ARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems. Water is essential for human existence, indeed for life's beginning. The circulation of water between the surface and the deep interior lubricates the internal dynamics that keep Earth geologically alive; it is crucial to most Earth systems, including the evolution of the hydrospher/atmosphere/biosphere, and the development of giant ore deposits. However, the origin, abundance, speciation and movements of fluids inside Earth are largely u ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems. Water is essential for human existence, indeed for life's beginning. The circulation of water between the surface and the deep interior lubricates the internal dynamics that keep Earth geologically alive; it is crucial to most Earth systems, including the evolution of the hydrospher/atmosphere/biosphere, and the development of giant ore deposits. However, the origin, abundance, speciation and movements of fluids inside Earth are largely unknown, and represent key issues in modern geoscience. This CoE will integrate previously disparate fields - geology, tectonics, geochemistry, petrophysics, geophysics and dynamic modelling - to understand the workings of Earth's deep plumbing system.Read moreRead less
Constructing a temporally-constrained palaeoecological model of Quaternary faunal evolution and extinction in eastern Australia. Increased climatic variability and human-induced environmental degradation have had severe impacts on biodiversity, socio-economic sustainability and possibly our own future survival, thus attracting global attention. This study will help unravel the causes of the extinctions of Australia's large-size animals (megafauna) during the periods of last glaciation and earlie ....Constructing a temporally-constrained palaeoecological model of Quaternary faunal evolution and extinction in eastern Australia. Increased climatic variability and human-induced environmental degradation have had severe impacts on biodiversity, socio-economic sustainability and possibly our own future survival, thus attracting global attention. This study will help unravel the causes of the extinctions of Australia's large-size animals (megafauna) during the periods of last glaciation and earliest human colonisation of Australia. Investigating the causes of megafauna extinction is essential for an understanding of how those prehistoric events shaped the modern biota, and for the development of conservation strategies for our endemic faunas in an era of increased climatic and environmental variability and vulnerability.Read moreRead less
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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Are humans responsible for recent changes in the behaviour of tropical cyclones? Decoupling natural variability from human influence using isotopes. An increase in the frequency of intense landfalling tropical cyclones will have a major impact upon Australia's economy and the safety of its citizens and visitors. There is little doubt that global climate change will cause this increase. Understanding when this might occur and the extent of this change over and above that which could also occur na ....Are humans responsible for recent changes in the behaviour of tropical cyclones? Decoupling natural variability from human influence using isotopes. An increase in the frequency of intense landfalling tropical cyclones will have a major impact upon Australia's economy and the safety of its citizens and visitors. There is little doubt that global climate change will cause this increase. Understanding when this might occur and the extent of this change over and above that which could also occur naturally will help reduce economic loss and save peoples' lives. Using isotope records of tropical cyclones and global climate models we will differentiate natural from human induced changes and ascertain the likely future impact of this hazard on Australia and its near neighbours.Read moreRead less
Correction of non-linearity in inductively-coupled-plasma mass-spectrometry. Chemical analyses by mass spectrometers underpin key Australian economic sectors, particularly minerals and agriculture. The quadrupole inductively-coupled-plasma mass-spectrometer has seen a particular rise in prominence over last 25 years. In this collaboration between mass spectrometrists and the leading instrument designer, we will improve the linearity of its detection system for more precise and accurate data. Bet ....Correction of non-linearity in inductively-coupled-plasma mass-spectrometry. Chemical analyses by mass spectrometers underpin key Australian economic sectors, particularly minerals and agriculture. The quadrupole inductively-coupled-plasma mass-spectrometer has seen a particular rise in prominence over last 25 years. In this collaboration between mass spectrometrists and the leading instrument designer, we will improve the linearity of its detection system for more precise and accurate data. Better elemental and isotope ratio data from these high-throughput instruments will open up new real-world applications in many areas of Australian interest, such as biosecurity, forensics, groundwater management, and drug design. The research will also inform design of the next generation instruments by the industry partner.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100185
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$464,531.00
Summary
