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The Geological Societyof <strong>Australia</strong> IncNewsletter Number 146March 2008<strong>Feature</strong>: <strong>Uncover<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>: <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>exploration</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>WA</strong><strong>Henry</strong> William Beamish Talbot: Pioneer<strong>in</strong>g Geologistof Western <strong>Australia</strong>Special Report: AuScope and National Transects
The <strong>Australia</strong>n GeologistNewsletter 146, March 2008Registered by <strong>Australia</strong> PostPublication No. PP243459/00091ISSN 0312 2471Guest Editor: Bill BirchProduction Editor: Heather CatchpoleSend contributions to: tag@gsa.org.auCentral Bus<strong>in</strong>ess OfficeExecutive Director: Sue FletcherSuite 706, 301 George StreetSydney NSW 2000Tel: (02) 9290 2194Fax: (02) 9290 2198Email: <strong>in</strong>fo@gsa.org.auGSA website: www.gsa.org.au22 From the President23 Honorary Editor’s Comment24 Society UpdateBus<strong>in</strong>ess ReportMembership UpdateFrom the AJES Editor’s DeskEducation & Outreach11 News from the DivisionsSpecialist Group News20 <strong>Feature</strong>23 In FocusDesign and typesett<strong>in</strong>g The Visible Word Pty LtdPr<strong>in</strong>ted by Ligare Pty LtdDistributed by Trade Mail<strong>in</strong>g & Fulfilment Pty Ltd25 Special Report29 News37 Letters to the Editor41 Book Reviews48 Obituaries50 Calendar51 Office BearersRottnest Island, 20 km west ofFremantle, Western <strong>Australia</strong>.Most of the island is built of latePleistocene dune limestone,deposited dur<strong>in</strong>g the last glacialmaximum, when the shorel<strong>in</strong>ewas 12 km west of the island.In addition, the island displays alate Pleistocene coral reef anda history of fluctuat<strong>in</strong>g sea leveldur<strong>in</strong>g the Holocene.52 Publish<strong>in</strong>g DetailsPhoto courtesy of Phil Playford.
From the PresidentWe are now well <strong>in</strong>to the International Year of PlanetEarth and, with only a few months to go to the AESC2008 <strong>in</strong> Perth and the end of my term as President,I thought I might reflect on the current state of the GSA.Accompany<strong>in</strong>g the December issue of TAG, membersreceived a copy of the latest Register of Members of the Society(2007-2009). In addition to be<strong>in</strong>g a valuable directory forfriends and colleagues across the Society, the summary statisticsand demographics provide an up to date snapshot of theGSA as it is today, and, perhaps more importantly, the trends <strong>in</strong>membership patterns over the last few years. As a Society wecan take some satisfaction that the membership decl<strong>in</strong>e thatwas of such major concern a couple of years ago has beenarrested, and even modestly reversed over the last two years.Total membership has risen by about ten percent from a lowpo<strong>in</strong>t <strong>in</strong> 2005, although the total is still below the levels of afew years earlier. Importantly, the number of new membersrecruited to the Society is significantly higher than a few yearsago and this is an encouragement, although no cause for complacency.The causes for this reversal are, of course, complexand <strong>in</strong>clude factors external to GSA, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the resourcesboom and the effect this is hav<strong>in</strong>g on employment of professionalgeoscientists. However there is also no doubt <strong>in</strong> my m<strong>in</strong>dthat a significant factor has been the diligent attention givento recruitment issues by the Divisions and our ExecutiveDirector. The efforts of all <strong>in</strong>volved are greatly appreciated.Membership of GSA has <strong>in</strong>creased across all of the majormembership categories over the last three years <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g fullmembers, retired members and student members. It is alsopleas<strong>in</strong>g to see that a steady <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> membership has beenISSUE COPY FINISHEDARTINSERTSJUNE 2008 30 Apr 9 May 16 JuneSEPTEMBER 2008 31 Jul 6 Aug 15 AugDECEMBER 2008 30 Oct 3 Nov 10 NovMARCH 2009 30 Jan 5 Feb 16 Marrecorded across all Divisions and almostall of our Specialist Groups. The growth<strong>in</strong> retired members is <strong>in</strong> l<strong>in</strong>e with trends<strong>in</strong> our age<strong>in</strong>g population as