Centre of Excellence we will be confronted with samples such as soils, sediments, and natural organic matter which require examinati ....Extension to Stable Isotope Facility: Elemental Analyser and GC-GC Preparative Systems. To carry out compound specific stable isotope analysis, compounds need to be resolved by GC, and with samples such as petroleum, this is uncommon. We therefore seek to explore GC-GC as a novel additional preparative system in isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Within our new State Centre of Excellence we will be confronted with samples such as soils, sediments, and natural organic matter which require examination by bulk isotope analysis. If equipped with a customised elemental analyser as an inlet system, both our existing mass analysers will be capable of measuring carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur isotope values of whole samples.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100070
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$966,283.00
Summary
Cutting-edge electron probe microanalysis driving Western Australia’s resource geosciences. This project aims to provide a new generation electron microprobe, with advances in trace element mapping and cathodoluminescence analysis to enable superior characterisation of a wide range of materials. The overwhelming demand for electron probe microanalysis from research groups in Western Australia requires renewal of over-subscribed, ageing facilities to drive innovation and alleviate bottlenecks in ....Cutting-edge electron probe microanalysis driving Western Australia’s resource geosciences. This project aims to provide a new generation electron microprobe, with advances in trace element mapping and cathodoluminescence analysis to enable superior characterisation of a wide range of materials. The overwhelming demand for electron probe microanalysis from research groups in Western Australia requires renewal of over-subscribed, ageing facilities to drive innovation and alleviate bottlenecks in advanced geosciences multi-capability workflows. The electron probe will drive underpinning geoscience, resources science and economic geology, as well as support a broad range of disciplines and diverse fields, such as nanotechnology, microelectronics and aquatic sciences.Read moreRead less
Evaluating a biogeochemical mechanism for soil anomaly formation using diffusive thin-film samplers in geochemical exploration. We expect to develop new and effective technology for geochemical exploration for gold and base metals. This technology will take the form of: (i) increased understanding of, and a new conceptual model for, biogeochemical formation of soil geochemical anomalies in transported overburden; (ii) new chemical analysis techniques for soils and groundwater in mineralised area ....Evaluating a biogeochemical mechanism for soil anomaly formation using diffusive thin-film samplers in geochemical exploration. We expect to develop new and effective technology for geochemical exploration for gold and base metals. This technology will take the form of: (i) increased understanding of, and a new conceptual model for, biogeochemical formation of soil geochemical anomalies in transported overburden; (ii) new chemical analysis techniques for soils and groundwater in mineralised areas. Improved models for anomaly formation will provide a clearer frame work for exploration in terrain under transported cover. New methodology has the potential to enhance anomaly detection for buried mineralisation, especially if the anomaly has formed biogeochemically.Read moreRead less
Experimental constraints on Platinum-Group Element geochemistry: developing lithogeochemical exploration tools for nickel-sulfides in mafic and ultramafic systems. Nickel contributes approximately $2 billion per year to Australia's export income. Currently 80% of that is coming from sulfide deposits, which are expected to be exhausted within thirty years barring significant new discoveries. Discovery rates have been declining for two decades, as the 'easy' targets have been found, despite a broa ....Experimental constraints on Platinum-Group Element geochemistry: developing lithogeochemical exploration tools for nickel-sulfides in mafic and ultramafic systems. Nickel contributes approximately $2 billion per year to Australia's export income. Currently 80% of that is coming from sulfide deposits, which are expected to be exhausted within thirty years barring significant new discoveries. Discovery rates have been declining for two decades, as the 'easy' targets have been found, despite a broad increase in nickel exploration expenditure to current levels of around $50 million per year. There is a pressing need for new data sets and techniques to allow industry to target new discoveries based on limited drill sampling of potential host rocks. This project forms part of a broader program to harness the igneous geochemistry of the platinum group elements as a powerful pathfinder in nickel exploration.Read moreRead less