Ore deposits and tectonic evolution of the Lachlan Orogen, SE Australia. Ore deposits and tectonic evolution of the Lachlan Orogen, SE Australia. This project aims to develop and test models to evaluate past tectonic processes and configurations in South-east Australia, using both new and existing geological, geophysical and isotopic data. Over the past 550 million years, plate tectonic processes have formed metal-rich mineral deposits in South-east Australia. The project will identify areas of ....Ore deposits and tectonic evolution of the Lachlan Orogen, SE Australia. Ore deposits and tectonic evolution of the Lachlan Orogen, SE Australia. This project aims to develop and test models to evaluate past tectonic processes and configurations in South-east Australia, using both new and existing geological, geophysical and isotopic data. Over the past 550 million years, plate tectonic processes have formed metal-rich mineral deposits in South-east Australia. The project will identify areas of high potential for economically valuable ore deposits, enabling more efficient prioritisation of mineral exploration efforts. This is expected to increase the probability of significant ore deposit discoveries leading to national economic benefit.Read moreRead less
Exploration targeting from next-generation volcanic facies reconstruction. The project aims to develop new innovative image analysis techniques to reconstruct the architecture of the volcanic host at four highly prospective hydrothermal-magmatic ore deposits, and investigate the properties of rocks that favour high-grade ore mineralisation. Expected outcomes of this project include next-generation automated techniques for volcanic facies analysis, and predictions of where hydrothermal alteration ....Exploration targeting from next-generation volcanic facies reconstruction. The project aims to develop new innovative image analysis techniques to reconstruct the architecture of the volcanic host at four highly prospective hydrothermal-magmatic ore deposits, and investigate the properties of rocks that favour high-grade ore mineralisation. Expected outcomes of this project include next-generation automated techniques for volcanic facies analysis, and predictions of where hydrothermal alteration is most prospective for mineralisation. Both outcomes are relevant to the discovery of volcanic-hosted mineralisation globally. This project will provide significant benefit to the Australian mining industry by diversifying ore exploration strategies in the Australian crust, and will train the next generation of explorers.Read moreRead less
Beneath Bass Strait: linking Tasmania and mainland Australia using a novel seismic experiment. A new low-cost approach based on background seismic energy and earthquake recordings will be used to construct three-dimensional maps of the deep structure beneath Bass Strait. Understanding the broad scale geology of southeast Australia is of national importance because the area is host to an abundance of petroleum, geothermal and mineral resources.
Novel isotope techniques to explore the Centralian Superbasin, Australia. This project will leverage new advances in analytical instrumentation and isotope techniques to generate improved geochronological and stratigraphic framework for the Centralian Superbasin, a vast ancient depositional system covering much of central Australia. The project aims to apply novel laser-based dating of sedimentary rocks, coupled with metal isotope proxy reconstructions of the basin’s palaeogeography, hydrologica ....Novel isotope techniques to explore the Centralian Superbasin, Australia. This project will leverage new advances in analytical instrumentation and isotope techniques to generate improved geochronological and stratigraphic framework for the Centralian Superbasin, a vast ancient depositional system covering much of central Australia. The project aims to apply novel laser-based dating of sedimentary rocks, coupled with metal isotope proxy reconstructions of the basin’s palaeogeography, hydrological connectivity and past redox conditions, which are all critical parameters to guide and de-risk future exploration of sediment-hosted resources in this frontier basin. Anticipated outcomes will benefit Australia's resources economy, while providing insights into the evolution of Earth’s surface environment in deep time.Read moreRead less
Hydrogen generation by subsurface iron mineral transformations. Aim
The aim of this project is to elucidate key factors responsible for natural hydrogen generation in Australian subsurface environments.
Significance
Large amounts of this valuable resource are produced naturally with estimates of production rates of this “gold” hydrogen at least 100 times the annual demand for this critical resource.
Expected Outcomes
Based on improved understanding of the source of natural hydrogen, predictive ....Hydrogen generation by subsurface iron mineral transformations. Aim
The aim of this project is to elucidate key factors responsible for natural hydrogen generation in Australian subsurface environments.
Significance
Large amounts of this valuable resource are produced naturally with estimates of production rates of this “gold” hydrogen at least 100 times the annual demand for this critical resource.
Expected Outcomes
Based on improved understanding of the source of natural hydrogen, predictive tools will be developed that will assist in assessing the viability in Australia of hydrogen exploration and engineered retrieval.
