Multiscale dynamics of ore body formation. Future discoveries of giant ore-bodies will undoubtedly be under surface cover. Modelling of new data from South Australia and Western Australia will define targeting criteria for new major ore-bodies, thus exploiting Australia's deep earth resource potential. New understanding of controls on mineralisation decrease exploration risk. Ore-bodies, such as Olympic Dam, have made major contributions to Australia's economy over past decades and promise to ad ....Multiscale dynamics of ore body formation. Future discoveries of giant ore-bodies will undoubtedly be under surface cover. Modelling of new data from South Australia and Western Australia will define targeting criteria for new major ore-bodies, thus exploiting Australia's deep earth resource potential. New understanding of controls on mineralisation decrease exploration risk. Ore-bodies, such as Olympic Dam, have made major contributions to Australia's economy over past decades and promise to add increased value over future decades. This project enhances the probability that at least one other ore-body of this type will be discovered. Such discoveries contribute directly to the wealth of Australia through export earnings and accelerate the development of regional infrastructure and new technological development.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100053
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$190,000.00
Summary
An AZtec electron backscatter diffraction facility for state-of-the-art quantitative microstructural analysis. Establishing a state-of-the-art quantitative microstructural analysis facility will provide critical infrastructure to compliment existing high-spatial resolution microanalytical techniques and facilitate pure and applied research in the geoscience over the next decade.
Revisiting The Alpine Paradigm: The Role Of Inversion Cycles In The Evolution Of The European Alps. This project aims to evaluate a new theory that suggests mountain belts are repeatedly built and then destroyed, taking advantage of the youthful and classic natural laboratory offered by the European Alps. We will use geochronology, structural geology and metamorphic petrology to track individual rocks through time and space, and compare the results with predictions made by computer simulations. ....Revisiting The Alpine Paradigm: The Role Of Inversion Cycles In The Evolution Of The European Alps. This project aims to evaluate a new theory that suggests mountain belts are repeatedly built and then destroyed, taking advantage of the youthful and classic natural laboratory offered by the European Alps. We will use geochronology, structural geology and metamorphic petrology to track individual rocks through time and space, and compare the results with predictions made by computer simulations. The initiation of these episodes of immense destruction in mountain belts occurs at the same time as the creation of deep Earth resources. This project will, as its main outcome, provide the foundation for future theoretical understanding of these remarkable coincidences.Read moreRead less
Defining the multi-scale controls on high-grade gold mineralisation. This project aims to improve our understanding of how extremely high-grade gold occurrences form in order to further our understanding of metal transport and accumulation within the Earth’s crust. This project will generate new knowledge in the area of gold geochemistry using novel experimental programs, interdisciplinary approaches and by utilising advanced technologies. Expected outcomes of this project include reducing the ....Defining the multi-scale controls on high-grade gold mineralisation. This project aims to improve our understanding of how extremely high-grade gold occurrences form in order to further our understanding of metal transport and accumulation within the Earth’s crust. This project will generate new knowledge in the area of gold geochemistry using novel experimental programs, interdisciplinary approaches and by utilising advanced technologies. Expected outcomes of this project include reducing the unpredictability of high-grade gold occurrences that impact both production and exploration strategies. This project should benefit the mineral industry partners by helping to discover high grade gold resources which is of great benefit to Australia.Read moreRead less
Exploration potential and implications for stress transfer modelling in fault-related mineral deposits. Following our success in the application of stress transfer modelling (STM) techniques to understand the clustered distribution of upper crustal, Archean gold deposits within crustal scale fault systems, this project seeks to test and develop the application of STM in (1) gold systems formed below the crustal seismogenic regime, (2) for deposit-scale targeting, and (3) in a range of fault-re ....Exploration potential and implications for stress transfer modelling in fault-related mineral deposits. Following our success in the application of stress transfer modelling (STM) techniques to understand the clustered distribution of upper crustal, Archean gold deposits within crustal scale fault systems, this project seeks to test and develop the application of STM in (1) gold systems formed below the crustal seismogenic regime, (2) for deposit-scale targeting, and (3) in a range of fault-related mineral deposits other than Archaean gold systems. The project will also develop methods to evaluate the combined roles of co-seismic stress transfer and post-seismic fluid redistribution in influencing deposit distribution. The approach provides a new conceptual framework in which to develop exploration strategies for deep earth resources.Read moreRead less