the ‘babyboom’ demographic bulge beg<strong>in</strong>s tomove out of the active workforce. This particular trend is likelyto be with us for another decade yet. Yet we have also seena significant growth <strong>in</strong> Student membership, which is mostencourag<strong>in</strong>g, but provides a challenge to us right across theSociety to ensure that these student members see value <strong>in</strong>reta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g their membership beyond their student days.Attract<strong>in</strong>g young professionals is obviously vital for the futurehealth of the GSA and needs to rema<strong>in</strong> a priority across allparts of the Society.One of the strengths of our Society is its breadth, with ourmembers’ <strong>in</strong>terests cover<strong>in</strong>g the full spectrum of the geologicalsciences. In terms of employment, our members cover a rangeof sectors, ma<strong>in</strong>ly <strong>in</strong> two broad clusters–education/research/government and <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong>/petroleum/consult<strong>in</strong>g– thatare roughly equal <strong>in</strong> size. Our most important means of cater<strong>in</strong>gfor this diversity is, of course, through our 13 SpecialistGroups, which organise their own conferences, symposia, fieldtrips and publications etc. Reports on some of these activitiescan be found elsewhere <strong>in</strong> this edition of TAG. The SpecialistGroups provide an excellent opportunity for members to be<strong>in</strong>volved with others of like m<strong>in</strong>d <strong>in</strong> areas that <strong>in</strong>terest themmost.Over many years of <strong>in</strong>teract<strong>in</strong>g with geoscientists around<strong>Australia</strong> I have always been struck by the level of fasc<strong>in</strong>ationand passion that we as a group ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> for our particularbranch of science. I have found that those <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong>dustry arealso fasc<strong>in</strong>ated by aspects of the fundamental science, andthose <strong>in</strong> a more research-oriented environment also f<strong>in</strong>d much<strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> the more applied aspects. If we as a Society can providea forum not only for foster<strong>in</strong>g our specialist <strong>in</strong>terests butalso for contribut<strong>in</strong>g to the geosciences as a whole, then Ibelieve we are <strong>in</strong> good shape and moreover will have much tooffer to the wider community. The IYPE provides an opportunityfor the contribution of the geosciences to society to bemore clearly recognised and the AESC 2008 <strong>in</strong> Perth next Julywill be our premier event for the year. The Convention organisershave arranged a superb program that caters for all sectionsof the GSA and will be a magnificent showcase of all thatis best <strong>in</strong> what we do. I trust that as many as possible will beable to participate.ANDY GLEADOWPresident2 | TAGMarch 2008
Editor’s CommentAbstract thoughtsJanuary is not a good time to write an editorial. Holidaymode has kicked <strong>in</strong> and unless a public controversy withvague connections to the geosciences erupts, there islittle to stir the imag<strong>in</strong>ation. The ‘cricket and racism’ controversybriefly had me consider<strong>in</strong>g someth<strong>in</strong>g on the geosciencebeh<strong>in</strong>d variations <strong>in</strong> cricket pitch behaviour, but that got nofurther than a head<strong>in</strong>g! So, at a time of abstract th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g, mythoughts turned to abstracts. Let’s face it, abstracts are anecessary evil! We like read<strong>in</strong>g those prepared by others, butloath writ<strong>in</strong>g our own. Just when you th<strong>in</strong>k that manuscript isf<strong>in</strong>ished, you remember the abstract. If it’s a jo<strong>in</strong>t paper, youtry and persuade the junior author to write it. How manymanuscripts are gather<strong>in</strong>g dust, unsubmitted, for want of anabstract? Then there’s those abstracts demanded by conferenceorganisers 12 months <strong>in</strong> advance!For me, January is ‘review and tick off’ time and one of mytasks <strong>in</strong> this category is the preparation of abstracts for paperspublished <strong>in</strong> AJES over the previous year. Not all papers, justthose with a m<strong>in</strong>eralogical component of