school of earth sciences · 2016-10-19 · school of earth sciences potential research projects...

SchoolofEarthSciencesPotentialresearchprojectsofferedforLevel4(Honours)andLevel5(Masters)studentscommencingin2017.

• Geology

• Geochemistry

• Geophysics

• MineralGeoscience

• PetroleumGeoscience

Theprojectsoutlinedinthisbookletarenotnecessarilyallofthoseavailable.Pleasefeelfreetotalktostaffmembersaboutdesigningprojectsaroundyourinterests.

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GeoscienceProjectsThisdocumentdescribesprojectssuitableforstudentsundertakinga24pt

researchprojectaspartofanHonoursorMastersdegree.

Twokeypointstonote:

Weencourageyoutoconsiderwhatgeoscienceresearchproblemsinterestyouandtochooseaprojecttopicthatwillmotivateyoutodoyourbestworkthroughouttheyear.Theaimofthe24ptprojectistoprovideanopportunitytolearnhowresearchworksandtobegindevelopingyourresearchskills.The24-ptprojectisapathwaytohigherdegreebyresearch(MSc,MPhil,PhD).

ThisdocumentdoesnotsummariseallavailableprojectsandyouarewelcometospeakwithanystaffintheSchoolwhosuperviseprojectsintheareasofinteresttoyou.WerecommendthatyouhaveaUWAsupervisorandageneralideaofyourprojectbytheendofthisyear.Donotleaveorganisingaprojectuntilthefirstteachingweekof2016!RememberthatmanyofthestafftakeleavethroughJanuary.

GeoscienceisabroaddisciplinethatincludesGeology,Geophysics,Geochemistry,GeobiologyandComputation/NumericalModeling.ThebreadthofresearchactivityintheSchoolofEarthSciences1meansthatstudentshaveopportunitiestoundertakediverseresearchprojects.ResearchmaybefocusedonresolvingquestionsrelatedtofundamentalEarthprocessesandknowledgeorhavevariouslevelsofapplicationtospecificresourcesincludingmineraldeposits,petroleumandgroundwater.

Youarewelcometocontactstaffdirectly(contactdetailsareprovidedinthebooklet)todiscussprojectswheretheyarelistedasthemaincontact.IfyouareinterestedinanMSc(bythesis&coursework)degree,someoftheprojectsoutlinedinthisbookletcanbeextendedintoorsetupaslargerprojects(e.g.36ptprojects).Youarewelcometocontactsupervisorstodiscussasrequired.

_______________________1. Newschoolnamefrom2017resultingfromdemergeroftheSchoolofEarth&Environment

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Project: Thesulfatecapacityofsilicateliquids

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: MarcoFiorentini,marco.fiorentini@uwa.edu.au,64883465,MalcolmRoberts,JasonBennett,HughO’Neill

Description: Sulfurplaysanimportantroleinthedistributionandconcentrationofmanymetalswitheconomicandstrategicimportance.Anunderstandingofhowsulfurcontrolsvariousmineralisedsystemsallowsforbettertheoreticalmodelsthatcanpredictandtargetfutureorebodies.Ourcurrentunderstandingofhowsulfurbehavesinmagmaticsystemsisbasedonempiricalanalysesofnaturalsamples,aswellasthermodynamicvariablesmeasuredincontrolledexperiments.Oneofthesethermodynamicvariablesisthesulfatecapacity(𝐶!"!!! ),whichallowsforthecalculationofsulfursolubility.ThesulfatecapacitycanbethoughtofastheequilibriumconstantbetweenSO2gasandSO4

2-anionsdissolvedinasilicateliquid.Thisisimportantinunderstandinghowmuchsulfurisavailableforthetransportanddepositionofmetalsinoxidisedmagmaticenvironments,andtheirassociatedhydrothermalsystems.

Theaimofthisprojectistoaccuratelyandpreciselymeasurethesulfurcontentinaseriesof43one-atmospheregasfurnaceexperiments.Eachexperimentcontains3-7syntheticsilicateliquidcompositionsequilibratedat1200-1500°Cwithvariableoxygenandsulfurfugacities.AnalysisoftheseexperimentswillbeviaEPMA,withpossiblescopeforSIMSworkonsamplesclosetoorbelowthedetectionlimitforEPMA.Thesulfurcontentsofeachglasswillthenbeusedtocalculatethe‘sulfatecapacity’foreachexperiment,whichwillinturnallowforathermodynamicmodelofsulfatecapacityforanysilicatemagmaofagivencomposition.

Project: Petrologyandgeochemistryofmajorite-bearingperidotiteasasourceofBarberton-typekomatiitevolcanism

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: MarcoFiorentini,marco.fiorentini@uwa.edu.au,64883465,LaureMartin

Description: Komatiitesareultrabasicmagmasthatformedthroughhighdegreesofpartialmeltingofthemantleandthereforeprovidethemostreliableinformationonbulkmantlecompositions.Komatiiteshavebeensubdividedintotwomaingroups:Barberton-typekomatiitesareAl-depletedandhavetraceelementpatternsthatareundepletedinthemostincompatibleelements,whereasMunro-typekomatiitesareAl-undepletedandshowincompatible-element-depletedtraceelementpatterns.ItisalsonotablethatBarberton-typekomatiitesaregenerallydepletedinplatinum-groupelement(PGE)contentsinrelationtoMunro-typekomatiites.

ThecompositionaldifferencesbetweenBarberton-andMunro-typekomatiitesreflecttheconditionsunderwhichthemeltsseparatedfromtheirplumesources.Barberton-typekomatiitesformedby30%batch

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meltingofamantlesourceenrichedorslightlydepletedinCa–Alatadepthexceeding300km,andaredepletedinAlowingtomajoritegarnetretentioninthesource,whereasMunro-typekomatiitesformedby50%fractionalmeltingofaCa–Al-depletedmantlesourceatashallowerdepth.However,thegenesisofkomatiitemagmatismisstillhighlydebatedasveryfewreliablemantlesourceshavebeenidentified.

Theaimofthisstudyistodeterminethepetrologicalandgeochemicalfeaturesofaseriesofmajorite-bearingperidotitesfromtheOtroyComplexinwesternNorway.TheseperidotitesarethoughttorepresentthemantlerestiteofArcheanBarberton-typekomatiitevolcanism.Hence,throughthisstudyitwillbepossibletoinvestigatefurtherthegenesisofkomatiitevolcanismandaddressthequestionwhethermajoritegarnetplaysaroleinPGEfractionationandconcentrationduringmagmaticprocesses.

Thisresearchwillbuildonexistingmaterialthatwascollectedduringpreviousstudiescombining:

• Petrologyusingopticandelectronicmicroscopicmethods.• Microprobeanalysis(dependingonresults)• LaserAblationICPMS(dependingonresults)• Ionprobe(dependingonresults)

Thisprojectdoesnotincludeafieldworkcomponentandrequiresastudentinterestedindoingdetailedanalyticalwork.Asuccessfuloutcomehasthepotentialtoresultinapublication.

Project: PetrogensisandstructureoftheDalgarangagoldprospect,NorthernYilgarnCraton

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: SandraOcchipinti,sandra.occhipinti@uwa.edu.au,64888766MarcoFiorentini

Description: ThisprojectinvolvesunravellingthepetrogenesisofagoldprospectinthenorthernYilgarnCraton.Thestudentwouldberesponsibleforcorelogging,possiblepitfacemapping,sampling,thin-sectionandgeochemicalanalysesattheDalgarangagoldprospectinthenorthernYilgarnCraton.Structuraldatacollectedduringcoreloggingandpitmappingcanbecomparedandintegratedwithrecentlyflownaeromagneticdatainordertounderstandthedeformationhistoryoftheprospectarea.Thestudentmayhavetogotositeforthisproject,foraround2weeksinordertocompletetheloggingandmapping.TheprojectwouldbecompletedincollaborationwithgeologistsfromGascoyneResources.