Three-dimensional Bayesian Modelling of Geological and Geophysical data. The project aims to develop technologies enabling rapid informed decision-making related to the management of natural resources, including critical metals, copper and water. This new technology will support a greener future, securing our energy future, our access to clean water and reduce the mining footprint. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capability in interoperable, integrated three-dimensional geological and geop ....Three-dimensional Bayesian Modelling of Geological and Geophysical data. The project aims to develop technologies enabling rapid informed decision-making related to the management of natural resources, including critical metals, copper and water. This new technology will support a greener future, securing our energy future, our access to clean water and reduce the mining footprint. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capability in interoperable, integrated three-dimensional geological and geophysical modelling in order to predictively characterise sub-surface geology. The outcome will be an open-source forecasting dashboard enabling decision making while considering underlying risk related to resource extractions and management with significant benefits to the Australian society (lower emissions, clean water).Read moreRead less
Enabling three dimensional stochastic geological modelling. This project aims to develop technologies to mitigate three dimensional (3D) geological risk in resources management. This project expects to create new knowledge and methods in the field of 3D geological modelling through the innovative application of mathematical methods, structural geology concepts and probabilistic programming. The expected outcomes are an enhanced capability to model the subsurface, characterise model uncertainty a ....Enabling three dimensional stochastic geological modelling. This project aims to develop technologies to mitigate three dimensional (3D) geological risk in resources management. This project expects to create new knowledge and methods in the field of 3D geological modelling through the innovative application of mathematical methods, structural geology concepts and probabilistic programming. The expected outcomes are an enhanced capability to model the subsurface, characterise model uncertainty and test multiple geological scenarios. This enhanced capability is important for the future of Australia's subsurface management, including urban geology and our continuously growing sustainable resources industry.Read moreRead less
Integrated dynamic models of subduction initiation, slab evolution, arc - back-arc deformation and mantle convection. A major debate in plate tectonics concerns the driving mechanism for formation of extensional back-arc basins in the overriding plate along a convergent tectonic boundary, where a subducting plate is thrust into the mantle underneath an overriding plate. One hypothesis states that such extension results from sinking and rollback of the subducting plate. The physical validity of t ....Integrated dynamic models of subduction initiation, slab evolution, arc - back-arc deformation and mantle convection. A major debate in plate tectonics concerns the driving mechanism for formation of extensional back-arc basins in the overriding plate along a convergent tectonic boundary, where a subducting plate is thrust into the mantle underneath an overriding plate. One hypothesis states that such extension results from sinking and rollback of the subducting plate. The physical validity of this hypothesis will be tested using both laboratory and numerical modelling techniques. The modelling will investigate overriding plate - subducting plate - mantle interaction in three-dimensional space and quantify the role of key physical parameters on the subduction process.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.
Deformational controls on the dynamics of fluid flow, hydrothermal alteration and gold mineralisation, Argo Gold deposit, WA. Detailed structural analysis, combined with major and trace element geochemistry and stable isotope geochemistry, will be used to explore the 3D evolution of fluid pathways and their relationship to growth of shear zones, vein networks and alteration patterns in the Argo shear-hosted gold deposit. The research will be used to (1) maximise the efficiency of resource defini ....Deformational controls on the dynamics of fluid flow, hydrothermal alteration and gold mineralisation, Argo Gold deposit, WA. Detailed structural analysis, combined with major and trace element geochemistry and stable isotope geochemistry, will be used to explore the 3D evolution of fluid pathways and their relationship to growth of shear zones, vein networks and alteration patterns in the Argo shear-hosted gold deposit. The research will be used to (1) maximise the efficiency of resource definition and extraction, (2) refine resource exploration models, (3) explore the dynamics of gold mineralisation processes in shear zones, and (4) advance understanding of how coupling between deformation, fluid flow, and fluid-rock reaction influence the mechanical behaviour of the Earth's crust.Read moreRead less