Exploring the Hadean Earth. This research spotlights a globally unique Australian natural resource that preserves the most detailed record of how our planet worked during its formative stages. The project showcases Australian scientific and technical leadership in a field of widespread interest, aids in capturing the imagination of young people considering a career in science and technology, provides training opportunities for young scientists, and enhances the international visibility and pres ....Exploring the Hadean Earth. This research spotlights a globally unique Australian natural resource that preserves the most detailed record of how our planet worked during its formative stages. The project showcases Australian scientific and technical leadership in a field of widespread interest, aids in capturing the imagination of young people considering a career in science and technology, provides training opportunities for young scientists, and enhances the international visibility and prestige of Australian science.Read moreRead less
A Mission to Very Early Earth: When Did Conditions Suitable for Life Emerge on Earth? A uniquely Australian resource - 4.4-4.1 Ga detrital zircons from the Jack Hills (WA) - represent the only tangible record of the Hadean Eon (4.5-4.0 Ga) and potentially contain information regarding the origin of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, continental lithosphere, geodynamo, and perhaps even life, during the earliest stages of Earth evolution. Following age characterization of 100,000 zircons, experiments in ....A Mission to Very Early Earth: When Did Conditions Suitable for Life Emerge on Earth? A uniquely Australian resource - 4.4-4.1 Ga detrital zircons from the Jack Hills (WA) - represent the only tangible record of the Hadean Eon (4.5-4.0 Ga) and potentially contain information regarding the origin of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, continental lithosphere, geodynamo, and perhaps even life, during the earliest stages of Earth evolution. Following age characterization of 100,000 zircons, experiments involving short-lived nuclear chronometers and tracers of continental evolution (Hf and O isotopes) will be undertaken on the most ancient zircons that could both radically our paradigm for early planetary evolution and permit assessment of whether life emerged during the Hadean Eon.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100582
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,000.00
Summary
Unlocking Rare Earth Elements from the Earth Crust. This project will explore the mechanisms controlling the mobility of Rare Earth Elements (REE) in natural and engineered hydrothermal systems. The project will generate essential geochemical and thermodynamic data of important REE host minerals, and thereby significantly improve our capacity to quantify the behaviour of REE during complex ore-forming and hydrometallurgical processes. The anticipated outcomes include: facilitate discovery of new ....Unlocking Rare Earth Elements from the Earth Crust. This project will explore the mechanisms controlling the mobility of Rare Earth Elements (REE) in natural and engineered hydrothermal systems. The project will generate essential geochemical and thermodynamic data of important REE host minerals, and thereby significantly improve our capacity to quantify the behaviour of REE during complex ore-forming and hydrometallurgical processes. The anticipated outcomes include: facilitate discovery of new REE deposits by improving understanding of their formation; and facilitate optimisation and development of innovative techniques for REE ore processing. This knowledge and expertise will help Australia to become a world leader in supplying REE for the transition to a carbon-neutral economy.Read moreRead less
Carbothermal solid state reduction of manganese ore in hydrogen atmosphere. The aim of the project is to establish mechanisms of solid-state reduction of manganese ore by carbon in hydrogen and effects of gas atmosphere and other operation parameters on the reduction rate. The project will examine carbothermal reduction of manganese ore in hydrogen, helium and argon at different temperatures, ore compositions and sizes. The project's outcomes will be the reduction extent, rate and mechanisms. Th ....Carbothermal solid state reduction of manganese ore in hydrogen atmosphere. The aim of the project is to establish mechanisms of solid-state reduction of manganese ore by carbon in hydrogen and effects of gas atmosphere and other operation parameters on the reduction rate. The project will examine carbothermal reduction of manganese ore in hydrogen, helium and argon at different temperatures, ore compositions and sizes. The project's outcomes will be the reduction extent, rate and mechanisms. They will be used to assess the feasibility of solid-state reduction technology. This will be of importance to Australian manganese industry.Read moreRead less
