Antarctic marine diatoms: Key to predicting the effects of global climate change on a temperature-sensitive ecosystem. This project aims to determine the effects of global climate change on Antarctic diatoms. Diatoms are a major component of the polar phytoplankton. They are sensitive to changes in their marine environment, detection of which is an essential part of the Antarctic climate change strategy. Understanding the environmental processes that cause natural variation in extant diatoms ....Antarctic marine diatoms: Key to predicting the effects of global climate change on a temperature-sensitive ecosystem. This project aims to determine the effects of global climate change on Antarctic diatoms. Diatoms are a major component of the polar phytoplankton. They are sensitive to changes in their marine environment, detection of which is an essential part of the Antarctic climate change strategy. Understanding the environmental processes that cause natural variation in extant diatoms will make it possible to reconstruct the response of fossil diatoms, preserved in marine sediments, to past climate change. This understanding is vital for predicting the effect of future anthropogenic warming on this ecosystem.Read moreRead less
Volcanology of voluminous felsic lavas. Eruptions of voluminous lavas (>100km3)have occurred throughout geological time but not in recorded human history. These lavas are a major part of very large volcanic areas that form the continents. Excellent examples have been identified in the Gawler Range Volcanics, South Australia. Little is known about the eruption mechanisms and yet these events are the key to understanding large-scale melting processes deep in the Earth and continent formation. This ....Volcanology of voluminous felsic lavas. Eruptions of voluminous lavas (>100km3)have occurred throughout geological time but not in recorded human history. These lavas are a major part of very large volcanic areas that form the continents. Excellent examples have been identified in the Gawler Range Volcanics, South Australia. Little is known about the eruption mechanisms and yet these events are the key to understanding large-scale melting processes deep in the Earth and continent formation. This research will use field data from one of the South Australian examples to constrain the nature and position of the source volcanic centre and to clarify outflow mechanisms.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 paradox of the E margin of the Australian plate, 120 - 45 Ma. Available geological evidence indicates that massive extension of continental crust occurred from 120-45 million years ago at the eastern margin of the Australian plate. In contrast, global plate movement models indicate that there was convergence between the Pacific and Australian plates, implying subduction and island arc magmatism. We propose a marine research expedition to dredge rocks from scarps of the submarine ridges ....Tectonic paradox of the E margin of the Australian plate, 120 - 45 Ma. Available geological evidence indicates that massive extension of continental crust occurred from 120-45 million years ago at the eastern margin of the Australian plate. In contrast, global plate movement models indicate that there was convergence between the Pacific and Australian plates, implying subduction and island arc magmatism. We propose a marine research expedition to dredge rocks from scarps of the submarine ridges east of Australia. Geochemical signatures and dating of the dredged rocks should elucidate the geological evolution of this region, improve our understanding of eastern Australian geology, and better define Australia's Maritime Jurisdiction Zone along the eastern seaboard.Read moreRead less
Unmixing in Magmas: Melt and Fluid Inclusion Constraints on Identity, Timing, and Evolution of Immiscible Fluids, Salt and Sulphide Melts. Much of the research proposed herein genuinely breaks new ground in both the fields of igneous petrology and ore deposit geology. It will contribute to Australia maintaining a leading role (as identified in "Towards 2005 - a prospectus for research and training in the Australian Earth sciences") in the burgeoning field of melt inclusion research, and serve as ....Unmixing in Magmas: Melt and Fluid Inclusion Constraints on Identity, Timing, and Evolution of Immiscible Fluids, Salt and Sulphide Melts. Much of the research proposed herein genuinely breaks new ground in both the fields of igneous petrology and ore deposit geology. It will contribute to Australia maintaining a leading role (as identified in "Towards 2005 - a prospectus for research and training in the Australian Earth sciences") in the burgeoning field of melt inclusion research, and serve as a training base for young researchers keen to learn the techniques and methodologies involved. The possible outcomes of the project are of wide interest to geoscientists, and may benefit the Australian economy in that they help to predict whether the magmas have experienced exsolution of a metal-rich fluid.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100047
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,000.00
