Chronostratigraphic and tectonothermal history of the northern Capricorn Orogen: constructing a geological framework for understanding mineral systems. The application of innovative age dating techniques with field mapping and a new deep seismic survey across the Capricorn Orogen by this project will help construct a vastly improved geological framework for understanding large mineral systems. Outcomes of this project will reduce uncertainty and risk in exploration, thereby improving the discove ....Chronostratigraphic and tectonothermal history of the northern Capricorn Orogen: constructing a geological framework for understanding mineral systems. The application of innovative age dating techniques with field mapping and a new deep seismic survey across the Capricorn Orogen by this project will help construct a vastly improved geological framework for understanding large mineral systems. Outcomes of this project will reduce uncertainty and risk in exploration, thereby improving the discovery rate of natural resources.Read moreRead less
Pyrite: a deep-time capsule of ocean chemistry and atmosphere oxidation. Surprisingly little is known about trace element trends in past oceans, even though these data are vital for interpreting the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere, evolutionary pathways of marine life and cycles of major mineral deposits. Using laser-based analysis of sedimentary pyrite in deep marine rocks, this project aims to produce, for the first time, temporal variation curves for 25 trace elements in seawater over the ....Pyrite: a deep-time capsule of ocean chemistry and atmosphere oxidation. Surprisingly little is known about trace element trends in past oceans, even though these data are vital for interpreting the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere, evolutionary pathways of marine life and cycles of major mineral deposits. Using laser-based analysis of sedimentary pyrite in deep marine rocks, this project aims to produce, for the first time, temporal variation curves for 25 trace elements in seawater over the last 3.5 billion years. Preliminary research has validated the technique and demonstrated major changes in certain trace elements over geologically short periods. Outcomes will assist the minerals industry in the discovery of new deposits of zinc, copper, gold and iron ore in Australia.Read moreRead less
Four dimensional lithospheric evolution and controls on mineral system distribution in Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic terranes. This project will resolve important questions about the links between the evolution and preservation of continents and important mineral deposits in Australia and West Africa between 2.7 and 1.8 billion years ago. The results will improve the understanding of a key period of Earth history and make a major contribution to mineral exploration.
Earth's best-preserved Archean boninites: do they finally resolve the Archean mantle plume - plate tectonics controversy? Subduction typically starts on the modern Earth with the eruption of chemically distinctive rocks known as boninites. This project will study remarkably well preserved 2.85 billion year old boninites from Western Australia that may finally establish whether modern-style plate tectonics operated in the first half of Earth's history.
Evolution of sub-arc mantle oxidation state over Earth’s history. This project aims to determine how the oxidation state of the Earth's mantle has changed throughout geologic history in response to recycling of sulfur, carbon and iron though subduction zones, and how this has influenced mineral deposit formation. The expected outcome is a holistic model that ties evolution of the Earth's biosphere to geochemical changes in the deep Earth that control mineral deposit formation. By improving our u ....Evolution of sub-arc mantle oxidation state over Earth’s history. This project aims to determine how the oxidation state of the Earth's mantle has changed throughout geologic history in response to recycling of sulfur, carbon and iron though subduction zones, and how this has influenced mineral deposit formation. The expected outcome is a holistic model that ties evolution of the Earth's biosphere to geochemical changes in the deep Earth that control mineral deposit formation. By improving our understanding of how, where, when and why mineral deposits formed, this project should provide improvements in mineral exploration strategy, and thus benefits to Australia's economy.Read moreRead less
Where to find giant porphyry and epithermal gold and copper deposits. This project will determine when and where giant gold or copper deposits should form, consolidating links with Indonesia, and using South East Asia as a vast natural laboratory in which to examine the effect of large-scale tectonic processes. The project will produce a four-dimensional virtual exploration toolkit to show how to apply the methods.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210101126
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$416,419.00
Summary
Stability of accessory minerals during low temperature geological processes. The project aims to improve Australia’s ability to discover mineral deposits beneath sedimentary basins by determining whether detrital accessory minerals in sedimentary basins can be an effective exploration tool. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the stability of detrital accessory minerals in the sedimentary cycle using observations from natural rocks and laboratory experiments. Expected outcomes incl ....Stability of accessory minerals during low temperature geological processes. The project aims to improve Australia’s ability to discover mineral deposits beneath sedimentary basins by determining whether detrital accessory minerals in sedimentary basins can be an effective exploration tool. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the stability of detrital accessory minerals in the sedimentary cycle using observations from natural rocks and laboratory experiments. Expected outcomes include an assessment of the accessory minerals that are best suited to exploration vectoring studies in sedimentary basins. This should provide significant benefits to government and industry by improving mineral exploration methods and also has implications for geochronology and provenance studies.Read moreRead less
The copper-gold fertility of mountain belts. This project aims to identify the timing of, and understand the causes of, sulphide saturation in granitic suites to test the hypothesis that sulphide saturation controls the fertility of copper-gold deposits. More than half of the world’s copper and gold comes from granitic rocks, but most granitic suites are barren. As copper-gold deposits become increasingly difficult to find, and exploration budgets have been slashed, it is critical to reliably di ....The copper-gold fertility of mountain belts. This project aims to identify the timing of, and understand the causes of, sulphide saturation in granitic suites to test the hypothesis that sulphide saturation controls the fertility of copper-gold deposits. More than half of the world’s copper and gold comes from granitic rocks, but most granitic suites are barren. As copper-gold deposits become increasingly difficult to find, and exploration budgets have been slashed, it is critical to reliably distinguish ore bearing from barren systems. Platinum group element geochemistry could make this distinction by pinpointing the timing of sulphide saturation in evolving magma systems. Eliminating barren suites as exploration targets will save Australia’s exploration dollars which can be directed to where the prospects of success are greatest.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101190
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,259.00
Summary
The role of hydrostatic pressure in modulating submarine silicic eruptions. Exploration on the modern seafloor reveals the deposits of deep (greater than 1 000 metres) silicic explosive eruptions, yet theory predicts that explosivity at these depths is largely suppressed. In 2012 the largest and deepest silicic submarine explosive eruption ever recorded took place at depths up to 1 600 metres, also challenging this theory. This project leverages a United States of America research expedition to ....The role of hydrostatic pressure in modulating submarine silicic eruptions. Exploration on the modern seafloor reveals the deposits of deep (greater than 1 000 metres) silicic explosive eruptions, yet theory predicts that explosivity at these depths is largely suppressed. In 2012 the largest and deepest silicic submarine explosive eruption ever recorded took place at depths up to 1 600 metres, also challenging this theory. This project leverages a United States of America research expedition to the eruption site. This project aims to constrain the physical and chemical factors that control explosivity using cutting-edge technologies. Australia's ancient submarine volcanoes host highly economic ore deposits. This project aims to enhance the ability to interpret ancient volcanic settings, thereby improving the potential for new ore deposit discoveries.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100114
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Nanoscale Characterisation Centre WA analytical electron microscope facility. This analytical facility for Western Australia will provide researchers with much needed access to new electron microscope instrumentation. The facility will support major research efforts in key disciplines, including minerals and mining, energy, engineering, nanotechnology, medical science, forensics, agriculture and animal science.