Alternative technology for titanium tetrachloride: production and chlorination of titanium oxycarbonitride. The proposed project targets alternative cost-efficient technology for titanium tetrachloride, which is an intermediate product in production of titanium metal and titania pigment. More efficient technology for processing of titanium minerals will strengthen the position of Australia in the titanium industry at a global level. It has a potential to enhance Australia capacity to exploit nic ....Alternative technology for titanium tetrachloride: production and chlorination of titanium oxycarbonitride. The proposed project targets alternative cost-efficient technology for titanium tetrachloride, which is an intermediate product in production of titanium metal and titania pigment. More efficient technology for processing of titanium minerals will strengthen the position of Australia in the titanium industry at a global level. It has a potential to enhance Australia capacity to exploit niche markets for titanium dioxide white pigment and titanium metal, enabling Australia to capitalise on its huge mineral sands resource, rich in ilmenite and rutile. The project will also contribute to the theory of metallurgical processes, particularly to the gas-solid reactions in the reduction, carburisation, nitridation and chlorination processes. Read moreRead less
Alternative processing of titanium minerals: carburisation and chlorination of rutile and ilmenite. Australia produces about 40% of the world's stocks of ilmenite and 25% of rutile, which are used as raw materials for the titanium industry. Current methods for processing these minerals into pigment titanium dioxide and metallic titanium are complex, expensive and produce by-products that are environmentally dangerous. The project will study titania reduction from rutile and ilmenites to oxycarbi ....Alternative processing of titanium minerals: carburisation and chlorination of rutile and ilmenite. Australia produces about 40% of the world's stocks of ilmenite and 25% of rutile, which are used as raw materials for the titanium industry. Current methods for processing these minerals into pigment titanium dioxide and metallic titanium are complex, expensive and produce by-products that are environmentally dangerous. The project will study titania reduction from rutile and ilmenites to oxycarbides and reactions of chlorination of titanium oxycarbide. The aim is to establish fundamentals of titanium carburisation/chlorination processes and to assess their potential for processing of titanium minerals more efficiently. Outcomes will include reaction kinetics and mechanisms of reduction/carburisation and chlorination reactions, constraints and optimal conditions for carburisation/chlorination process.Read moreRead less
Distribution and origin of 4 billion-year-old zircons from Western Australia: Implications for the early history of the earth and moom. We aim to determine the distribution and origin of >4 billion year old (Ga) zircons in rocks from north-western Western Australia, using geological mapping, mineralogical and chemical techniques and SHRIMP zircon geochronology. The >4Ga zircons are the oldest known crustal material, and the only material which can give direct information on the earliest evoluti ....Distribution and origin of 4 billion-year-old zircons from Western Australia: Implications for the early history of the earth and moom. We aim to determine the distribution and origin of >4 billion year old (Ga) zircons in rocks from north-western Western Australia, using geological mapping, mineralogical and chemical techniques and SHRIMP zircon geochronology. The >4Ga zircons are the oldest known crustal material, and the only material which can give direct information on the earliest evolution of the Earth. In this research, we will collaborate with international research groups also intending to investigate the early history of the Earth using the >4Ga zircons. Outcomes will be new ideas on the origin of the zircons, the differentiation of the Earth, the formation of the Moon and the Earth's oceans, and the development of ancient life forms.Read moreRead less
Mapping Under the Ice - crustal evolution in Antarctica and the assembly of Gondwanaland. The project will use a novel approach to map the sub-ice geology of Antarctica, and fill a gap in paleogeographical reconstructions. Paleocurrents indicate that Permo-Triassic river sands in Gondwanaland were dispersed from the sub-glacial Gamburtsev Mountains and the Beardmore-Ross region following the collision of Gondwanaland and Laurussia to form Pangea. An integrated U-Pb and Hf-isotope analysis of zi ....Mapping Under the Ice - crustal evolution in Antarctica and the assembly of Gondwanaland. The project will use a novel approach to map the sub-ice geology of Antarctica, and fill a gap in paleogeographical reconstructions. Paleocurrents indicate that Permo-Triassic river sands in Gondwanaland were dispersed from the sub-glacial Gamburtsev Mountains and the Beardmore-Ross region following the collision of Gondwanaland and Laurussia to form Pangea. An integrated U-Pb and Hf-isotope analysis of zircon grains from these sandstones will map the age and crustal evolution of these intracontinental orogens. Comparison with similar data from older Devonian sands in Australia-Antarctica-Africa will allow reconstruction of the pre- and post-collisional tectonics of Australia and adjoining areas of Gondwanaland.Read moreRead less