Benefits
Ready access to naturally produced hydrogen could enable Australia to replace hydrogen that is currently generated via the use of unabated hydrocarbons.Read moreRead less
Geochronology, Metallogenesis and Deposit Styles of Loei Foldbelt in Thailand and Laos PDR. The Loei volcanic-plutonic belt occurs in Thailand and Laos PDR between two major crustal terranes in mainland SE Asia: Shan-Thai in the west and Indochina terrane in the east. Several skarn type copper-gold and porphyry related epithermal gold deposits are distributed along the Loei belt, and yet these deposits are not well documented in the literature. Detailed metallogenic relations and evolution of th ....Geochronology, Metallogenesis and Deposit Styles of Loei Foldbelt in Thailand and Laos PDR. The Loei volcanic-plutonic belt occurs in Thailand and Laos PDR between two major crustal terranes in mainland SE Asia: Shan-Thai in the west and Indochina terrane in the east. Several skarn type copper-gold and porphyry related epithermal gold deposits are distributed along the Loei belt, and yet these deposits are not well documented in the literature. Detailed metallogenic relations and evolution of these mineral deposits are also poorly understood; it is not known whether they formed from single, long-lived intrusive-centred mineralised systems or multiple/episodic mineralised systems. Understanding the geotectonic and metallogenic relations of this belt have a direct benefit to Australian companies exploring in SE Asia, and the research results also can be applied back in Australia for exploration of Cu-Au deposits.Read moreRead less
Geologic, genetic and exploration implications of syndeformational, structurally-controlled, sediment-hosted copper deposits: investigation of the Mt Oxide deposit, Queensland. This project will use a multi-disciplinary approach to understand the geology, geochemistry and genesis of the syndeformational, structurally-controlled, sediment-hosted copper mineralisation at the Mt Oxide deposit, Queensland. Copper deposits, like Mt Oxide, are an important exploration target in sedimentary basins but ....Geologic, genetic and exploration implications of syndeformational, structurally-controlled, sediment-hosted copper deposits: investigation of the Mt Oxide deposit, Queensland. This project will use a multi-disciplinary approach to understand the geology, geochemistry and genesis of the syndeformational, structurally-controlled, sediment-hosted copper mineralisation at the Mt Oxide deposit, Queensland. Copper deposits, like Mt Oxide, are an important exploration target in sedimentary basins but their characteristics and formation are poorly understood. Discovery of further sediment-hosted Cu deposits is imperative as Australia's industrial competitivness in exploration and mining depends on the discovery of new ore depsoits. This project specifically addresses the need for better genetic and exploration models for copper deposits concealed within ancient, deformed sedimentary sequences in Australia and overseas.Read moreRead less
Origin and setting of Congolese-type Cu deposits. This project aims to understand the genesis of the giant sediment-hosted Cu ore deposits of the Congolese Copperbelt, and their relationship to the enclosing strata. We will use selected study areas within the correlative Neoproterozic basin successions in Australia, which are well exposed and covered by modern geoscientific datasets, as analogues for the poorly exposed Congolese system. Once this is achieved, we will combine the results with tho ....Origin and setting of Congolese-type Cu deposits. This project aims to understand the genesis of the giant sediment-hosted Cu ore deposits of the Congolese Copperbelt, and their relationship to the enclosing strata. We will use selected study areas within the correlative Neoproterozic basin successions in Australia, which are well exposed and covered by modern geoscientific datasets, as analogues for the poorly exposed Congolese system. Once this is achieved, we will combine the results with those of a previous ARC linkage project on the nearby Zambian Copperbelt, to provide the first integrated model of the worlds largest sedimentary Cu system.Read moreRead less
Tectonic geography of the world's oldest petroleum play, the McArthur Basin. This projects aims to develop a 4D tectonic geography framework to support the effective exploration of the McArthur Basin. This project will construct this by a) investigating the evolving tectonic setting, b) examining intra-basin correlations and trace the source to sink sediment provenance, c) unraveling the depositional geography using novel isotopic proxies, and, d) constructing the subsequent thermal history of ....Tectonic geography of the world's oldest petroleum play, the McArthur Basin. This projects aims to develop a 4D tectonic geography framework to support the effective exploration of the McArthur Basin. This project will construct this by a) investigating the evolving tectonic setting, b) examining intra-basin correlations and trace the source to sink sediment provenance, c) unraveling the depositional geography using novel isotopic proxies, and, d) constructing the subsequent thermal history of the basin. The techniques developed through this project will de-risk the exploration for petroleum in this basin, and be applicable in opening up Proterozoic petroleum elsewhere in Australia and internationally.Read moreRead less
The supergiant Olympic Dam uranium-copper-gold rare earth element ore deposit: towards a new genetic model. This project will be focused on temporal and spatial relationships between crustal and mantle rocks, melts and fluids, associated with development of the Olympic Dam uranium-copper-gold rare earth element ore deposit, the largest on the planet.