sufficient weight tobe sent off to M<strong>in</strong>eralogical Abstracts, as published bythe M<strong>in</strong>eralogical Society of Great Brita<strong>in</strong>. Some older GSAmembers may recall the pr<strong>in</strong>t version of ‘M<strong>in</strong>Abs’, discont<strong>in</strong>ueda few years ago <strong>in</strong> favour of the entirely on-l<strong>in</strong>e option. Whileon-l<strong>in</strong>e access with search/browse facilities has made th<strong>in</strong>gsmuch easier for the enquirer, it’s not as simple as just upload<strong>in</strong>gthe exist<strong>in</strong>g authors’ abstracts. Most are too long andcomplicated <strong>in</strong> their present form, requir<strong>in</strong>g a fair bit ofedit<strong>in</strong>g and shorten<strong>in</strong>g, so I regard abstract<strong>in</strong>g as a duty ratherthan someth<strong>in</strong>g I look forward to do<strong>in</strong>g. Hence, when theHonorary Editor proudly announced there would be two extraissues of AJES <strong>in</strong> 2007, my heart sank slightly while I murmuredcongratulations to Tony, as his <strong>in</strong>itiative meant more abstracts.Fortunately, the availability of AJES abstracts on-l<strong>in</strong>e to GSAmembers through the Taylor and Francis connection makes mytask much easier, but the appropriate papers still have to beselected. My criteria are quite strict; a paper has to at leastmention a m<strong>in</strong>eral name, describe or show an image of am<strong>in</strong>eral, or use a m<strong>in</strong>eralogical technique. For 2007, I chosesome 19 papers out of a total of 64, a healthy proportion which<strong>in</strong>dicates that m<strong>in</strong>eralogy is not quite dead. When I first tookover this job from Rob<strong>in</strong> Oliver, I was sufficiently enthusiasticto overlook each abstract lov<strong>in</strong>gly crafted by the authors,<strong>in</strong>stead preferr<strong>in</strong>g to read each paper and then write my ownabstract. That approach lasted only a year. Now mostlyI abstract the abstracts, greatly appreciat<strong>in</strong>g those that areshort and succ<strong>in</strong>ct. So when you prepare your next abstract, ordownload one from the Internet, spare a thought for usabstractors!That rem<strong>in</strong>ds me; what is the deadl<strong>in</strong>e for abstracts for thePerth AGC? What, I’ve missed it!All the best to TAG readers for 2008.BILL BIRCHMuseum VictoriaTAG March 2008| 3
SocietyUpdateBus<strong>in</strong>ess ReportAs I write this column Sir Edmund Hillary’s state funeralis be<strong>in</strong>g conducted and recently two young<strong>Australia</strong>n men crossed the Tasman by kayak. Themedia rem<strong>in</strong>ded me of Sir Edmund’s triumphs, which has meth<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g about other pioneers: Mawson, Shackleton, Stillwelland others from a different time with no GPS units or solaroperatedsatellite phones to assist them. These pioneers madesignificant contributions <strong>in</strong> their field – I can only imag<strong>in</strong>e howthey struggled to f<strong>in</strong>d fund<strong>in</strong>g, benefactors or champions fortheir missions; how did they rally their support when they knewso little about where they were go<strong>in</strong>g and if there would be anytangible benefits <strong>in</strong> go<strong>in</strong>g there and com<strong>in</strong>g back? Recently, thefirst official flight to the Antarctic on the glacial Wilk<strong>in</strong>sRunway, near Casey was made – we don’t yet know how thiswill <strong>in</strong>fluence the scientific research done <strong>in</strong> the Antarctic, butwe do know that <strong>in</strong> the future it will be seen as a turn<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>t.The GSA was previously described to me as a broad churchencompass<strong>in</strong>g many geoscience discipl<strong>in</strong>es; our members work<strong>in</strong> the Antarctic, Alice Spr<strong>in</strong>gs, <strong>in</strong> remote and distant locationsand <strong>in</strong> the major cities that r<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>Australia</strong>n coastl<strong>in</strong>e. Unlikescientists (and adventurers) from earlier times, GSA memberscan stay <strong>in</strong> touch with their colleagues via the many telecommunicationsoptions available and can cont<strong>in</strong>ue their on-go<strong>in</strong>gprofessional development through their GSA membership.Specialist Groups focus on specific areas of