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Evolution of sub-arc mantle oxidation state over Earth’s history. This project aims to determine how the oxidation state of the Earth's mantle has changed throughout geologic history in response to recycling of sulfur, carbon and iron though subduction zones, and how this has influenced mineral deposit formation. The expected outcome is a holistic model that ties evolution of the Earth's biosphere to geochemical changes in the deep Earth that control mineral deposit formation. By improving our u ....Evolution of sub-arc mantle oxidation state over Earth’s history. This project aims to determine how the oxidation state of the Earth's mantle has changed throughout geologic history in response to recycling of sulfur, carbon and iron though subduction zones, and how this has influenced mineral deposit formation. The expected outcome is a holistic model that ties evolution of the Earth's biosphere to geochemical changes in the deep Earth that control mineral deposit formation. By improving our understanding of how, where, when and why mineral deposits formed, this project should provide improvements in mineral exploration strategy, and thus benefits to Australia's economy.Read moreRead less
Finding Porphyry Copper with zircon trace elements & hyperspectral display. Copper mine discovery rates lag behind world needs. One way to find copper in the World’s Ring of Fire is to measure compositions of zircons which are durable minerals concentrated in stream sands and spreadout long distances below a deposit. 100s of zircon from a cup of sand constitute a sample. Zircon chemical features that indicate possible mines are mostly understood, but nature is complicated. Beyond the 26 channel ....Finding Porphyry Copper with zircon trace elements & hyperspectral display. Copper mine discovery rates lag behind world needs. One way to find copper in the World’s Ring of Fire is to measure compositions of zircons which are durable minerals concentrated in stream sands and spreadout long distances below a deposit. 100s of zircon from a cup of sand constitute a sample. Zircon chemical features that indicate possible mines are mostly understood, but nature is complicated. Beyond the 26 channels of chemical data for each grain in the 10,000s of analyses, there are 7 layers of lab imaging data that are not carried along in a convenient way. Geologists need smart computer systems to find useful relationships among the 33 channels and to discover relations within and between samples to find more mineable copper. Read moreRead less
Earth's best-preserved Archean boninites: do they finally resolve the Archean mantle plume - plate tectonics controversy? Subduction typically starts on the modern Earth with the eruption of chemically distinctive rocks known as boninites. This project will study remarkably well preserved 2.85 billion year old boninites from Western Australia that may finally establish whether modern-style plate tectonics operated in the first half of Earth's history.
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
The copper-gold fertility of mountain belts. This project aims to identify the timing of, and understand the causes of, sulphide saturation in granitic suites to test the hypothesis that sulphide saturation controls the fertility of copper-gold deposits. More than half of the world’s copper and gold comes from granitic rocks, but most granitic suites are barren. As copper-gold deposits become increasingly difficult to find, and exploration budgets have been slashed, it is critical to reliably di ....The copper-gold fertility of mountain belts. This project aims to identify the timing of, and understand the causes of, sulphide saturation in granitic suites to test the hypothesis that sulphide saturation controls the fertility of copper-gold deposits. More than half of the world’s copper and gold comes from granitic rocks, but most granitic suites are barren. As copper-gold deposits become increasingly difficult to find, and exploration budgets have been slashed, it is critical to reliably distinguish ore bearing from barren systems. Platinum group element geochemistry could make this distinction by pinpointing the timing of sulphide saturation in evolving magma systems. Eliminating barren suites as exploration targets will save Australia’s exploration dollars which can be directed to where the prospects of success are greatest.Read moreRead less
The new granite-gold connection. A new granite-gold connection has been recognized by the research team. This exciting breakthrough has challenged traditional concepts concerning the formation of gold deposits. Globally such deposits constitute a major economic resource (>50M.oz.), however, to find more granite-related gold we need to fully understand key issues regarding their genesis and their relationship to other granite and non-granite related deposit types. We propose to study occurrences ....The new granite-gold connection. A new granite-gold connection has been recognized by the research team. This exciting breakthrough has challenged traditional concepts concerning the formation of gold deposits. Globally such deposits constitute a major economic resource (>50M.oz.), however, to find more granite-related gold we need to fully understand key issues regarding their genesis and their relationship to other granite and non-granite related deposit types. We propose to study occurrences in the Hodgkinson Province of North Queensland, and compare this region with other granite-gold terranes in order to assess the critical ingredients in granite-gold formation. Outcomes will enhance our ability to find new gold deposits.Read moreRead less
Experimental constraints on the genesis of gold-rich ore deposits. The project will provide a new set of tools to explore for gold-rich ore deposits in Australia and globally. By integrating geochemical studies with cutting-edge experiments carried out at three Australian universities in strategic partnership with industry, the outcomes of this project will provide much needed knowledge to predict the locations of large gold-rich deposits that are concealed beneath vast expanses of the Australia ....Experimental constraints on the genesis of gold-rich ore deposits. The project will provide a new set of tools to explore for gold-rich ore deposits in Australia and globally. By integrating geochemical studies with cutting-edge experiments carried out at three Australian universities in strategic partnership with industry, the outcomes of this project will provide much needed knowledge to predict the locations of large gold-rich deposits that are concealed beneath vast expanses of the Australian continent. The new results will translate into smarter exploration practice, significantly enhancing success in targeting ore deposits that are rich in high-value metal and display the smallest have a small environmental footprint, to underpin the sustainability of our nation into the future.
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Chronostratigraphic and tectonothermal history of the northern Capricorn Orogen: constructing a geological framework for understanding mineral systems. The application of innovative age dating techniques with field mapping and a new deep seismic survey across the Capricorn Orogen by this project will help construct a vastly improved geological framework for understanding large mineral systems. Outcomes of this project will reduce uncertainty and risk in exploration, thereby improving the discove ....Chronostratigraphic and tectonothermal history of the northern Capricorn Orogen: constructing a geological framework for understanding mineral systems. The application of innovative age dating techniques with field mapping and a new deep seismic survey across the Capricorn Orogen by this project will help construct a vastly improved geological framework for understanding large mineral systems. Outcomes of this project will reduce uncertainty and risk in exploration, thereby improving the discovery rate of natural resources.Read moreRead less
The supergiant Olympic Dam uranium-copper-gold rare earth element ore deposit: towards a new genetic model. This project will be focused on temporal and spatial relationships between crustal and mantle rocks, melts and fluids, associated with development of the Olympic Dam uranium-copper-gold rare earth element ore deposit, the largest on the planet.
A mineral systems analysis of Australia's largest gold producing deposit: Sunrise Dam Gold Mine, Western Australia. This project will augment existing mineral resources at Australia's largest current gold producing mine, and guide exploration for additional resources in the surrounding district. By understanding the genesis of this exceptional deposit, the study will spawn a new set of targeting criteria that can be used to explore for other world-class deposits in Western Australia and similar ....A mineral systems analysis of Australia's largest gold producing deposit: Sunrise Dam Gold Mine, Western Australia. This project will augment existing mineral resources at Australia's largest current gold producing mine, and guide exploration for additional resources in the surrounding district. By understanding the genesis of this exceptional deposit, the study will spawn a new set of targeting criteria that can be used to explore for other world-class deposits in Western Australia and similar geological terranes throughout the world. In the context of high and rising gold prices, the project has the potential to generate billion dollar revenues and substantial employment, and it will deliver advanced training at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Read moreRead less