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Project GravitymonitoringofKingsParkhydrology

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geophysics,Physics,ComputerScience

Supervisor: AlanAitken,alan.aitken@uwa.edu.au,64887147,GavanMcGrath

Description: Gravitydatacanbeusedtomonitorsubsurfacestorageofwater,andcanhelptounderstandimpactsonecologicalchange.ThisprojectseekstobetterunderstandthehydrologyofKing’sParkthroughgravitymonitoring(includingfielddatacollection)andmodelling.Thisprojectsuitsthosewithaninterestinenvironmentalapplicationsofgeophysics.Somecomputingexperienceandreasonablemathsabilityarerequired.

Project: AntarcticGeologyandEastAntarcticIceSheetvulnerability

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geophysics

Supervisor: AlanAitken,alan.aitken@uwa.edu.au,64887147

Description: ThevulnerabilityoftheEastAntarcticIceSheet(EAIS)isthebiggestuncertaintyinprojectionsoffuturesea-levelrisedrivenbyclimatechange.Recentstudiesshowthatitmaybemuchmorevulnerabletochangethaniscommonlysupposed(seehttp://theconversation.com/antarctic-glaciers-unstable-past-reveals-danger-of-future-melting-59589;http://www.nature.com/news/antarctic-model-raises-prospect-of-unstoppable-ice-collapse-1.19638).

GeophysicaldatasetsfromtheUS-UK-AUSICECAPprogramhaverevealedforthefirsttimethegeologyofWilkesLandinEastAntarctica.Severalprojectsareavailablethatwillutilisethesenewdatatoreconstructandunderstandsubglacialgeology,includingmappingkeycontrolsonEAISfloworganisationandevolution.TheseprojectsarebestsuitedtowardsstudentswithanacademicfocusatMSclevelastheresultsarehighlypublishableifwellexecuted.Somefamiliaritywithgeophysicalmethodsandawillingnesstounderstandcross-disciplinaryconceptsareessential.

Project: BasinStructureandmineralizationintheCapricornOrogenMajorsincluding:

Geology,Geophysics

Supervisor: SandraOcchipinti,sandra.occhipinti@uwa.edu.au,AlanAitken,alan.aitken@uwa.edu.au,64887147;,MarkLindsay

Description: TheProterozoicsedimentarybasinsoftheCapricornOrogenpreservelargepotentialforore-depositgenesis,andyetrelativelyfewsignificantore-bodiesareknown.Severalprojectsareavailabletoapplyinterpretativemappingofmagnetic,gravityandremotesensingdatatounderstandbasinarchitectureanditsrelationshipwithmineralization.Thesebroad-scaleinterpretationswill,wherepossible,begroundtruthedwithdrillcoreand/orfieldmapping.

Thisprojectsuitsthosewithaninterestinmineralexploration,geology,remotesensingorgeophysics.

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Project: HowtheWestwasOne…TheRodona-TottenShearZone

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geophysics

Supervisor: AlanAitken,alan.aitken@uwa.edu.au;64887147

Description: ThereconfigurationofMesoproterozoicAustraliaoccurredbetweenca.1400Maandca.1300Ma,throughacomplexseriesofplatemarginprocesses.TheculminationofthiswasthecollisionoftheSouthandWestAustraliancontinents.PastandrecentstudiesindicatethatthiscollisionmayhaveoccurredalongtheRodonaShearZone,whichliesoffshoreeastofIsraeliteBayinWA.

Thisprojectinvolvestheuseofhigh-resolutionaeromagneticandgravitydatafromAustraliaandAntarcticatounderstandshear-zonestructureandkinematics.ThisnewmapoftheshearzonewillbetiedinwithnewgeochronologicalandisotopicdataemergingfrombeneaththeEuclaBasin,andfromtheAlbanyFraserOrogen.

Project: PetrologicalinvestigationofrecentmeteoritefindsMajorsincluding:

Geology,Geochemistry

Supervisor: TonyKemp,tony.kemp@uwa.edu.au,64887846RayPickard,BathurstObservatoryResearchFacility

Description: Meteoritesareextremelyrareobjectsthatareofimmensescientificvalueforunderstandingtheearlyhistoryofthesolarsystemandthedevelopmentoftherockyplanets.Eachyearanumberofmeteoritesare‘discovered’byavid(typicallyeccentric!)collectorsscouringtheEarth’ssurface.Itiscriticallyimportanttoestablishwhetherthesearefragmentsrelatedtoknownmeteoritefalls,orareindeednewtoterrestrialscience.Inthefirstinstance,thisisdonebydeterminingmeteoritetype(stony,stony-ironoriron)followedbydocumentationofmicrostructure,chemicalcomposition,degreeofthermalmetamorphism(forstonymeteorites),intensityofshockmetamorphismandthedegreeofweathering.Projectsareavailabletoexaminerecentmeteoritefinds,forcharacterisationandclassification.Techniquestobeemployedincludeopticalmicroscopy,secondaryandbackscatteredelectronmicroscopy,andelectronprobemicroanalysis.Shouldanewfindbeindicated,themeteoritewouldbeformallynamedandcategorised.TheresultswouldbesubmittedforpublicationintheBulletinoftheInternationalMeteoriticSocietywhichmaintainsacomprehensivedatabaseonallmeteoritesfoundonEarth(seehttp://meteoriticalsociety.org).Theprojectswouldprovideanopportunityforstudentstocontributetoourknowledgeofmeteoritesandtheparentbodiesfromwheretheywereejected.

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Project: GeologicalmappingofVenus–AtalantaPlanitiaQuadrangle

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: MyraKeep,myra.keep@uwa.edu.au,64887198

Description: OurrecordoftheearlyevolutionofEarthislimitedbyerosion,burial,tectonicdismembermentandperiodsofimpactcratering.TheVenusiansurfacepreservesarareandpristinerecordofterrestrialplanetevolution.WeaimtomapindetailpartsoftheAtalantaPlanitiaQuadrangle(V4)ofthenorthernhemisphere.OurproposedareacontainsvastareasofVenusian“tesserae”thatisthoughttorepresenttheoldestsurvivingVenusianlandscapes,andwhichprovidesarichanddetailedhistoryoftheevolutionoftheVenusianplanetarysurface.ThisprojectwillinvolveinterpretingSARdataandusingfirst-ordergeologicalrelationshipstounderstandthekinematicevolutionoftheancienttesseraterrainsinthisblock.Studentsmusthaveagoodunderstandingofstructuralgeologyandtectonicsto3rdyearlevel.ThescopeoftheprojectiscompatiblewithextensiontoMasterslevel.

Project: InstantaneousmeltsonVenus–EarthanaloguesMajorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: MyraKeep,myra.keep@uwa.edu.au,64887198,

Description: TheVenusiansurface,especiallyinthetesseraeregions(theoldestVenusiancrust),iscoveredwithareasofinstantaneousmeltwhichfloodthelocalgeology.Thesefloodareasarelocal,arenotassociatedwithvolcanicedifices,andseemtobemeltinginplace.Whilsttheymaybeofroughlythesameage,thereisnoevidencethattheyallformedatthesametimeastheresultofasingleevent.Rather,theyappeartobespontaneouslocalizedmelts,similartothosewhichoccurinhigh-grademetamorphicrocksonEarth.Granulitefaciesterrainsincludenumerousareasofvarioussizescomprisingpegmatitefrominstantaneous,localizedmeltduringdeformation.Thisprojectseekstomapindetailthenumberandextentofpegmatitemeltsinasmallareaofagranuliteterrain,withaviewtocomparingmeltprocessesfromdeformationatdeepcrustallevelsonEarthwithprocessesofinstantaneousmeltformationonVenus.FieldworkwillbeconductedintheBremerBayareainFebruary2013.