geoscienceexpertise, lead<strong>in</strong>g to the creation of GSA sub-communities thatprovide opportunities to share ideas and communicate withlike-m<strong>in</strong>ded scientists. Whether it is an <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> volcanology(the drama that easily captures the youngest student), economicgeology, m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and <strong>exploration</strong>, older geological time,or one of the many other fields – GSA membership providesopportunities to understand and promote Earth processes,systems and products for on-go<strong>in</strong>g professional development.Dur<strong>in</strong>g March/April, local Division and Specialist Groups’committees hold their Annual General Meet<strong>in</strong>gs, vote for newoffice bearers and commence plann<strong>in</strong>g for upcom<strong>in</strong>g activities.Early <strong>in</strong> the year is a great time to contact your local Divisionto contribute to your Division’s activities. This is your opportunityto <strong>in</strong>fluence how your membership dues are spent. Youmay want to see more workshops, field trips, symposia or m<strong>in</strong>iconferences;or closer local l<strong>in</strong>ks with other geoscience organisations,jo<strong>in</strong>t events, publish<strong>in</strong>g ventures, student recognitionand encouragement nights or education and outreach activities.Now is the time to get <strong>in</strong>volved. Whether you are close toretir<strong>in</strong>g and br<strong>in</strong>g a wealth of experience and contacts, or anearly careerist look<strong>in</strong>g for professionaldevelopment and opportunities toconnect with the Earth Science community, gett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>volved ata local level benefits you. You can be <strong>in</strong>volved at the level youwant – it isn’t just stamp lick<strong>in</strong>g!The ways we communicate about the geosciences havechanged <strong>in</strong> the past 50 years, but even with technologicalchanges the com<strong>in</strong>g together of like-m<strong>in</strong>ded geoscientists toshare ideas, explore critical debate and to go <strong>in</strong>to the fieldto exam<strong>in</strong>e first-hand still provide major opportunities forprofessional development.Throughout the year GSA Divisions and Specialist Groupsorganise many opportunities for learn<strong>in</strong>g. One of these, the<strong>Australia</strong>n Geological Convention (AGC) held biennially willtake place this year. It is a significant opportunity for geoscientiststo come together to present, listen and learn about theirfield or to keep abreast of developments outside their area ofexpertise. This year the 19th AGC will be held jo<strong>in</strong>tly with the<strong>Australia</strong>n Institute of Geoscientists as the <strong>Australia</strong>n EarthScience Convention (AESC) 2008.Our major focus for 2008 is the AESC which will be held atthe Perth Convention Centre from Sunday 20 July to Thursday24 July. The conference’s five key themes will encompass cutt<strong>in</strong>g-edgescience under the head<strong>in</strong>g ‘New Generation <strong>in</strong>Geosciences’. International speakers will <strong>in</strong>clude Mike Gurnis(Geophysics, California Institute of Technology), Jeff Taylor(Institute of Geophysics and Palaoentology, University ofHawaii), Donald S<strong>in</strong>ger (Development and Application ofQuantitative Assessments, USGS), Phil Commander(International Association of Hydrogeologists) and PeterMcCabe (American Association of Petroleum Geologists) aswell as <strong>Australia</strong>’s Barry Drummond (Earth Monitor<strong>in</strong>g Group,Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong>), all sure to <strong>in</strong>spire you. Dynamic fieldtrips will be organised for Palaeozoic Geology of the Cann<strong>in</strong>gBas<strong>in</strong>, the northern Pilbara Craton, Eastern Goldfields, SharkBay, the Halls Creek Orogen, Kalgoorlie, Mecker<strong>in</strong>g Fault Scarpand, of course, M<strong>in</strong>es and W<strong>in</strong>es of south-west Western<strong>Australia</strong>.This is your conference, get <strong>in</strong>volved, register, go to Perth,present and develop yourself professionally.SUE FLETCHERExecutive Director4 | TAG March 2008
