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
Identifying the secular evolution of chemical heterogeneity in the mantle as probed by deep mantle plumes. This project aims to focus on modes and timescales of melting associated with deep mantle plumes. These melts form massive magmatic bodies and volcanic flood basalt provinces throughout Earth’s history and record the secular chemical evolution of the Earth’s mantle. Selective igneous bodies contain high-grade noble metal deposits and coincide with global mass extinction linked to anoxic oce ....Identifying the secular evolution of chemical heterogeneity in the mantle as probed by deep mantle plumes. This project aims to focus on modes and timescales of melting associated with deep mantle plumes. These melts form massive magmatic bodies and volcanic flood basalt provinces throughout Earth’s history and record the secular chemical evolution of the Earth’s mantle. Selective igneous bodies contain high-grade noble metal deposits and coincide with global mass extinction linked to anoxic ocean events in response to atmospheric volcanic pollution. This project aims to provide knowledge of planetary surface evolution in response to mantle dynamics, place constraints on enrichment processes of metals in ore quality in plume-derived melts, and may help understandings of the relation between massive volcanic eruptions and climate variability.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775533
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$700,000.00
Summary
A New Generation Noble Gas Mass Spectrometer Facility for Advanced Research in the Earth, Planetary and Environmental Sciences. The current proposal, to establish a new Noble Gas Analytical Consortium for noble gas chronological and geochemical analyses, will generate new knowledge on the evolution of the Earth, with profound implications for past climate change, landscape evolution, formation of ore bodies, and terrestrial geodynamics. Consequently, the facility will conform to the National Res ....A New Generation Noble Gas Mass Spectrometer Facility for Advanced Research in the Earth, Planetary and Environmental Sciences. The current proposal, to establish a new Noble Gas Analytical Consortium for noble gas chronological and geochemical analyses, will generate new knowledge on the evolution of the Earth, with profound implications for past climate change, landscape evolution, formation of ore bodies, and terrestrial geodynamics. Consequently, the facility will conform to the National Research Priority of 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia'. The new facility will ensure that Australian research remains at the forefront of international science development and will also provide essential training for the next generation of Australian scientists.Read moreRead less
From Synchrotron Characterisation of Single Fluid Inclusions to Archaean Geodynamics: An Integrated Study of Fluid-Rock Interaction in the Primitive Crust. In the primitive Earth, a wide range of phenomena including the initiation of biological activity and the formation of ore deposits were related to the mobilisation of mineralised fluids through the crust. In the Archaean craton of the Pilbara (WA), we have identified, within its tectonic framework, a crustal-scale plumbing system that channe ....From Synchrotron Characterisation of Single Fluid Inclusions to Archaean Geodynamics: An Integrated Study of Fluid-Rock Interaction in the Primitive Crust. In the primitive Earth, a wide range of phenomena including the initiation of biological activity and the formation of ore deposits were related to the mobilisation of mineralised fluids through the crust. In the Archaean craton of the Pilbara (WA), we have identified, within its tectonic framework, a crustal-scale plumbing system that channelled large volumes of mineralised hydrothermal solutions. Our objective is to understand the development of this plumbing system in relation to Archaean crustal geodynamics using a combination of structural geology, metamorphic petrology, geochronology, geochemistry, and the analysis of single-fluid inclusion using synchrotron and other X-ray sources.Read moreRead less
Global Scale Cycling of Noble Gases and Halogens. A novel approach for combined measurement of halogens and noble gases will be used to provide the first constraints on the concentrations of these elements in key reservoirs within subduction zones. The data will revolutionise our understanding of how noble gases and halogens transfer between the Earth's atmosphere and mantle, which has profound implications for our planet's origin and evolution. In addition, the study will provide practical info ....Global Scale Cycling of Noble Gases and Halogens. A novel approach for combined measurement of halogens and noble gases will be used to provide the first constraints on the concentrations of these elements in key reservoirs within subduction zones. The data will revolutionise our understanding of how noble gases and halogens transfer between the Earth's atmosphere and mantle, which has profound implications for our planet's origin and evolution. In addition, the study will provide practical information about how economically important hydrothermal ore deposits form on the seafloor and it will test models for orogenic gold mineralisation. Read moreRead less