Project: Neotectonicsandstrike-slipreactivationinoffshorepetroleumbasinsofnorthernWA

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: MyraKeep,myra.keep@uwa.edu.au,64887198JulienBourget

Description: ThenorthwestofWAhostsAustralia’slargestrecordedearthquakes(ML7.3,Meeberrie,1941).Identificationofmodernsurfaceoffsets(faultscarps)anddrainagecapture,togetherwithrecentlyacquiredearthquakefocalmechanismdatafor28recentevents,suggeststhatmoderngeomorphology

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mayyieldevidenceastorecentearthquakeactivitythroughoutnorth-westernWA.ThisprojectseekstomapmodernstructuralorientationsandfaultreactivationinoffshoreareasintheCarnarvonandBrowseBasinswithaviewtounderstandingthepre-reactivationgeometriesandtiming,andrelatingthemtothemoderntectonicsetting.Twoprojectsareavailable,andthescopeiscompatibleforcontinuationtoMasterslevel.

Project: SeafloorbathymetryinthewesternTimorSeaasevidenceofmoderntectonicprocesses

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: MyraKeep,myra.keep@uwa.edu.au,64887198,JulienBourget

Description: HighresolutionSeabeamseafloorbathymetricdataacquiredbyaninternationalpetroleumcompanyyieldsdetailsofseafloortopographyrelatedtomoderncollisionaldeformation.DetailedmappingofanareainthewesternTimorSeawillyieldevidenceastosurfaceprocesses,sedimentationrates,fluidfluxandstructuralcontrolsonseafloordeformation.BasedonSeabeamimageinterpretations,likelywithsomehigh-resolutionseismicdataacrosskeytransects,theseinterpretationscanbecompiledwithdeformationknownfromseismicdataandonshoredatafromexposuresonTimorIsland,tofurtherdeciphertheprocessesandtimingoftheAustralia/EurasiacollisionintheTimorSeaarea.Upto2projectsareavailable,andarebothcompatiblewithextensiontoMasterslevel.

Project: GrowthanddemiseofWesternAustralia’sGreatBarrierReefintheMiocene:insightsfrom3Dseismicstratigraphy

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: JulienBourget,julien.bourget@uwa.edu.au,64882679

Description: The main objectives of this research are to unravel the distribution,architecture,andgrowthhistoryofthecarbonateplatformsthatdevelopedatthe onset of themiddleMiocene climatic optimumwarm period along thecoastline of Western Australia. These carbonate reef systems formed anextensive barrier reef that extended from the Exmouth sub-basin to thenorthern Bonaparte Basin, over > 1000 km. The relative contribution ofclimate, sea level and tectonics on their middle Miocene growth and lateMiocene demise remain uncertain. This research is of global significance asthesereefsdevelopedatatimewhereglobaltemperaturesandatmosphericCO2concentrationsweresimilartothoseprojectedforcomingcenturies.Specifically, this project will be focusing on 3D Seismic interpretation withadditional well biostratigraphy and wireline log data. Focus will be onmappingthemainseismicsequencesoftheMioceneintervalalongbasinsofthe North West Shelf, using seismic attribute analysis to study thedepositional geomorphologies of the reefs and finding suitable modernanalogues, and integrate well and seismic data to build a robustchronostratigraphic and sequence stratigraphic framework for reefdevelopmentinthisinterval.

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Project: GrowthanddemiseofWesternAustralia’sGreatBarrierReefintheMiocene:insightsfromstratigraphic-forward(numerical)modelling

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: JulienBourget,julien.bourget@uwa.edu.au,64882679

Description: The main objectives of this research are to unravel the distribution,architecture,andgrowthhistoryofthecarbonateplatformsthatdevelopedatthe onset of themiddleMiocene climatic optimumwarm period along thecoastline of Western Australia. These carbonate reef systems formed anextensive barrier reef that extended from the Exmouth sub-basin to thenorthern Bonaparte Basin, over > 1000 km. The relative contribution ofclimate, sea level and tectonics on their middle Miocene growth and lateMiocene demise remain uncertain. This research is of global significance asthesereefsdevelopedatatimewhereglobaltemperaturesandatmosphericCO2concentrationsweresimilartothoseprojectedforcomingcenturies.

Specifically, this projectwill be focusing on stratigraphic forwardmodelling,using a numerical code to simulate coral reef growth and sequencedevelopment in the Middle Miocene under varying conditions of eustasy,climate, and subsidence. The aims are to test a number of stratigraphicscenarios which will help understanding what controlled the onset of reefdevelopmentinWAintheMiddleMiocene,andwhatcausedtheirrelativelyrapiddeath.

Project: 3DSeismicGeomorphologyandcharacterizationofclasticreservoirsMajorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: JulienBourget,julien.bourget@uwa.edu.au,64882679

Description: One of the main challenges in petroleum exploration and production is toestimatethedimensionsandpropertiesofreservoirsinsubsurface.Welllogsand cores provide very useful information but they are limited in spatialextent, resulting inhighuncertainties for sandbodygeometryand reservoirheterogeneity estimates. 3D seismic geomorphology uses amplitudeinformationtoimagedepositionalgeometriesofreservoirintervals,revealingthe presence of depositional features (e.g., channels, ridges) that can becompared to modern systems. This project will aim at using 3D seismicgeomorphology principles to one (ormore) reservoir case studies from theNorth West Shelf. Specifically measurements of channel morphometricparameterswillbeusedtofindsimilarmodernchannelsbasedonqueryofanextensive modern system (Holocene) database. This will enable thedeterminationof likelyreservoir faciesaswellasthepredictionofrangesofapplicable depositional environments. This 3D seismic analysis can becomplementedbythedescriptionofreservoircoresinthesameinterval.

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Project: Depositionalhistoryandpetroleumreservoircharacterisation,NorthWestShelfbasins

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: AnnetteGeorge,annette.george@uwa.edu.au,64881923

Description: AwidevarietyofpetroleumreservoirsareencounteredintheoffshorebasinsoftheNorthWestShelfofAustralia.Petroleum-focusedprojectscanbeundertakeninshallowordeepmarinedepositionalsystemstoreconstructdepositionalandtectonichistoryofspecificbasinsorthroughspecificstratigraphicunits(notablyreservoirs).Theseprojectstypicallyinvolveintegrationofcorework(sedimentology,faciesanalysis±petrography±biostratigraphy)withseismicand/orwirelinelogdatainasequence-stratigraphicframework.Therearespecificprojectsfocusingonseismicsequence-stratigraphicinterpretationofbasin-marginhistoryandcharacterisationofreservoirintervals.Theseprojectsarealsosuitablefor36-42ptMastersprojects.

Project: Characterisationofsiliciclastic-orcarbonate-dominatedreservoirsassociatedwithconventionalandunconventionalresourcesinonshoreWABasins(e.g.CanningBasin,PerthBasin)

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: AnnetteGeorge,annette.george@uwa.edu.au,64881923

Description: Understandingreservoirqualityisafundamentalaspectofpetroleumsystemanalysis.TheonshorebasinsofWAhavebeenthesitesofearliestpetroleumexplorationinWA,anddespitethedominanceoftheNWSasthemajorpetroleumproducer,theonshorebasinshavehadsomeexcitingoildiscoveriesinthelastfewyears(e.g.CliffHead,PerthBasin,andUnganiintheCanningBasin).Projectswillfocusonconventionalandunconventionalreservoirdevelopmentusingcoretopetrographic-scaledescriptionandinterpretationtoestablishdepositionalsetting/environmentsandmajorcontrolsonreservoirquality(i.e.principallydistributionofporosityandpermeability).SomeoftheseprojectsincludeHylogger®analysisandportableXRFanalysisofcoretoobtaingeochemicaldataforcharacterisingfaciesanddiageneticeffects.Someprojectscouldinvolveapplicationofhigherlevelmicroscopictechniques(scanningelectron,cathodeluminescence).