New membersThe GSA welcomes thefollow<strong>in</strong>g new members tothe Society. May you allhave a long and beneficialassociation with the GSA:ACTR ETIRED M EMBERDavid TrailSAM EMBERXian TaoS TUDENT M EMBERRachael Sk<strong>in</strong>nerVICM EMBERDavid Holloway<strong>WA</strong>M EMBERMatthew BaggottKrist<strong>in</strong>e DudgeonJames TyrrellS TUDENT M EMBERLoren BargievAlistair BarrettLylah BlampeyMargaret BrocxMatthew EllwoodBen HamesAlexander HewlettAlexandra MaskellJamie McArthurTim McCormackJonathan RideNicholas V<strong>in</strong>ciulloTarna WerndlyMembership ProfileThe Register of Members <strong>in</strong>cluded statistical<strong>in</strong>formation about the GSA membership. Inthis edition of TAG we have reproduced someof those graphs for your <strong>in</strong>terest. Measur<strong>in</strong>gmembership renewals, membership categoriesand Specialist Group affiliation <strong>in</strong>forms howwe are travell<strong>in</strong>g today as a society; but compar<strong>in</strong>gthat <strong>in</strong>formation aga<strong>in</strong>st previous yearstakes that <strong>in</strong>formation to the next level and itbecomes useful data that demonstrate trends.Analysis of a trend can <strong>in</strong>form actions GSAtakes: for example the number of retiredmembers has <strong>in</strong>creased from 324 members <strong>in</strong>2005 to 349 <strong>in</strong> 2007, full-fee pay<strong>in</strong>g membersare fewer <strong>in</strong> 2007 than it was <strong>in</strong> 2006 and aswe expected, student membership substantially<strong>in</strong>creased <strong>in</strong> 2007. The GSA’s subsidisedmembership categories are clearly <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g.What will that mean to the GSA <strong>in</strong> ten years ifthe trend cont<strong>in</strong>ues? If you want to knowmore about some of the <strong>in</strong>formation we m<strong>in</strong>efrom our database please contact the bus<strong>in</strong>essoffice.Total Members 2003 to 2007Look<strong>in</strong>g at our membership over the past fiveyears, 2003 had the highest membership and2005 saw the greatest dip. S<strong>in</strong>ce then ourmembership has begun to creep up, althoughthe trend is modest. We do not know if this isa cyclical trend, or if jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the GSA hasbecome more attractive.New Membership 2004 to 2007Aga<strong>in</strong> 2005 saw not only the lowest numbersof membership renewals but also of newmembers, only 63 members jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the societycompared to 179 <strong>in</strong> 2007.(Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on next page)Total Membership from 2003 to 2007 New Membership from 2004 to 2007Lost MembersThe follow<strong>in</strong>g member is notreally lost, but his GSA mailcannot f<strong>in</strong>d him and is be<strong>in</strong>greturned to the office. If youknow the whereabouts ofthis member please let himknow we cannot f<strong>in</strong>d him orcontact the bus<strong>in</strong>ess office.Mr Chris MaysThank you to all members fortheir assistance with help<strong>in</strong>gus f<strong>in</strong>d ‘lost’ members.TAG March 2008 | 5
Employment Sectors 2007SHORT COURSES 2008CODESBROWNFIELDS9–20 JuneThere is no such th<strong>in</strong>g as an abandoned m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g field. All siteswhere metalliferous m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g has occurred become the focus ofrenewed <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> times of economic prosperity.Exploration <strong>in</strong> data-rich environments close to exist<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>in</strong>es hasbecome the preferred method of <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g company resourcesover the past few years.This CODES short course is designed to br<strong>in</strong>g students up-to-datewith the latest techniques for explor<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> data-rich environmentsand will cover cutt<strong>in</strong>g-edge technologies <strong>in</strong> geophysics,geochemistry and 3D visualisation and will use real data fromworld-class m<strong>in</strong>eralised districts.ARC Centre ofExcellence<strong>in</strong> Ore Depositsat the Universityof TasmaniaORE DEPOSIT MODELS & EXPLORATION STRATEGIES27 October–7 NovemberThis short course is ideal for <strong>in</strong>dustry geologists who want tobroaden their knowledge of economic geology by ga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g accessto the most up-to-date <strong>exploration</strong> models for key m<strong>in</strong>eral deposittypes.Important features which relate to their genesis and <strong>exploration</strong>will be discussed and <strong>exploration</strong> models will be presented foreach of the follow<strong>in</strong>g deposit types: VHMS, Broken Hill type,Proterozoic Cu-Au, porphyry Cu-Mo-Au, orogenic gold, sedimenthostedmassive sulfides, epithermal Au-Ag, sedimentary Zn andCu, and magmatic Ni.A three-day pre-course workshop entitled Exploration onthe Edge will discuss real-life examples of <strong>exploration</strong> on theperiphery of m<strong>in</strong>eralised systems and how to vector <strong>in</strong>to the core.Day registrations to all CODES short courses are available.Employment SectorsIn 2007 the <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry was the largest employmentsector, followed by the tertiary, consult<strong>in</strong>g sectors and thesurveys and CSIRO. This trend is consistent with data fromprevious years, as is the largest Specialist Group: EconomicGeology.For further <strong>in</strong>formation contactDr Tony Webster – Masters Coord<strong>in</strong>ator, CODESTel: +61 (0)3 6226 1942 Fax +61 (0)3 6226 7662Email: awebster@utas.edu.auwww.codes.utas.edu.au/masters6 | TAG March 2008
SocietyUpdateFrom the AJES Hon Editor’sOn hyphenation andother mattersIrealise that I am somewhat pedantic when it comes tohyphenation. After all it makes quite a difference whetheryou say ”the debutant married a used-car salesman” or ”thedebutant married a used car salesman” and ”man eat<strong>in</strong>g lion”does not conjure up the same image as ”man-eat<strong>in</strong>g lion”:compound adjectives are important. However there is anotheruse for the hyphen. Given that most published works have fullyjustified columns, there is the frequent need to <strong>in</strong>sert a hyphento split a word at the end of a l<strong>in</strong>e of type (‘soft hyphen’ <strong>in</strong>pr<strong>in</strong>ters’ jargon) and not enough attention is paid to this aspectof hyphenation. When proof read<strong>in</strong>g AJES I try to ensure thatsuch end-of-l<strong>in</strong>e hyphens are put <strong>in</strong> the most suitable place.The <strong>in</strong>elegant word splits I have had to change <strong>in</strong>clude:‘explora-tion’, ‘effec-tive’, ‘ap-proach’, ‘m<strong>in</strong>eralisa-tion’,‘se-quences’. Fortunately these word breaks have not been <strong>in</strong>the same category as one I came across <strong>in</strong> a recent issue ofTime where it was stated (name changed to protect theperson’s identity): ‘John Smith’s small arse-nal was….’.Of course hyphenated words are frequently a ‘half-wayhouse’ between two non-hyphenated words and one longerword: eg ‘sea floor’, ‘sea-floor’ and ‘seafloor’. Keen-eyedreaders of AJES will have noticed that I have jumped from ’seafloor’ to ‘seafloor’, ma<strong>in</strong>ly because I got tired of add<strong>in</strong>g thehyphen <strong>in</strong> ‘sea-floor spread<strong>in</strong>g’. Those who want to read furtherabout the joys of hyphenation should look at New Hart’s Rule(Oxford University Press).Break<strong>in</strong>g and jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g words can be a fasc<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g game. TheBritish comedian (and this dates me!) Nosmo K<strong>in</strong>g expla<strong>in</strong>edthat his stage name came from a notice on the two halves ofbackstage doors– NO SMO KING. Dylan Thomas’ play UnderMilkwood orig<strong>in</strong>ally had the suitably Welsh-sound<strong>in</strong>g titleLlareggub until an eagle-eyed publisher noticed how the wordread backwards. Author CL Inker (remember those climb<strong>in</strong>gbootnails?) <strong>in</strong> his short story The Ascent of F# has a number of<strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g place names: Pushbar Toopen and Nsil (the signto which reads ‘To Nsil’). I suppose some of our geologicalcolleagues demonstrate a similar sense of humour <strong>in</strong> thetitle of their papers, witness the ’SWEAT’ hypothesis or, myparticular favourite, ‘Genesis of longitud<strong>in</strong>al and oghurd duneselucidated by roll<strong>in</strong>g upon grease’.TONY COCKBAINHon Editor AJESAnnual Citation forExcellence <strong>in</strong> Review<strong>in</strong>gfor the Year 2007It is my pleasure to commend the follow<strong>in</strong>g persons forconsistently provid<strong>in</strong>g constructive and thoughtful reviews:Mal Kneeshaw, Dick Morris, Franco Pirajno and David Taylor.Reviewers 2007The Editor would like to thank the follow<strong>in</strong>g people whoreviewed manuscripts submitted