Mass spectrometry for next generation isotope analysis of silicate minerals. This project aims to establish a facility for mass spectrometry and sample preparation to enhance Australian capacity to analyse the stable isotope composition of silicate minerals. The project seeks to implement innovations that will greatly enhance the use of stable isotopes in silicate minerals by increasing analytical throughput and reducing cost. This will provide better understanding of the trajectories of environ ....Mass spectrometry for next generation isotope analysis of silicate minerals. This project aims to establish a facility for mass spectrometry and sample preparation to enhance Australian capacity to analyse the stable isotope composition of silicate minerals. The project seeks to implement innovations that will greatly enhance the use of stable isotopes in silicate minerals by increasing analytical throughput and reducing cost. This will provide better understanding of the trajectories of environmental change, formation of mineral deposits and identifying trade networks in prehistoric societies.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100053
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$358,031.00
Summary
A national facility for the analysis of pyrogenic carbon. This project aims to develop a national facility for pyrogenic carbon analysis. Pyrogenic carbon is a poorly constrained, slow-cycling terrestrial carbon pool with significant carbon sequestration potential. The project expects to expand the newly developed hydrogen pyrolysis analytical capability to provide high throughput, robust measurement of the abundance and isotope composition of pyrogenic carbon in soils and sediments. This will p ....A national facility for the analysis of pyrogenic carbon. This project aims to develop a national facility for pyrogenic carbon analysis. Pyrogenic carbon is a poorly constrained, slow-cycling terrestrial carbon pool with significant carbon sequestration potential. The project expects to expand the newly developed hydrogen pyrolysis analytical capability to provide high throughput, robust measurement of the abundance and isotope composition of pyrogenic carbon in soils and sediments. This will provide significant benefit, such as the ability to make significant advances in areas as diverse as geochronology, archaeology, palaeoecology, soil science geomorphology and carbon cycle/sequestration science.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100159
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$160,000.00
Summary
Mobile Australian field isotope alliance. This project will enable a quantum leap in capacity to undertake, real-time, field-based studies of environmental processes using the natural isotope tracers of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. This will enable the project to address a range of fundamental research questions in climate change, water resources, ecology and human impact in tropical Australia.
Rehabilitation strategies for metalliferous mine wastes using native metallophytes from Pb-Zn-Ag gossans, northwest Queensland. The global area covered with mine waste is in the order of 100 million hectares containing several 100,000 million tonnes of mine wastes. The long-term sustainable rehabilitation of metal mine sites is inhibited by our lack of knowledge of metal resistance and uptake by Australian native plants. This project will evaluate metallophytes naturally growing on metal-rich so ....Rehabilitation strategies for metalliferous mine wastes using native metallophytes from Pb-Zn-Ag gossans, northwest Queensland. The global area covered with mine waste is in the order of 100 million hectares containing several 100,000 million tonnes of mine wastes. The long-term sustainable rehabilitation of metal mine sites is inhibited by our lack of knowledge of metal resistance and uptake by Australian native plants. This project will evaluate metallophytes naturally growing on metal-rich soils, northwest Queensland, for their capabilities and revegetation potential when grown in mine wastes of the Cannington Ag-Pb-Zn mine. Outcomes will include practical, innovative methods of mine site rehabilitation that are low-cost and environmentally-friendly.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989067
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$950,000.00
Summary
The future of palaeoclimate and archaeological research in Australia: next generation instrumentation for chronology and environmental reconstruction. The outcomes of this project will promote a better understanding of Australia's arid continent and its surrounding marine environment, contribute to studies of global climate change, and provide new insights into the response of fragile ecosystems to such events and processes. The project addresses directly the National Research Priority 'Water - ....The future of palaeoclimate and archaeological research in Australia: next generation instrumentation for chronology and environmental reconstruction. The outcomes of this project will promote a better understanding of Australia's arid continent and its surrounding marine environment, contribute to studies of global climate change, and provide new insights into the response of fragile ecosystems to such events and processes. The project addresses directly the National Research Priority 'Water - a critical resource', 'Responding to climate change and variability', 'Overcoming soil loss, salinity and acidity', 'Sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity' and 'Understanding our region and the world'. It provides a consortium-type platform for highly productive collaborative research and training across eight universities and one research organisation in Australia.Read moreRead less