Roles of deep-Earth fluid cycling in the generation of intra-continental magmatism. This project aims to test a provocative and potentially ground-breaking hypothesis that fluid released from subducted oceanic slabs and stored in the mantle transition zone, may trigger or control some major intra-plate geotectonic phenomena. It aims to provide a self-consistent model that links geological processes occurring at plate boundaries with those far-field effects well away from plate boundaries via dee ....Roles of deep-Earth fluid cycling in the generation of intra-continental magmatism. This project aims to test a provocative and potentially ground-breaking hypothesis that fluid released from subducted oceanic slabs and stored in the mantle transition zone, may trigger or control some major intra-plate geotectonic phenomena. It aims to provide a self-consistent model that links geological processes occurring at plate boundaries with those far-field effects well away from plate boundaries via deep-Earth fluid cycling. The outcomes of this project aim to help to better understand links between plume and plate tectonic processes in the first-order dynamic system of Earth, and identify ways to improve success in future mineral exploration.Read moreRead less
Resolving the mystery of how rare earth elements are mobilised and concentrated in continental crust. Rare earth elements are regarded as the vitamins for modern industries and technologies. This project will investigate the geological processes that mobilise and concentrate these elements in the Earth's crust. The results will aid discovery of new ore deposits, which is essential to meet rapidly growing demand for these elements.
Subduction of elements with variable oxidation state: effects on the source of arc magmatism. This project will use studies of elements with variable oxidation state: iron; carbon and sulphur, to resolve key geological questions, enable better targeting of ore deposits and develop ways to aid the practicality of mineral sequestration of carbon dioxide.
Probing gold in hot ore fluids: experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. In order to efficiently discover vital new mineral resources for Australia, explorers must understand the fundamental controls on ore formation. The lack of data for soluble metal behaviour in hot fluids at high pressure is a significant impediment to our understanding of deposit formation and for the application of industrial processes, such as hydrometallurgy. This project will gain molecular-level understanding of ....Probing gold in hot ore fluids: experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. In order to efficiently discover vital new mineral resources for Australia, explorers must understand the fundamental controls on ore formation. The lack of data for soluble metal behaviour in hot fluids at high pressure is a significant impediment to our understanding of deposit formation and for the application of industrial processes, such as hydrometallurgy. This project will gain molecular-level understanding of the fundamental chemistry of gold transport and deposition in high temperature, high-pressure, carbon dioxide-rich fluids and gold colloid systems, using multiple novel experimental techniques and molecular dynamics simulations that make use of Australia’s cutting-edge experimental and computational facilities.Read moreRead less
Sea-level rise as a driver for arsenic mobilisation: unravelling the fundamental hydro-geochemical controls. This project will reveal the effects of rising sea-levels on arsenic mobilisation in vulnerable coastal lowlands. By resolving coupled interactions between tides and geochemistry, this project will provide the necessary knowledge platform to underpin management responses to protect sensitive estuarine and coastal waters.
Geological applications of synchrotron radiation: magmas, fluids, ores and minerals. This project will use the Australian synchrotron facility to study magmas and minerals to improve our understanding of the formation of ore-deposits and the evolution of the continents.
Understanding mineral reactivity using computer simulations at realistic pH. The results of fundamental environmental and technological processes such as the production of alumina and the management of mine wastes largely depend on careful controlling the conditions at which the chemical reactions occur. Throughout this project, atomistic simulations will be used to unravel the effects of pH on the stability of minerals and to improve our knowledge of the dissolution and re-precipitation mechani ....Understanding mineral reactivity using computer simulations at realistic pH. The results of fundamental environmental and technological processes such as the production of alumina and the management of mine wastes largely depend on careful controlling the conditions at which the chemical reactions occur. Throughout this project, atomistic simulations will be used to unravel the effects of pH on the stability of minerals and to improve our knowledge of the dissolution and re-precipitation mechanisms of these materials. A better understanding of the basic science underpinning minerals’ reactivity will eventually translate into the development of new technologies and contribute to helping Australia’s advancement in developing a sustainable future as well as environment preservation and remediation.Read moreRead less
Palaeoclimate reconstructions from the isotopic signatures of fossilised leaf waxes. This project develops a method for using the chemical signature of fossilised leaf waxes to reconstruct hydrologic change in south-eastern Australia during the Holocene (last 10,000 years) and Eocene (56-34 million years ago). Understanding climate in the geologic past is essential for testing models and projecting future climate with rising carbon dioxide.
A new approach to quantitative interpretation of paleoclimate archives. Skeletons of marine organisms can be used to reconstruct past climates and make predictions for the future. The precondition is the knowledge of how climatic and environmental information is incorporated into the biominerals. This project will use cutting-edge nano-analytical methods to further our understanding of how organisms build their skeletons.
Deep-sea coral ocean-climate records of the last glacial and recent eras. The project aims to predict the ocean carbon dioxide sink’s long-term capacity and future trajectories of global warming and increasing carbon dioxide. This project will use geochemical proxies encoded in the skeletons of deep-sea corals in the Perth Canyon, Tasman seas, and Antarctica, in the heart of the ocean-climate system, to reveal continuous long-term records of environmental change at annual-decadal resolution for ....Deep-sea coral ocean-climate records of the last glacial and recent eras. The project aims to predict the ocean carbon dioxide sink’s long-term capacity and future trajectories of global warming and increasing carbon dioxide. This project will use geochemical proxies encoded in the skeletons of deep-sea corals in the Perth Canyon, Tasman seas, and Antarctica, in the heart of the ocean-climate system, to reveal continuous long-term records of environmental change at annual-decadal resolution for our recent past (hundreds to thousands of years) and the Last Glacial Maximum. These records are expected to provide a more accurate understanding of Earth’s long-term responses to anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions and global warming.Read moreRead less