ARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems. Water is essential for human existence, indeed for life's beginning. The circulation of water between the surface and the deep interior lubricates the internal dynamics that keep Earth geologically alive; it is crucial to most Earth systems, including the evolution of the hydrospher/atmosphere/biosphere, and the development of giant ore deposits. However, the origin, abundance, speciation and movements of fluids inside Earth are largely u ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems. Water is essential for human existence, indeed for life's beginning. The circulation of water between the surface and the deep interior lubricates the internal dynamics that keep Earth geologically alive; it is crucial to most Earth systems, including the evolution of the hydrospher/atmosphere/biosphere, and the development of giant ore deposits. However, the origin, abundance, speciation and movements of fluids inside Earth are largely unknown, and represent key issues in modern geoscience. This CoE will integrate previously disparate fields - geology, tectonics, geochemistry, petrophysics, geophysics and dynamic modelling - to understand the workings of Earth's deep plumbing system.Read moreRead less
Tracking mass transport during metamorphism using in situ micro-analysis of minerals. The continental masses we inhabit developed in response to the colossal forces of plate tectonics. Through compression and heating, rocks of the crust can experience fluid loss or melting. Movement of these fluids or magmas can, among other things, impact on the heat budget of Earth, the carbon and water cycles and the formation of ores in the crust. This project will utilize state-of-the-art scientific instrum ....Tracking mass transport during metamorphism using in situ micro-analysis of minerals. The continental masses we inhabit developed in response to the colossal forces of plate tectonics. Through compression and heating, rocks of the crust can experience fluid loss or melting. Movement of these fluids or magmas can, among other things, impact on the heat budget of Earth, the carbon and water cycles and the formation of ores in the crust. This project will utilize state-of-the-art scientific instruments and methods to greatly improve our understanding of these issues, which, in turn, will enhance our knowledge of how the Earth's crust develops. Research training and development will be provided through two PhD projects supported through this project.Read moreRead less
Weathering on Mars and Australian Analogues: Developing Suitable Chronological Tools and Theoretical Approaches. The research outlined in this proposal will place Australia at the forefront of Mars exploration research. It will lead to the development of new approaches for the analysis of minerals formed by low temperature water-rock interaction and for the interpretation of geochronological results obtained from supergene minerals. The new analytical approaches developed in this project will ha ....Weathering on Mars and Australian Analogues: Developing Suitable Chronological Tools and Theoretical Approaches. The research outlined in this proposal will place Australia at the forefront of Mars exploration research. It will lead to the development of new approaches for the analysis of minerals formed by low temperature water-rock interaction and for the interpretation of geochronological results obtained from supergene minerals. The new analytical approaches developed in this project will have direct application in the study of the paleoclimatological and environmental evolution of Earth and Mars. It will also result in improved understanding of environmental and landscape evolution in Australia, helping to reach the objectives of an Environmentally Sustainable Australia, a national research priority.Read moreRead less
Rehabilitation strategies for metalliferous mine wastes using native metallophytes from Pb-Zn-Ag gossans, northwest Queensland. The global area covered with mine waste is in the order of 100 million hectares containing several 100,000 million tonnes of mine wastes. The long-term sustainable rehabilitation of metal mine sites is inhibited by our lack of knowledge of metal resistance and uptake by Australian native plants. This project will evaluate metallophytes naturally growing on metal-rich so ....Rehabilitation strategies for metalliferous mine wastes using native metallophytes from Pb-Zn-Ag gossans, northwest Queensland. The global area covered with mine waste is in the order of 100 million hectares containing several 100,000 million tonnes of mine wastes. The long-term sustainable rehabilitation of metal mine sites is inhibited by our lack of knowledge of metal resistance and uptake by Australian native plants. This project will evaluate metallophytes naturally growing on metal-rich soils, northwest Queensland, for their capabilities and revegetation potential when grown in mine wastes of the Cannington Ag-Pb-Zn mine. Outcomes will include practical, innovative methods of mine site rehabilitation that are low-cost and environmentally-friendly.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.