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Project: Characterizationofshelfalanddeep-waterdepositionalsettingsoftheBarrowGroup(NorthernCarnarvonBasin,NWAustralia)bypalynofaciesanalysis

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: DanielPeyrot,daniel.peyrot@uwa.edu.au,64882672

Description: TheBarrowGroupcorrespondstoalargeprogradingdeltaic-shelfalcomplex,whichextendsover~300kmintheE-WdirectiononthesoutheasternmarginoftheoffshoreNorthernCarnarvonBasin(NWAustralia).Thesystemaccumulatedduringthelastperiodofactiveriftingandfinalbreak-upbetweenAustraliaandGreaterIndia(lateTithonian-earlyValanginian)andischaracterizedbythedevelopmentofseveralpalaeotopographichighsanddepocentres.Projectswouldaimtocharacterizeandcorrelatethepalynofacies(i.e.sporeandpollenandotherorganic-walledmicrofossils)oftwocontemporaeoussuccessionsintwowellsfromdifferentdepositionalsettingsinthedeltaiccomplex.Theprojectispartofamoregeneralresearchprogramfocusingonthedistributionandsedimentationoforganicparticles(includingpalynomorphs)indifferentdepositionalregimes.

Project: Characterizationoffluvial,lacustrineanddeltaicdepositionalsettingsoftheMungarooFormation(NorthernCarnarvonBasin,NWAustralia)bypalynofaciesanalysis

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: DanielPeyrot,daniel.peyrot@uwa.edu.au,64882672

Description: TheupperTriassicMungarooFormationrepresentsamega-deltaicsystemintheoffshoreNorthernCarnarvonBasin(NWAustralia)andhostshydrocarbonreservoirsinworld-classLNGprojects.Adetailedunderstandingofthearchitectureandstratigraphicframeworkoftheformationisrequiredtoestablishthemostefficientwell-to-wellreservoircorrelations.Theprojectwillfocusonusingpalynofaciesanalysisofselectedintervalsdepositedunderawidearrayofsettingswillhelptounderstandthemainfactorscontrollingthedepositionoforganicsedimentaryparticles.Thisprojecthasimportantimplicationsforbiostratigraphiccorrelationbecausemanyofthekeymicrofossilmarkersusedforcorrelationarefacies-controlled.

Project: CharacterizationofEarlyCretaceouspalynologicalassemblagesfromtheLancoBunburyPortEngineeringholeBH01–28(SouthernPerthBasin,WAustralia)

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: DanielPeyrot,daniel.peyrot@uwa.edu.au,64882672

Description: LowerCretaceousstratadepositedinthesouthernPerthBasindonotincludethemarinemarkersthatareusedforcorrelationintheNorthWestShelfbasins.Thisprojectaimstocharacterizethepalynologicalcontentof

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coresamplesfromtherecentlydrilledLancoBunburyPortEngineeringholeBH01–28toi)inferthevegetationinthesourceareaandii)identifynewpotentialterrestrialbiostratigraphicmarkers.Ifrequired,theanalysisofadditionalmaterialproceedingfromnearbywellswillbeincludedinthestudy.Theresultswillthenbecontrastedwithexistingpublishedandunpublisehdpalynologicaldata.

Project: Geobiology–lifeinthePrecambrian

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: DavidWacey,david.wacey@uwa.edu.au64888074andcolleaguesinCMCA

Description: ArangeofprojectsisavailableinthegeneralfieldsofearlylifeonEarthandevolutionofPrecambrianlife.Topicsincludebutarenotlimitedto:(i)advancedmicroscopicanalysisofPrecambrianorganicmaterial;(ii)differentiatinglifefrommineralartefactsinPrecambrianrocks;(iii)3Danalysisandreconstructionofearlymicrobialcommunities;and(iv)DetailedstudiesofworldfamousPrecambrianfossildepositstobetterconstrainthetypeoflifepresent.ProjectswouldexposethestudenttostateoftheartanalyticaltechniquesintheCMCAandwouldincludeoneormoreof:electronmicroscopy;3Dserialsectioningusingafocusedionbeam;X-rayCT;laserRaman;andsecondaryionmassspectrometry.Projectscanbetailoredtosuitindividualinterests.

Project: Landscapeevolution:impactsoncoralreefsandseascapesMajorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: MoyraWilsonmoyra.wilson@uwa.edu.au

Description: Sediment-,nutrient-andfreshwater-influxarewidelyconsidereddeleterioustocoralreefsandcarbonatedevelopment.YetintheglobalreefalbiodiversityhotspotofAustralasiasuchimpactsarecommononmodernandCenozoicreefs,butremainpoorlyunderstood.Twoseparateprojectsareavailabletoevaluateimpactsofterrestrialweatheringandrunoff,togetherwithoceanographicprocessesoncarbonateproductionandreefaldevelopment.Systemsstudiedwillbeeitheranarrowfringingreefsystem,orreefsonabroaderclastic-dominatedshelf,bothadjacenttoweatheringtropicallandmass.Anintegratedapproachwillutilisesedimentandfaciesanalysis,environmentalanalysis,experimentalweatheringstudies,withthepotentialtoinvolvepetrology,scanningelectronmicroscopyandgeochemistry.

Thishighlypublishableresearchhasimplicationsforbetterunderstandingthe:thresholdsforreefaldevelopment,futuresurvivalofreefsunderincreasedanthropogenic-inducedrunoff,anddynamicinteractionsbetweenclasticandcarbonatesystems.ThescopeofeachprojectcanbeextendedtoMasters.

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Project: Evaluatingheterogeneityincarbonatereservoirs

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: MoyraWilsonmoyra.wilson@uwa.edu.au

Description: Carbonatesystemshost~50%oftheworld’shydrocarbonreservoirsandformmajorsubsurfaceaquifers,yettheirporopermcharacteristicsremainnotoriouslyfickleanddifficulttopredict.Unlikeclasticreservoirs,carbonatesonescommonlyshowagreaterrangeofporetypes(e.g.intragranular,biomouldic),significantsecondaryporosity,bi-totri-modalporesystems,aswellasconnectedandunconnectedpores.Betterunderstandingoftheheterogeneityincarbonatereservoirsisreliantonevaluatingtheconsiderabledepositionalanddiageneticvariabilityincarbonatesystems.Anumberofoftenindustry-supportedprojectsareavailable,includingatMasterslevel.Theseprojectswillvariablyinvolvetraininginthestudyandintegrationof:core,outcrop,seismic,sequencestratigraphic,facies,microscopy,geochemicalandpetrophysicaldatasets.Allresultsareanticipatedtobehighlypublishablewhenexecutedtohighstandard.

Project: EnvironmentalchangeduringperiodsofglobalclimaticshiftsMajorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: MoyraWilsonmoyra.wilson@uwa.edu.au

Description: Environmentalchangeduringglobalclimaticshiftsmaybemanifestinmarinecarbonatesuccessionsthroughchanging:biota,mineralogy,facies,platformstructure,earlydiagenesisandgeochemistry.Projectsareavailabletoinvestigatecontrolsonregionalversuslocalchangeduringtimesofmajorclimaticshifts.TheseperiodsincludetheshiftfromgreenhousetoicehouseconditionsduringtheCenozoicandtheswitchesfromglacialstointerglacialsthatareparticularlymarkedinthePlio-PleistocenetoRecent.Theseprojectswillvariablyinvolvetraininginthestudyandintegrationof:core,outcrop,seismic,sequencestratigraphic,facies,microscopyandgeochemicaldatasets.AllprojectsmaybeextendabletoMasterslevel.Whereexecutedtoahighstandardresultsareanticipatedtobehighlypublishable.

Project: Quantifyingcoastalresponseatareef-fringedpocketbeach

Formajorsincluding:

Geophysics,MarineScience

Supervisors: JeffHansenjeff.hansen@uwa.edu.au,64883724,RyanLowe

Description: BeginninginNovember2015videoofthebeachandsurfzonehasbeencollectedbytwocamerasinGnarabup(MargaretRiver),WA.Thevideoiscomplimentedbynearcontinuousobservationsofwaveheightandsealevelfromseveralsensorsjustoffshore.Thevideoimagerycanberectified

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intogeographicspaceprovidingconsiderablequantitativeinformationaboutshorelinemovementaswellasarangeofotherprocesses.Awiderangeofprojectscouldbedevelopedfromthecoupledvideoandwave/waterleveldata.Forexample,thesedatacouldbeusedtodeterminetheconditionsthatresultinthegreatestamountofwaverun-upandbeach/duneerosion.Theinformationderivedfromthesehigh-resolutionobservations,andcorrespondinganalyses,canbedirectlyusedtodevelopandimprovepredictivemodelsthatwillaidinmanagingthecoastasapublicresource.

Project: Do“representative”coastalsitesexists?

Formajorsincluding:

Geophysics,MarineScience

Supervisors: JeffHansenjeff.hansen@uwa.edu.au,64883724,RyanLowe

Description: Inordertomitigatethecoastalhazardsassociatedwithclimatechange,includingrisingsealevelsandpotentiallyincreasingstormintensity,wefirstneedtounderstandhowthepresentdaybeachrespondstostormsandseasonalvariationsinwaveenergy.Typically,coastalresponseismeasuredusingavarietyofintensivefieldorremotesensingtechniques.However,itisnotfeasibletomeasurelargeswathsofcoastwithoutconsiderablecostandeffort,anditmayindeedbeunnecessary.Theobjectiveofthisprojectistoinvestigatetheideaofa“representative”coastalsite.Anumberofresearchershavesuggestedthatinmanylocationsbeachesalongstretchesofcoastlineextending10sofkmormorerespondinasimilarmannertostormsandseasonalvariationsinwaveenergy.Thus,detailedobservationmayonlyneedtobecollectedatasinglesite,withtheseobservationsbeingrepresentativeofthecoastalresponsesomedistanceaway.TheprojectwilltestthishypothesisbyquantifyingbeachchangesfromanumberofstormeventsalongtheWAcoastlineatdifferentlocationsusingexitinghigh-resolutionaerialphotography.

Project: ThequantificationofhydrothermalmineralisingsystemsMajorsincluding:

Geology,Physics,Mathematics,Engineering,ComputerScience

Supervisor: AlisonOrd,alison.ord@uwa.edu.au,64882642

Description: Thisresearchprogramisdesignedasatrainingprojectforstudentsandyoungresearchers,withspecialfocusontheanalysisofcomplexgeologicalsystemsthroughacombinationofstructurequantificationandmodelling.

Thenon-linearityofmanygeologicalsystemshasbeenincreasinglyrecognizedduringthepastdecades.Processeswithinsuchsystemsactfarawayfromequilibriumandleadtocomplexstructures.Arigoroustheoreticalandobservationalfoundationfortheseprocessesiscrucialforunderstandingtheshort-termaswellaslong-termbehaviourofourgeologicalenvironmentthatprovidesthebasisforoursocial,culturaland

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economiclife.

Specificprojectswillfocusonmineralisationunderhydrothermalconditions–aprocessthatcombinesfundamentalphysicalandchemicalproceduresincrystallinematterwithfluidflowundervariousconditions,leadinge.g.toeconomicallyimportantmineraldepositsandgeothermalfields,aswellasaffectingthelong-andshort-termresponseofthelithospheretostresses,e.g.expressedintheformationofmountainbeltsandinearthquakes.

Theprojectswillbebasedonacombinationoffield-relatedrecordingofstructureswithsubsequentquantificationandapplicationofnumericalmodelling.Thisallows(i)toinvestigateindetailtheeffectsofvariousphysicalandchemicalparametersonhydrothermallydrivenmineralisation,(ii)tocomparemodelledstructureswithnaturalonesand,consequently,(iii)tocalibrateandrefinethenumericalmodels,whichagainallowsmoredetailedinvestigations.

Fieldopportunitiesincludejointdatacollection,processingusingfractalsandwaveletsandinterpretationintermsofcriticality,withdirectapplicatonwithintheminingindustrythroughgeomechanics.

Computationalmodellingcouldexploraeanewmodelforporphyroblastgrowthhistoryandspiralpatterning.

ThosemathematicallyinclinedmightliketoexploreLyapunovfunctionsformetamorphicassemblagesanddeformation.

InteractionswithindustryandtheGeologicalSurveyofWAaresupported.

Project: Newapproachesto3Dgeologicalmodelling-CasestudyoftheAshburtonBasin,WesternAustralia

Majorsincluding:

GeologyGeophysics,Physics,Engineering,ComputerScience

Supervisor: MarkJessell,mark.jessell@uwa.edu.au,64885803,MarkLindsay

Description: Thisprojectwillcomparetwoapproachestobuilding3Dgeologicalmodelsofdeformedterrains.Theaimoftheprojectistocharacterisetheoutcomesoftraditional3Dmodellingapproacheswithanewsystemthatextractsthenecessaryinputdatadirectlyfromdigitalmapsanddatabases.ThetestareawillbetheAshburtonBasin,anarcuatebeltofPaleoproterozoicsedimentaryandvolcanicrockswhichformsthenorthernmarginoftheCapricornOrogen,amajororogeniczonebetweenthePilbaraandYilgarnCratons.

Thisprojectwouldbesuitableforstudentswithaninterestin3DgeologicalmodellingandGIS.Programmingexperiencewouldbeabenefit,butisnotessential.

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Project: Topologicaluncertaintyin3Dgeology

Majorsincluding:

GeologyGeophysics,Physics,Engineering,ComputerScience

Supervisor: MarkJessell,mark.jessell@uwa.edu.au,64885803,MarkLindsay

Description: Thegeometryofgeologicalmodelshaslongbeenrecognisedtobeanimportantconstraintonthevalidityofforwardprocessmodellingandgeophysicalinversions,howeverinmanyinstancesthetopologyofthemodelisasimportantifnotmoreso,especiallyinsituationswherethecontinuityoflithologies,ortheconnectivityofstructurescontrolstheoutcome,suchasinfluidfloworsometypesofelectricalmeasurements.Thisprojectwillexaminemethodstocharacterisethe3Dtopologyofgeologicalmodelsasapathwaytoclassifyingend-membermodelsthatcanbeusedingeophysicalinversionschemes.

ThisprojectissupportedbytheWAgovernment-fundedWA_In3Dproject,andthescopeiscompatibleforcontinuationtoMastersorPhDlevel.Computerexperienceandsomemathsarerequired.

