Understanding the Sibao Orogenic Belt in South China: A Part of the Rodinian Supercontinent Assembly Adjacent to Australia. The Sibao Orogenic Belt (SOB) in South China is regarded as one of the worldwide 1300-1000 Ma mountain belts that record the assembly of the supercontinent Rodinia. However, recent work suggests that some of these mountain belts, including the SOB, were probably active until 900 Ma, thus questioning parts of the early Rodinia reconstructions. In this study we aim to deter ....Understanding the Sibao Orogenic Belt in South China: A Part of the Rodinian Supercontinent Assembly Adjacent to Australia. The Sibao Orogenic Belt (SOB) in South China is regarded as one of the worldwide 1300-1000 Ma mountain belts that record the assembly of the supercontinent Rodinia. However, recent work suggests that some of these mountain belts, including the SOB, were probably active until 900 Ma, thus questioning parts of the early Rodinia reconstructions. In this study we aim to determine the ages, and geochemical and structural characteristics of key tectonic units in the SOB. This will lead to a better understanding of the assembly process of Rodinia, and events occurring in continental blocks adjacent to Australia at that time.Read moreRead less
Chronostratigraphic Framework for the Devonian Canning Basin - A Multidisciplinary Record of Environmental Change. Our detailed chronostratigraphic framework for Canning Basin and the biomarker data on source rock history provides an increased understanding of the resource potential of the basin and similar settings worldwide. Furthermore this high-fidelity data will be used by companies to develop the 'next' generation of hydrocarbon industry modelling workflows. Our research program also has i ....Chronostratigraphic Framework for the Devonian Canning Basin - A Multidisciplinary Record of Environmental Change. Our detailed chronostratigraphic framework for Canning Basin and the biomarker data on source rock history provides an increased understanding of the resource potential of the basin and similar settings worldwide. Furthermore this high-fidelity data will be used by companies to develop the 'next' generation of hydrocarbon industry modelling workflows. Our research program also has important environmental implications; providing insight into drivers for Devonian mass extinctions and as periods of past biotic crises become increasingly understood they can provide critical insights into determining the thresholds of environmental change, which may potentially serve as analogues for present-day global climate change scenarios.Read moreRead less
Hyper-accumulations of monosulfidic sediments: Exploring a biogeochemical extreme to resolve fundamental sulfur biomineralisation pathways. The hyper-accumulation of monosulfidic sediments has a directsocial, economic and environmental impact on communities in many parts of Australia, including highly valued wetland systems such as the Ramsar wetlands of the lower Murray Darling Basin and internationally recognised Peel-Harvey Estuary of WA. Maintenance dredging of these materials alone costs th ....Hyper-accumulations of monosulfidic sediments: Exploring a biogeochemical extreme to resolve fundamental sulfur biomineralisation pathways. The hyper-accumulation of monosulfidic sediments has a directsocial, economic and environmental impact on communities in many parts of Australia, including highly valued wetland systems such as the Ramsar wetlands of the lower Murray Darling Basin and internationally recognised Peel-Harvey Estuary of WA. Maintenance dredging of these materials alone costs the nation millions of dollars annually. The hyper monosulfidic sediments are also linked to severe environmental impacts. This project will inform how these materials develop and accumulate. This new knowledge will be of immediate relevance for the management of eutrophic estuaries.Read moreRead less
The Role of Water in Precambrian Ultramafic Magmatism: Insights from an In-Situ Microbeam and Nanobeam Assessment of Hydromagmatic Amphibole. Hydromagmatic amphibole in some Precambrian (>600 million years old) komatiites and other ultramafic rocks in Australia, Canada and Russia indicates >3% water in the parental magmas. This magmatic water could be crustal or mantle in origin. Constraints on the water source would profoundly impact concepts of Precambrian crustal evolution and water recycling ....The Role of Water in Precambrian Ultramafic Magmatism: Insights from an In-Situ Microbeam and Nanobeam Assessment of Hydromagmatic Amphibole. Hydromagmatic amphibole in some Precambrian (>600 million years old) komatiites and other ultramafic rocks in Australia, Canada and Russia indicates >3% water in the parental magmas. This magmatic water could be crustal or mantle in origin. Constraints on the water source would profoundly impact concepts of Precambrian crustal evolution and water recycling. The ultimate goal of this project is to provide constraints on the role of water in early Earth magmatism, through in situ microbeam and nanobeam analysis of the amphibole to produce an integrated trace element and isotopic dataset for geologically and chemically diverse types of Precambrian ultramafic rocks.Read moreRead less