A Multi-Isotope, Multi-Mineral Approach to Chronology of Deformation, Metamorphism and Gold Mineralisation in the Eastern Goldfields Province, Western Australia. Following recent research, an excellent framework is emerging for the evolution of the Eastern Goldfields Province. However, the weak link remaining is the precise timing of post-depositional geological events. The majority of available ages are equivocal because only single ?non-robust? isotope systems were used. This project will be t ....A Multi-Isotope, Multi-Mineral Approach to Chronology of Deformation, Metamorphism and Gold Mineralisation in the Eastern Goldfields Province, Western Australia. Following recent research, an excellent framework is emerging for the evolution of the Eastern Goldfields Province. However, the weak link remaining is the precise timing of post-depositional geological events. The majority of available ages are equivocal because only single ?non-robust? isotope systems were used. This project will be the first to take a multi-isotope and multi-mineral approach to constrain the temporal framework for the geological history of the Province. It will also provide an unequivocal guide to the robustness of the various isotopic methods and enable a careful reassessment of existing data and identification of appropriate methodology for future research.Read moreRead less
The Role of Water in Precambrian Ultramafic Magmatism: Insights from an In-Situ Microbeam and Nanobeam Assessment of Hydromagmatic Amphibole. Hydromagmatic amphibole in some Precambrian (>600 million years old) komatiites and other ultramafic rocks in Australia, Canada and Russia indicates >3% water in the parental magmas. This magmatic water could be crustal or mantle in origin. Constraints on the water source would profoundly impact concepts of Precambrian crustal evolution and water recycling ....The Role of Water in Precambrian Ultramafic Magmatism: Insights from an In-Situ Microbeam and Nanobeam Assessment of Hydromagmatic Amphibole. Hydromagmatic amphibole in some Precambrian (>600 million years old) komatiites and other ultramafic rocks in Australia, Canada and Russia indicates >3% water in the parental magmas. This magmatic water could be crustal or mantle in origin. Constraints on the water source would profoundly impact concepts of Precambrian crustal evolution and water recycling. The ultimate goal of this project is to provide constraints on the role of water in early Earth magmatism, through in situ microbeam and nanobeam analysis of the amphibole to produce an integrated trace element and isotopic dataset for geologically and chemically diverse types of Precambrian ultramafic rocks.Read moreRead less
Driving Mechanisms of Mountain Building in Accretionary Orogens. Accretionary mountain belts constitute major portions of the Earth's continental crust including the Yilgarn in Western Australia and the area east of Broken Hill constituting a third of the Australian land mass. Understanding the origin of the Permo-Triassic (300-230 Ma) mountain range that lay along the margin of Gondwana from Eastern Australia to South America will provide a new insight into our environment and stimulate interna ....Driving Mechanisms of Mountain Building in Accretionary Orogens. Accretionary mountain belts constitute major portions of the Earth's continental crust including the Yilgarn in Western Australia and the area east of Broken Hill constituting a third of the Australian land mass. Understanding the origin of the Permo-Triassic (300-230 Ma) mountain range that lay along the margin of Gondwana from Eastern Australia to South America will provide a new insight into our environment and stimulate international interest through collaboration amongst researchers around the world. Accretionary orogens are of economic importance as they host the Earth's major orogenic gold deposits and our work has potential to provide a new framework for linking mineralization and deformation events within these important settings.Read moreRead less
Geological controls on high-grade oreshoots in the Wallaby gold deposit, Western Australia: Understanding the role of magmatic fluids in an Orogenic Au system. This project aims to understand the geological controls on high-grade (>2 g/t Au) oreshoots at the world-class Wallaby gold deposit (>7 Moz Au). In particular, the role of magmatic fluids in the transport and deposition of gold will be investigated. The Wallaby gold deposit is an ideal natural laboratory to investigate the complex relatio ....Geological controls on high-grade oreshoots in the Wallaby gold deposit, Western Australia: Understanding the role of magmatic fluids in an Orogenic Au system. This project aims to understand the geological controls on high-grade (>2 g/t Au) oreshoots at the world-class Wallaby gold deposit (>7 Moz Au). In particular, the role of magmatic fluids in the transport and deposition of gold will be investigated. The Wallaby gold deposit is an ideal natural laboratory to investigate the complex relationship between the geometry and timing of faults, influx of multiple hydrothermal fluid events and the deposition of gold. In particular, the study will investigate the relative importance of intrusion-related, and fault zone-related events in the formation of high-grade ore shoots. The outcomes of this study will include a clear understanding about the timing and relative contribution of magmatic and fault zone related events and their significance to the formation and geometry of high-grade oreshoots.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775642
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
Stable isotope facility for biological, ecological, and geological applications - West Australian Biogeochemistry Centre. Stable isotope science underpins many disciplines of research, from forensic identification of sources of counterfeit money through to understanding the formation of gold and other mineral deposits. Stable isotope science also provides insights that will improve management of water and land resources, including the impacts of utilisation of groundwater, reducing gaseous emiss ....Stable isotope facility for biological, ecological, and geological applications - West Australian Biogeochemistry Centre. Stable isotope science underpins many disciplines of research, from forensic identification of sources of counterfeit money through to understanding the formation of gold and other mineral deposits. Stable isotope science also provides insights that will improve management of water and land resources, including the impacts of utilisation of groundwater, reducing gaseous emissions from land-use change and knowledge of food webs in marine systems. While a handful of laboratories utilise IRMS around Australia, equipment is fully utilised, outdated and limiting progress. A new IRMS will transform capabilities in WA and enhance projects in terrestrial and marine ecology, ecosystem science and geochemistry of mineral deposits. Read moreRead less
Evaluating a biogeochemical mechanism for soil anomaly formation using diffusive thin-film samplers in geochemical exploration. We expect to develop new and effective technology for geochemical exploration for gold and base metals. This technology will take the form of: (i) increased understanding of, and a new conceptual model for, biogeochemical formation of soil geochemical anomalies in transported overburden; (ii) new chemical analysis techniques for soils and groundwater in mineralised area ....Evaluating a biogeochemical mechanism for soil anomaly formation using diffusive thin-film samplers in geochemical exploration. We expect to develop new and effective technology for geochemical exploration for gold and base metals. This technology will take the form of: (i) increased understanding of, and a new conceptual model for, biogeochemical formation of soil geochemical anomalies in transported overburden; (ii) new chemical analysis techniques for soils and groundwater in mineralised areas. Improved models for anomaly formation will provide a clearer frame work for exploration in terrain under transported cover. New methodology has the potential to enhance anomaly detection for buried mineralisation, especially if the anomaly has formed biogeochemically.Read moreRead less