Project: Webmappingsolutionsforpre-competitivegeoscientificdatadistribution

Majorsincluding:

ComputerScience,EnvironmentalScience/GIS

Supervisor: VaclavMetelka,vaclav.metelka@uwa.edu.au,64881871;DavidGlance,MarkJessell

Description: Webmappingapplicationsarenowastandardtoolfordelivering,sharing,analysing,ordistributingspatialdataworldwide.DuringtheWAXI(WestAfricanExplorationInitiative)projectaweb-mappingtoolcalled“waxiexplorer”wasdeveloped.Thistoolwasalsousedforanopen-accesssystemcalledtheIM4DCOpenDataaccessibleathttp://opendata.im4dc.org.Bothofthesewebapplicationsenableuserstovisualizeanddownloadanyspatiallyenableddatathatweregatheredthroughthelifeoftheparticularproject.Theseapplicationsbuildonopen-sourcewebmappingsolutionssuchasGeoserverandPostgreSQLwiththePostGISextensionaswellanumberofJavaScriptlibrarieslikeExtJS,OpenLayers,GeoExt,andGXP.

Theproposedprojectwillaimtoupgradethecurrentplatformwithnewfunctionalitiesandimprovingtheplatformefficiencyandarchitecturemainlyusingnewlydevelopedtoolsavailableintheopensourcecommunity.Thepotentialstudentswillgainknowledgeofopensourcewebmappingsolutionsandtheirapplicationtothedistributionofgeoscientificdata.

Thisprojectwouldbesuitableforstudentswithaninterestinwebmapping,databaseapplicationsandopen-sourcesoftware.ProgrammingexperienceinJavaScript,HTML,isrequired(experiencewithPythonwouldbeabenefit).

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Project: Geologicalrelationshipsinmineralsystemsanalysis

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geophysics,Statistics

Supervisor: MarkJessell,mark.jessell@uwa.edu.au,64885803,MarkLindsay

Description: Mineralsystemsanalysisisusedtopredictthelocationofmineralisationforavarietyofcommoditytypes.Variousgeologicalfactorsareincludedintheanalysis,including:geodynamiccontrols;preservationoftheregionfromupliftanderosion;fertilityofthedeeperearthandlithosphericarchitecture.Inparticular,therelationshipsbetweengeologicalunitsandstructures,ordifferenttypesofgeologicalunits(forexample,thatbetweenanintrusionandapre-existingcarbonateunit)willdefinewhatkindofcommoditytypecanbeproducedinthatsetting.Recentdevelopmentsinextractingthesegeologicalrelationships,ortopology,granttheopportunitytobetterrepresentthiscriticalfactorintomineralprospectivitymodelling.Thisprojectaimstoincorporatetopologyintomineralsystemsanalysisandprovidemorerealisticestimatesofregional-scaleprospectivity.AcasestudywillbeconductedinWesternAustraliatodefineprospectivityformultiplecommoditytypes(Au,Cu,Pb-Znetc).

Thisprojectwillsuitastudentwithakeeninterestinmineralgeoscience,applyingamineralsystemsapproachtomineralexplorationandemployingstatisticalmodellingapproachestoregional-scalegeologicalstudies.

Project: Gyrocopterbasedimagingoftheregolith

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geophysics,Physics,Engineering,ComputerScience

Supervisor: MarkJessell,mark.jessell@uwa.edu.au,64885803,VaclavMetelka,LaurentAmeglio(GyroLAGPtyLtd)

Description: Gyrocopterplatformsprovideanopportunitytobridgethespatialdividebetweentraditionalairbornegeophysicalsurveysandgroundbasedsystems.SWIR,LIDAR,Radiometricsensorsattachedtogyrocoptersallowlowelevation(10m)flyingoverlargedistances(arangeof400kmbetweenrefuelling).IncollaborationwithGyroLAGPtyLtd,thisprojectwillacquirehighresolutiongeophysicaldataasinputstosemi-automatedanalysisofregolithforatestregioninWesternAustralia.

Thisprojectwillsuitastudentwhoiskeentobeinvolvedinboththeacquisitionandthedataanalysisphasesoftheproject,withtheaimoftestingthisnewtechnologyanditsapplicationtoregolithcharacterisation.

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Project: GeophysicalExpressionofREE-BearingCarbonatitesandPeralkalineIgneousComplexes(mid-yearstartonly)

Formajorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: MikeDentith,michael.dentith@uwa.edu.au,TonyKempDescription: Peralkalineigneousrocksandcarbonatitesareimportantsourcesof

REE.Thegeophysicalexpressionoftheigneouscomplexeswheretheserocksmostlyoccurareveryeasytorecognise,especiallyinpotentialfieldandradiometricdatasets.The‘intra-complex’controlsongeophysicalcomplexesaremuchlesswellunderstood.ThefirstphaseofthisprojectisaliteraturereviewtocompiledensityandmagnetismandK-Th-Ucontentdatafortheseunusualrocktypes.ThiswillformthebasisforanalysingthegeophysicalresponsesofvariousigneouscomplexesfromAfrica,Greenland,Canadaand,Brazil.Significantquestionstobeconsideredinclude:(i)whichalkalinerocktypeshavedistinctivegeophysicalexpressions,(ii)canthediversemagneticresponsesbegroupedandbetterunderstoodgeologically,(iii)isitpossibletomapfenitisationandotherkindsofalterationusinggeophysicaldatasets.

Project: 3D/4DseismicimagingofEarthstructure–fromnearsurfacetoregionalscale

Majorsincluding:

Geophysics,Physics,Engineering,ComputerScience

Supervisor: RieKamei,rie.kammei@uwa.edu.au,64886870,ErdincSaygin

Description: Seismicimagingandinversionmethodscanbeusedtoimage(3D),andmonitorintime-lapsemode(4D),acrosstherangeofscalefromshallowsubsurfacetodeepcrustal,oruppermantlestructures.Applicationscaninclude,butnotlimitedto,near-surfacegroundwatermonitoring,subsurfacereservoirsforoilandgasresources,injectionandstorageofanthropogenicCO2,andtectonicinvestigation.Theseprojectsmayrequireworkingwithacombinationofrockandfluidphysics,earthmodelbuildingsoftware,computationalgeophysicsdatasimulation,imagingandinversion.Computerexperienceandsomemathsarerequired.

Project: AutocorrelationofSeismicElasticWavestoUnderstandSubsurfaceStructureofJava,Indonesia

Majorsincluding:

Geophysics,Physics,Engineering,ComputerScience

Supervisor: ErdincSaygin,erdinc.saygin@uwa.edu.au,64885076,RieKamei

Description: Seismicelasticwavesareoneoftheprimarytoolsforstudyingthephysicalstructureoftheearth'sinterior.Thedatathatisrecordedbysensorswhichmeasurethedisplacementoftheearthduetothenaturalandman-madevibrations,canbeusedtoestimatethedepthandtheelasticpropertiesoflayersbeneathastationbyusingvariousseismologicaltechniques.Therecentadvancesintheunderstandingoftherandomelasticwave

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propagationwithinamediumenableustodevelopmethodstostudysubsurfacethroughtheestimationofitsimpulseresponse.Inthisproject,thestudentwillusethecontinuouslyrecorded3component(vertical,north,east)seismicdatafromadenseseismicsensorarraydeployedinJavaIsland,Indonesia.Duringtheproject,thestudentwilllearnaboutthedataqualitycontrolandrelevantsignalprocessingtechniques,andatthefinalstep,thestudentwilldevelopandapplyanautocorrelationtypemethodtoretrievebodywave(longitudinalwave)reflectivityresponseoftheearth.Resultingwaveformswillbeinterpretedwiththeguidanceofthesupervisortotiewiththelocaltectonicframework.Resultsareexpectedtoshowlargespatialvariationsacrosstheregion,whichwillincreaseourunderstandingofanalreadygeologicallycomplexregionduetotheactingtectonicforces.Theapplicationofthisnewmethodwillbethefirsttimeforthisarea.