Summary
Events through time: eruptions, extinctions, impacts, ore-bodies and orogenies - upgrading the national argon geochronology network. Nine universities and the CSIRO will replace aged and obsolete equipment with new mass spectrometers which will be strategically placed at opposite ends of our continent to improve access for Australian researchers to these instruments for which there is high demand. These instruments will allow more exact dating of events such as eruptions, impacts, climate change ....Events through time: eruptions, extinctions, impacts, ore-bodies and orogenies - upgrading the national argon geochronology network. Nine universities and the CSIRO will replace aged and obsolete equipment with new mass spectrometers which will be strategically placed at opposite ends of our continent to improve access for Australian researchers to these instruments for which there is high demand. These instruments will allow more exact dating of events such as eruptions, impacts, climate change, biological extinctions, mineral deposits and mountain building.Read moreRead less
PAST EAST ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET AND GLOBAL SEA-LEVEL VARIATIONS. Unique fossil-bearing, open marine sediments occur inland from the modern Antarctic coastline. These were deposited when a now-glaciated Antarctic basin became a marine embayment, during intervals of significantly reduced ice sheet volume and elevated global sea-level in the past. Urgent palaeontological, sedimentological and geochemical research on these sediments are vital to provide: directly datable in situ evidence for major i ....PAST EAST ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET AND GLOBAL SEA-LEVEL VARIATIONS. Unique fossil-bearing, open marine sediments occur inland from the modern Antarctic coastline. These were deposited when a now-glaciated Antarctic basin became a marine embayment, during intervals of significantly reduced ice sheet volume and elevated global sea-level in the past. Urgent palaeontological, sedimentological and geochemical research on these sediments are vital to provide: directly datable in situ evidence for major ice sheet retreat and global sea-level rise in the past; and quantifiable data concerning the environment during such events; an innovative opportunity to improve predictions of Antarctica's response to global warming and answer international debate about past Antarctic Ice Sheet stability.Read moreRead less
Genesis of platinum group element-rich, unconformity-style, hydrothermal mineral deposits, as inferred from a Northern Territory example. Mineral products currently provide a great deal of Australia's exports to international markets, and underpin much of our economy. However, Australia can only maintain this position through continued improvement of mineral discovery rates, particularly for high value, deep earth resources. This project aims to improve the likelihood of the discovery of higher ....Genesis of platinum group element-rich, unconformity-style, hydrothermal mineral deposits, as inferred from a Northern Territory example. Mineral products currently provide a great deal of Australia's exports to international markets, and underpin much of our economy. However, Australia can only maintain this position through continued improvement of mineral discovery rates, particularly for high value, deep earth resources. This project aims to improve the likelihood of the discovery of higher value hydrothermal orebodies. This will improve the value of mineral exports, raise exploration levels in some Australian provinces (thus stimulating economic activity in regional and industrial sectors), and help invigorate training within the geoscience arm of the university sector. Read moreRead less
New Insights into the Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth. This project aims to provide new insights into the origin of life on Earth, life’s diversification through the Precambrian, and the co-evolution of life and early Earth environments. It will be discipline-leading in that it will take the study of early life to the sub-micrometre and hence sub-cellular level. This will facilitate new opportunities for identifying the types of life present during early Earth history, their metabolisms, c ....New Insights into the Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth. This project aims to provide new insights into the origin of life on Earth, life’s diversification through the Precambrian, and the co-evolution of life and early Earth environments. It will be discipline-leading in that it will take the study of early life to the sub-micrometre and hence sub-cellular level. This will facilitate new opportunities for identifying the types of life present during early Earth history, their metabolisms, cellular chemistry and interactions with their environment. This project aims to also provide new search engines and more robust assessment criteria for life on other planets, and help to resolve specific scientific controversies, for example, the validity of claims for cellular life from 3.5 billion-year-old rocks.Read moreRead less