Nature's mechanisms for leaching and remobilising metals. This project aims to understand the chemical and physical processes that govern reactive transport and metal scavenging in rocky environments. Much of Australia's mineral wealth is the result of the interaction of warm fluids with rocks deep in the Earth over geological timescales. The formation of ore deposits is governed by the physical chemistry of mineral dissolution and crystallisation, and by fluid flow through porous rocks and frac ....Nature's mechanisms for leaching and remobilising metals. This project aims to understand the chemical and physical processes that govern reactive transport and metal scavenging in rocky environments. Much of Australia's mineral wealth is the result of the interaction of warm fluids with rocks deep in the Earth over geological timescales. The formation of ore deposits is governed by the physical chemistry of mineral dissolution and crystallisation, and by fluid flow through porous rocks and fractures. This project integrates innovation in geology, chemistry, and mineral engineering, and will deliver mineral-scale reaction models that will increase efficiency of in-situ mining and leaching technologies. Knowledge generated can be applied to improve mineral exploration, mining, and processing, contributing to unlocking billions of dollars’ worth of resources tied up in low grade, mineralogically complex ores.Read moreRead less
Prospectivity of late Archean basaltic and gabbroic rocks associated with major gold and base-metal deposits. This project will establish a new set of criteria for the discovery of hidden deposits of gold, lead, zinc, copper and silver in rock aged between 2.8 and 2.6 billion years old. In 2009, the mining of these deposits contributed $5.5 billion dollars to Australia’s export earnings and provided the financial backbone for many regional communities.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100087
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Enabling future technology by building light element analysis capability: a light element optimised ultra-high resolution electron microprobe. The capability to characterise the chemistry of materials at very small scales is critical for geologists, metallurgists and materials scientists. The new instrument is world-leading technology that will enable analysis of light element-rich materials at extremely high resolution (< 50 nanometers) with very low detection limits.
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH130200012
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,748,358.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). This Research Hub aims to undertake simultaneous modelling of deep Earth and surface processes, spanning basin scales to individual sediment grains. The Hub will develop and apply cutting-edge basin simulation approaches to transform the seeding and testing of basin exploration models, extending their viability to complex, ....ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). This Research Hub aims to undertake simultaneous modelling of deep Earth and surface processes, spanning basin scales to individual sediment grains. The Hub will develop and apply cutting-edge basin simulation approaches to transform the seeding and testing of basin exploration models, extending their viability to complex, inaccessible remote and deep exploration targets. The Hub will fuse multidimensional data into five dimensional basin models (space and time, with uncertainty estimates) by coupling the evolution of mantle flow, crustal deformation, erosion and sedimentary processes, achieving a quantum leap in basin modelling and petroleum systems analysis.Read moreRead less
Rich Cousin, Poor Cousin - What Controls the Formation and Size of Orogenic Gold Deposits? What are the geological and geochemical factors that control the formation and size of gold deposits in Phanerozoic mountain belts (?orogens?)? The answer to this question lies in a combination of methods we will use to establish the importance of source, absolute timing of mineralisation, genetic links to magmas, and geochemical processes that result in the transport, and deposition of gold in three separ ....Rich Cousin, Poor Cousin - What Controls the Formation and Size of Orogenic Gold Deposits? What are the geological and geochemical factors that control the formation and size of gold deposits in Phanerozoic mountain belts (?orogens?)? The answer to this question lies in a combination of methods we will use to establish the importance of source, absolute timing of mineralisation, genetic links to magmas, and geochemical processes that result in the transport, and deposition of gold in three separate, geologically young orogens. The wider implications of this research include a greatly improved understanding of lesser known Phanerozoic orogenic gold provinces, ore genesis at convergent plate margins, and the formation of gold deposits in older terrains.Read moreRead less