Project: Hydrothermalfluidchemistryofquartz-carbonateveinsandbrecciasfromthePatazgolddeposits,Peru

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geochemistry

Supervisor: SteffenHagemannonlyviaemail:steffen.hagemann@uwa.edu.au

Description: ThisprojectwillconstraintstheP-T-X-tevolutionofthepaleohydrothermalPatazgoldsysteminPeru.Carefulpetrographicandcathodoluminescenceanalysesofquartzandfluidinclusionstrappedinquartz-carbonateveinsandbrecciasofallparageneticstageswillbeusedtoselectasuiteofabout6to8samples.Thesesampleswillthenbepreparedformicrothermometryusingthein-house,fullyautomatedLinkamheating/freezingstage.Theoutcomesofthisprojectwillbethefirstcomprehensivephysico-chemicalcharacterisationofhydrothermalfluidsinbothbase-metal-,andgold-richlodeswithinthePatazsystem.GoldprecipitationmechanismswillbeconstraintandaP-T-tcurveconstructedthatwillprojecttheevolutionofthehydrothermalfluidswithinthegeologicalevolutionofthePatzgoldsystem.Projectisalsosuitablefora36ptMScthesis.

Project: OremineralparagenesisoftheMisquichilcaepithermalgolddeposit(Peru):implicationforabsolutetimingofgolddepositionusingRe-Osdatingonsulfide

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geochemistry

Supervisor: SteffenHagemannonlyviaemail:steffen.hagemann@uwa.edu.auDescription: Thisprojectwillconstraintstheparageneticsequenceoftheshallow

epithermal-styleMisquichilcagolddeposit.Carfulpetrography,scanningelectronmicroscopy(SEM)withattachedenergydispersivespectroscopy

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(EDS)andelectronmicroprobemicroanalyzer(EPMA)fittedwithwavelength

dispersiveX-rayspectrometer(WDS)willbeperformedonsample(s)fromarecentdiamondcoredrillingprogram.Theoutcomesofthisprojectwillbetheidentificationkeyhydrothermalalterationminerals,potentialalterationzonationawayfromtheorebody.Inadditiontheexactlocationofgoldwithintheparageneticsequencewillbedetermined.SulfidesinequilibriumwithgoldwillbeselectedandanalysedusingtheRe-Ostechnique.Projectisalsosuitablefora36ptMScthesis.

Project: GarnetandclinopyroxenechemistryoftheO’CallaghanspolymetallicW-Zn-Pb-Cuskarn,PatersonOrogen,WesternAustralia:Constrainingthephysico-chemicalconditionsofprogradeskarnformation

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: SteffenHagemannonlyviaemail:steffen.hagemann@uwa.edu.au

Description: TheO’CallaghanspolymetallicskarnislocatedinthePatersonProvinceinWesternAustraliaandisoneoftheworld’slargestWdepositintheworld.Garnetsandpyroxenearepartoftheprograde,hightemperaturehydrothermalsilicatealterationwhichconsistsofgarnet-clinopyroxene-quartz,minorsulphidesandscheelite.Thisinvestigationwilldefinethegarnetandpyroxenespecies;defineintra-garnetandpyroxenezonationandprovideP-Testimatesbasedone.g.,thegarnet-pyroxenegeothermometer.Thepetrographicandgeochemicalresultsofthegarnet-pyroxeneassemblagewillbeusedtobettercharacterizestage1progradehydrothermalalterationandmineralizationattheO’Callaghansskarndepositand,thereby,furtherrefinetheclassificationofthisskarntype.Projectisalsosuitablefora36ptMScthesis.

Project: Texture,mineralchemistryandboronisotopesoftourmalinesatthegiantGoldenMiledeposit:constraintsonthesourceofboronandgoldduringtheevolutionofFimistonstylegolfmineralization

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geochemistry

Supervisor: SteffenHagemanonlyviaemail:steffen.hagemann@uwa.edu.au

Description: Thisprojectwillusetransmittedandreflectedlightmicroscopyandmicrochemistry(SEMandelectronmicroprobe)oftourmalinestoconstraintheparageneticpositionoftourmalinesinthehydrothermalalterationzonesassociatedwiththeFimistonstylehydrothermalalterationandgoldmineralizationatthegiantGoldenMiledepositnearKalgoorlie.ThisdatawillbecombinedwithanalreadyexistingboronisotopedatasetinordertoconstrainthesourceofboronanditroleintheformationofgoldmineralizationattheGoldenMile.Thisnewanduniquedatasetwillbecomparedtothechemistryandboronisotopesignaturesoftourmalineinotherepi-tohypozonalorogenicgoldsystemsintheYilgarncratonandworldwide.

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Project: FluidchemistryoftheKarounigolddeposit,Guyana,SouthAmerica

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geochemistry

Supervisor: SteffenHagemanonlyviaemail:steffen.hagemann@uwa.edu.au

Description: TheKarouniorogenicgolddepositisTroyResourcesnewflagshipgolddepositwithproductionstartingin2015.Theprojectinvolvesdetailedpetrographyofquartzveinsandbreccias,cathodoluminescenceofquartz-carbonatecrystalsandidentificationofsuitablefluidinclusionassemblages.ThecarefullyconstrainedfluidinclusionswillbeanalysedusingtheinhousefullyautomatedLinkhamheating-freezingstageandlaser-Ramanspectroscopy.Theresultswillbeusedtoconstrainthephysico-chemicalparameters(P-T-X)ofthepaleohydrothermalsystemthatisresponsibleforthegoldmineralization.AP-T-tcurvewillalsobeconstructedthatwillillustratetheevolutionofthehydrothermalfluidswithintheevolutionofthestructural-metamorphic-magmaticandhydrothermalalterationandmineralizationsystem.

Project: FluidchemistryoftheSertãoandCascavelorogenicgolddeposits,Goiás,Brazil

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geochemistry

Supervisor: SteffenHagemanonlyviaemail:steffen.hagemann@uwa.edu.au

Description: TheSertãoandCascavelorogenicgolddepositsarelocatedinanArchean/PaleoproterozoicgreenstonebeltinGoiás,Brazil.TheCascaveldepositwillstartproductionendof2016anditwillbetheonlygoldminestartingproductioninBrazilinthepastthreeyears.Theprojectinvolvesdetailedpetrographyofgold-quartz-carbonateveins,cathodoluminescenceofquartzcrystalsandidentificationofsuitablefluidinclusionassemblagesinbothdeposits.ThefluidinclusionswillbeanalysedusingthefullyautomatedLinkhamheating-freezingstageatCET.Theresultswillbeusedtoconstrainthephysico-chemicalparameters(P-T-X)ofthepaleohydrothermalsystematSertãoandCascavel.Theoutcomeofthisprojectwillbethecharacterisationoforefluidsinbothdepositsandinterpretationoffluidinclusionassemblageswithrespecttofluidboiling,mixingand/orcoolingasagoldprecipitationmechanism.IsochoreswillbecalculatedandP-TconditionsofgoldmineralizationestimatedinordertoconstructaP-T-tevolutionofthesepaleohydrothermalsystems.ThisprojectwillbepartofalargerinvestigationongoldandbasemetalmineralizationintheGoiásgreenstonebelt.Projectisalsosuitablefora36ptMScthesis.