to, or published <strong>in</strong>, the<strong>Australia</strong>n Journal of Earth Sciences dur<strong>in</strong>g 2007.Ravi AnandPeter Alt-Epp<strong>in</strong>gSteve AppleyardDennis ArnePeter BaillieBasil BalmeRon BerryTrevor BestowPaul BlakeRichard BlewettBill BoydBrendan BrookeAlan ButlerCharles ButtBob CarterPeter CawoodAllan ChivasTony CrawfordAndrew CrossBill Coll<strong>in</strong>sPhilip CommanderPatrick De DeckkerMike DentithShawan DogramaciPhil FerencziChris FergussonAndrew FitzpatrickLarry FrakesGeoff FraserRaphael GarciaAndrew GliksonJohn GorterSteffen HagemannAnthony HarrisPeter Ha<strong>in</strong>esLyal HarrisAndrew HeapGraham He<strong>in</strong>sonCharles HendersonPaul HesseGuy HoldgateMiaki IshiiJim JacksonJim JagoSimon JohnsonBrian JonesTony KempMal KneeshawRussell KorschXian-hua LiBernd LottermoserPatrick LyonsRoland MaasJoe McCallMike McWilliamsK<strong>in</strong>gsley MillsDick MorrisEmma NelsonInakwu OdehAlan Orp<strong>in</strong>Gordon PackhamCol<strong>in</strong> Pa<strong>in</strong>John PandolfiDave PhillipsBrad PillansFranco PirajnoJohn PrescottAnya Read<strong>in</strong>gAnthony ReidMichael RoachJohn RobertsLachlan RutherfordScott SamsonPhil SchmidtIan ScrimgeourRussell ShawGraham ShieldsRay SmithKeith SircombePeter SouthgateRick SquireAlastair StewartJuergen StreitL<strong>in</strong> SutherlandIan SweetDavid TaylorGeoff TaylorChrist<strong>in</strong>e ThomasAlan ThorneL<strong>in</strong> SutherlandJohn VeeversMalcolm WallaceJohn WalsheMalcolm WalterSimon WildeWally WittJonathan WynnKarl-He<strong>in</strong>z WyrwollBob YoungGav<strong>in</strong> YoungTAG March 2008 | 7
SocietyUpdateForthcom<strong>in</strong>g PapersAJES 55/3REVIEW PAPERBLN Kennett and H Tkalcic:‘Dynamic Earth: crustal and mantle heterogeneity.’RESEARCH PAPERSSJ Mills, WD Birch, R Maas, D Phillips and IR Plimer:‘Lake Boga Granite, northwestern Victoria: m<strong>in</strong>eralogy, geochemistryand geochronology’.BPJ Stevens, RW Page and A Crooks:‘Geochronology of Willyama Supergroup metavolcanics,metasediments and contemporaneous <strong>in</strong>trusions, Broken Hill,New South Wales’.R Offler and D Foster:‘Tim<strong>in</strong>g and development of orocl<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> the southern NewEngland Orogen, New South Wales’.NG Direen, HMJ Stagg, PA Symonds and JB Colwell:‘Architecture of volcanic rifted marg<strong>in</strong>s: new <strong>in</strong>sights from theExmouth–Gascoyne marg<strong>in</strong>, Western <strong>Australia</strong>’.I Metcalfe, RS Nicoll and RJ Will<strong>in</strong>k:‘Conodonts from the Permian–Triassic transition <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>and position of the Permian–Triassic boundary’.D Clark, M Dentith, KH Wyrwoll, Y Lu, V Dentand W Featherstone:‘Hyden Fault Scarp, Western <strong>Australia</strong>: paleoseismic evidencefor repeated Quaternary displacement <strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>tracratonic sett<strong>in</strong>g’.P W Ha<strong>in</strong>es, RM Hock<strong>in</strong>g, K Grey and MK Stevens:‘V<strong>in</strong>es 1 revisited: are older Neoproterozoic glacial depositspreserved <strong>in</strong> Western <strong>Australia</strong>?’BE Cohen, KM Knesel, PM Vasconcelos, DS Thiedeand JM Hergt:‘40Ar/39Ar constra<strong>in</strong>ts on the tim<strong>in</strong>g and orig<strong>in</strong> of Mioceneleucitite volcanism <strong>in</strong> southeastern <strong>Australia</strong>’.A Reid, M Hand, E Jagodz<strong>in</strong>ski, D Kelsey and N Pearson:‘Paleoproterozoic orogenesis <strong>in</strong> the southeastern GawlerCraton, South <strong>Australia</strong>’.G A Kew, RJ Gilkes and CI Mathison:‘Nature and orig<strong>in</strong>s of granitic regolith <strong>in</strong> bauxite m<strong>in</strong>e floors<strong>in</strong> the Darl<strong>in</strong>g Range, Western <strong>Australia</strong>’.M Raiber and JA Webb:‘Tectonic control of Tertiary deposition <strong>in</strong> the Streatham Deep-Lead System <strong>in</strong> western Victoria’.KE Parker and JA Webb:‘Estuar<strong>in</strong>e deposition and palaeoecology of a mid-Viséan tetrapodunit, Ducabrook Formation, central Queensland: implicationsfor tetrapod dispersal’.M Raveggi, D Giles, J Foden, M Raetz and K Ehlers:‘Source and significance of the felsic magmatism <strong>in</strong> thePaleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic Broken Hill Block, NewSouth Wales’.A D Heap and PT Harris:‘Geomorphology of the <strong>Australia</strong>n marg<strong>in</strong> and