A microscopic and analytical study of extreme thermophile bacteria in simulated environments compared to organic matter in early Earth hydrothermal systems. The study will examine microbial cells and organic residues of cultured thermophilic archaea from simulated extreme environments in terms of temperature, pressure and mineral concentrations. These will be compared, applying observational and geochemical techniques to organic material in geologically earliest ecosystems. A novel approach will ....A microscopic and analytical study of extreme thermophile bacteria in simulated environments compared to organic matter in early Earth hydrothermal systems. The study will examine microbial cells and organic residues of cultured thermophilic archaea from simulated extreme environments in terms of temperature, pressure and mineral concentrations. These will be compared, applying observational and geochemical techniques to organic material in geologically earliest ecosystems. A novel approach will be adopted, of 'backtracking' changes occurring to cultured microbial cells towards their breakdown and disintegration (in contrast to the more common approach of simulating synthesis of organic compounds as a starting point towards structured functioning organisms), and their viability limits. The results of the study will be tested within the currently available theoretical models for the origin of life.Read moreRead less
The paleoenvironmental evolution of Earth and Mars. The project proposes to develop and apply high-resolution isotopic and geochemical techniques to measure the timing and intensity of water-rock interactions at the Earth’s surface throughout the geological past. Water–rock interactions shape the Earth’s landscape, determine the composition of surface and groundwater, produce the soils that sustain life, and buffer the composition of the atmosphere. Ultimately, the project aims to generate a tim ....The paleoenvironmental evolution of Earth and Mars. The project proposes to develop and apply high-resolution isotopic and geochemical techniques to measure the timing and intensity of water-rock interactions at the Earth’s surface throughout the geological past. Water–rock interactions shape the Earth’s landscape, determine the composition of surface and groundwater, produce the soils that sustain life, and buffer the composition of the atmosphere. Ultimately, the project aims to generate a time-calibrated and continuous continental paleoenvironmental record for key sites in the southern hemisphere, spanning from the Mesozoic to the present. Results from this study may allow us to quantify water–rock interactions on Earth, and may also be applicable to investigating the hydrological cycle on Mars.Read moreRead less
Unravelling the drivers of greenhouse gas emissions in estuaries. The aim of this project is to understand and quantify the factors controlling the emission of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide from estuaries. Coastal systems play a disproportionately large role in the global emissions of greenhouse gases, but this is poorly quantified. The project plans to use a combination of continuous concentration and stable isotope measurements, process measurements and advanced numerical modelling ....Unravelling the drivers of greenhouse gas emissions in estuaries. The aim of this project is to understand and quantify the factors controlling the emission of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide from estuaries. Coastal systems play a disproportionately large role in the global emissions of greenhouse gases, but this is poorly quantified. The project plans to use a combination of continuous concentration and stable isotope measurements, process measurements and advanced numerical modelling across a range of undisturbed to disturbed systems. It is intended that this project will provide information for conceptualising, calibrating and verifying models, including green-house gas production. Good models, and the data that support them, such as that provided by this study, are critical for the efficient allocation of management resources in Australian coastal systems, including by our partners. The findings from this project will have direct implications to the management, rehabilitation and protection of waterways (including biodiversity) in Australia.Read moreRead less
The importance of sediment denitrification in the nitrogen budget of the inshore wet tropics section of the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is a World Heritage Area that has significant ecological, economical and social values for the Australian (world) community. Nutrient over-enrichment (eutrophication) associated with runoff from adjacent catchments is a major threat to the GBR. This study will quantify what proportion of the terrestrial nitrogen load delivered to the ....The importance of sediment denitrification in the nitrogen budget of the inshore wet tropics section of the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is a World Heritage Area that has significant ecological, economical and social values for the Australian (world) community. Nutrient over-enrichment (eutrophication) associated with runoff from adjacent catchments is a major threat to the GBR. This study will quantify what proportion of the terrestrial nitrogen load delivered to the inshore wet tropics section of the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon is removed through sediment denitrification. Critical information for understanding the process of eutrophication in the GBR Lagoon that will be used by our Industry Partner in the management, rehabilitation and protection of the GBR.Read moreRead less
Environmental controls over Fe availability and transport in a forested coastal catchment. Iron is one of a number of elements that are mobilised in catchments, have recognised detrimental impacts to marine settings and are known to be nutrients for toxic cyanobacteria blooms. Knowledge of controls over distribution of Fe is important in catchment management and for sustainable forestry. The total catchment approach will result in an understanding of release and transport of Fe, and other heav ....Environmental controls over Fe availability and transport in a forested coastal catchment. Iron is one of a number of elements that are mobilised in catchments, have recognised detrimental impacts to marine settings and are known to be nutrients for toxic cyanobacteria blooms. Knowledge of controls over distribution of Fe is important in catchment management and for sustainable forestry. The total catchment approach will result in an understanding of release and transport of Fe, and other heavy metals. The outcomes of the study will enable useful comparison to coastal plantations elsewhere in Australia, and overseas. Determination of the relationship to rainfall and hydrological processes will enhance these comparisons plus consideration of climatic change.
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