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Project: UnderstandingmassivesulfideoccurrencesinnorthwestGreenland

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geochemstry

Supervisor CrystalLaFlamme,crystal.laflamme@uwa.edu.ca,MarcoFiorentini

Description Theadventofmultiplesulfurisotopeanalysishasthepotentialtoradicallyimproveourunderstandingoforedeposits.ThisprojectwillutilisesamplesofmassivesulfidecollectedfromtheRinkianorogenicbeltofnorthwestGreenland.ThisprojectwillemployadetailedstudyofthemineralphasesandassociationofmassivesulfidesamplesandutilisesulfurisotopeanalysisbySecondaryIonMassSpectrometry.UWAishosttoworld-leadinganalyticaltechniquestoanalysetheisotopiccompositionofawide-rangeofore-formingmineralsonstate-of-the-artequipment.Collaborationwilloccurwithgeologistsfromotherinstitutionsworldwideinvolvedinthisproject.Ifinterested,pleaseconsidergettingintouchbeforeGreenlandDayinearlyDecember.Thisprojectwillcomplementon-goinginvestigationsintothecratonmarginvolatilecyclingandmineralprospectivity.

Project Petrologicalandthermomechanicalmodellingofsulfurcyclinginsubductionzones

Majorsincluding:

Geology,Geochemistry

Supervisor CrystalLaFlammecrystal.laflamme@uwa.edu.au,ChrisGonzalez

Description VolatilerecyclingatconvergentzonesintoandoutofthemantleisanimportantcomponentinunderstandingthechemicalevolutionofEarth.IsotopicstudieshavedemonstratedthatArcheanmassindependentfractionatedsulfurisbeingrecycledtotheProterozoicmagmaticrockrecordinsubductionzones.Anovelmethodtoincorporatesulfurcyclingintoa2Dthermomechanicalmodellingcodeinasubductionzonewillhelptotraceandquantifyfluidpathwaysacrossmajorterrainboundaries.ThistypeofmodellingisakeyelementinunlockingthemetalpotentialofArcheancratonmargins.Here,weseekastudentinterestedincombiningexpertiseingeochemistrywithnumericalgeodynamicmodellingtoolstobetterunderstandtheprocessofsulfurmovementwithinthemantlewedge(and/orcrust?)atatectonicscale.

Project UnderstandingthemineralevolutionofthePrairieDownsfaulthostedPb-Zndeposit

MajorsIncluding:

Geology,Geochemistry

Supervisor: CrystalLaFlamme,crystal.laflamme@uwa.edu.au,MarcoFiorentini

Description: ThisprojectwillsuitastudentwhowouldliketocollaboratewithindustryandwillbeacombinationoffieldworkandanalyticalworktounderstandtheparageneticsequenceofthePrairieDownsPb-Zn-Agdepositandhow

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thatrelatestothesurroundinggeology.PrairieDownsislocatedonamajorterrainboundaryseparatingtheArcheanPilbaracratonfromtheProterozoicCapricornOrogen.PreliminaryinvestigationofthisdepositdemonstratessourcingoffluidsandvolatilesfromtheArcheanrockrecord.Constrainingtheageofmineralizationthroughadvancedgeochronologicaltechniquesiskeytounderstandinghowvolatiles,metals,andfluidsarecyclingacrossthistectonicboundary.Afieldcomponentofworkingonsitewithindustrygeologistswillbeasignificantcomponentofthisstudyandcomplementedbyinsitugeochronologytechniques(i.e.,Pb-Pbingalena,orU-Pbofaccessoryphasesinthinsection).

Project: GoldmineralisationcontrolsintheMadrasdeposit(Tropicana)

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: NicolasThébaud,nicolas.thebaud@uwa.edu.au,64887139,SteffenHagemann,StanislavUlrich

Description: TheTropicanagolddepositislocatedwithinthePlumridgeterranealongtheeasternmarginoftheArcheanYilgarncratonintheAlbany-Fraserorogen,WesternAustralia.MineralizationishostedinafavorablesyeniticlithofaciesoftheTropicanaGneisswithaminimumigneousageof2638±4Ma(2σ)andwhichwasmetamorphosedtomid-amphibolitetolowergranulitefaciesintheperiodca.2638to2520Ma.Gold-bearingpyrite-biotite-sericitemineralizationformedinassociationwithshearzones.OneofthesatellitetargettothemainmineralisationreferredtotheMadrasdepositiscurrentlyunderscrutinywithmineralisationisnotassociatedwithvisiblegold.Thisprojectaimsatdefininggoldmineralisationcontrolstofurthersupporttheexplorationstrategyintheregion.Thestudyreliesonamulti-disciplinaryapproachcombiningstructuralcorelogging,mineralogyandlithogeochemistry(SEMandEMPaswellasinsitulaserICP-MSanalyses).

Project: GoldmineralisationintheNuukprovince,WestGreenlandMajorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: NicolasThébaud,nicolas.thebaud@uwa.edu.au,64887139,ErwannLebrun,MarcoFiorentini

Description: ThepurposeofthisprojectistocharacterisethemineralogyandgeochemicalalterationassociatedwithauriferousquartzveinsfromtheArchaeanhighmetamorphicNuukarea,southernWestGreenland.Sulfureisotopedataforhydrothermalmineralswillshedlightonthepossiblefluidsource,thenatureofthepathwayandprecipitationmechanism.Abetterunderstandingwillenhanceourcomprehensionoflarge-scalefluidmigrationandmasstransferinhighmetamorphicterranesand,bythat,thedeepercrustoftheEarth.TheprojectwillbebasedprimarilyonsamplescollectedinthefieldinAugust2016.

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Project: U-PbagedistributionofDetritalZirconpopulationsacrosstheBirimianTerrane/ManShieldboundary,WestAfrica

Majorsincluding:

Geology

Supervisor: NicolasThébaud,nicolas.thebaud@uwa.edu.au,64887139,LuisParraAvillaandElenaBelousova

Description: TheWestAfricanCratonconsistsofanArcheancore,theso-calledManShield,andaPaleoproterozoicBirimianTerranethatisessentiallycomposedofvolcanicbeltsandinterveningsedimentarybasins.TheoverallrelationandtheboundarybetweentheManShieldandtheBirimianTerranefurthertotheNorthremainspoorlyconstrained.InordertounderstandtheregionaltectonostratigraphicevolutionandassociatedmineralisationoftheBirimianTerraneinWesternAfrica,itisimportanttodevelopagoodunderstandingofthetimingofemplacementofthevariouslitho-stratigraphicpakagesandintrustionsformingtheCraton.Atpresent,verylittleisknownaboutthestratigraphicvariationwithintheBirimianSedimentaryBasins,whichformsalargeportionoftheBirimianSequenceandevenlessisknownabouttherelationofthisbasinwiththeunderlyingArcheanManShield.In2012afieldcampaignwasconductedinGuineaacrosstheboundarybetweentheProterozoicandArcheanTerranes.Duringthisfieldcampaign,sedimentsfromstreamsandriverswerecollectedwiththepurposeofconductingaTerraneChron®reconnaissancestudyoverthearea.TerranChron®isauniquemethodologyintegratinginsituanalysisofzirconsforU-Pbage,Hf-isotopecompositionandtrace-elementcompositionusingLAM-ICPMS,LAM-Multi-Collector(MC)ICPMSandelectronmicroprobe(EMP)providingapowerfultoolforthestudyofcrustalevolutionandevaluationofthemetallogenicpotentialofterranes.Themethodologywillbeappliedtodetritalzirconsrecoveredfromdrainagesamples.Theuseofdrainagesampleshasmanyadvantages:naturehasseparatedandconcentratedastatisticallymoremeaningfulsamplethanisachievablebyconventionalsinglerocksamplingandmethods,andthiscanprovideamorecomprehensivecoverageofrocktypesparticularlyintheareaswheretherockoutcropsarescarce.