adjacentseafloor’.JA Salisbury, AG Tomk<strong>in</strong>s and BF Schaefer:‘New <strong>in</strong>sights <strong>in</strong>to the size and tim<strong>in</strong>g of the Lawn Hill impactstructure: relationship to the Century Zn–Pb deposit’.Forthcom<strong>in</strong>g Thematic IssuesGeochronology <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>Evolution of the Bowen, Gunnedah and Surat Bas<strong>in</strong>sWhere waters meet (hydrogeology issue)Know your geologist...Do you know these geologists?H<strong>in</strong>t: they were photographed <strong>in</strong> outback South <strong>Australia</strong>dur<strong>in</strong>g an excursion, prior to the 1976 InternationalGeological Congress <strong>in</strong> Sydney. (See page 51.)AJES 55/4REVIEW PAPERH Tkalcic and BLN Kennett:‘Core structure and heterogeneity: a seismological perspective’.RESEARCH PAPERSAG Rossiter and CM Gray:‘Barium contents of granites: key to understand<strong>in</strong>g crustalarchitecture <strong>in</strong> the southern Lachlan Fold Belt?’8 | TAG March 2008
SocietyUpdateEducation&Outreach2008 promises to be as busy as 2007 forEducation and Outreach activities. The International Year ofPlanet Earth (IYPE) will no doubt br<strong>in</strong>g numerous activities tothe fore and provide many of us with a good excuse to dust offsome golden oldies for re-use <strong>in</strong> open days, schools programsand public liaison activities. However, IYPE is also the perfectvehicle for build<strong>in</strong>g new relationships with educators, governmentagencies and corporate <strong>Australia</strong>. Do<strong>in</strong>g this will ensurea vibrant, ongo<strong>in</strong>g and susta<strong>in</strong>able program of excit<strong>in</strong>g, stimulat<strong>in</strong>gand reward<strong>in</strong>g activities to foster greater <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> thegeosciences and associated careers <strong>in</strong>to the future. Membersare urged to seize the opportunities IYPE-presents.GSA plans to be part of these developments throughimprov<strong>in</strong>g and extend<strong>in</strong>g exist<strong>in</strong>g activities and products aswell as the cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g development of new and dynamic materialsfor use <strong>in</strong> education and outreach programs.Fact-ites and QuizziclesAdditional Fact-ites and Quizzicles will be added to the GSAwebsite at www.gsa.org.au/resources/education throughoutthe year. If you have an idea for a particular subject make sureyou write it down and send it <strong>in</strong>. Not only will you be help<strong>in</strong>gdevelop these useful teach<strong>in</strong>g tools, your authorship will beacknowledged on the product.EarthCach<strong>in</strong>gEarthCach<strong>in</strong>g is a grow<strong>in</strong>g phenomenon world-wide and feedbackfrom players has been very positive. There are not many<strong>Australia</strong>n EarthCache sites so far but to show the impact theycan have on students and the wider public, this quote from arecent player who found and logged a site <strong>in</strong> Victoria makesthe po<strong>in</strong>t: “Our first EarthCache – and what a great way tolearn someth<strong>in</strong>g about the local geology! We really enjoyed theview of the area from the vantage po<strong>in</strong>t at the posted co-ord<strong>in</strong>ates,along with learn<strong>in</strong>g someth<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g. Two membersof (our team) attended <strong>in</strong> discover<strong>in</strong>g this EarthCache today”.GSA will cont<strong>in</strong>ue to generate EarthCaches and review all<strong>Australia</strong>n EarthCache nom<strong>in</strong>ations, but members are aga<strong>in</strong>encouraged to submit proposals for their own EarthCaches.Follow the guidel<strong>in</strong>es provided and submit your ownEarthCaches via the website: www.earthcache.org.Conferences: AESCThe <strong>Australia</strong>n Earth Science Convention(AESC) conference theme'Geoscience <strong>in</strong> the Service of Society'will have education as a sub-theme with an excellent range ofpresentations. It will be the largest session of its type at a GSAconvention <strong>in</strong> many years. If you are plann<strong>in</strong>g to attend AESCmake sure you also attend these presentations and supportthose work<strong>in</strong>g on Education and Outreach who are work<strong>in</strong>g tomake a difference <strong>in</strong> the public understand<strong>in</strong>g of geoscienceand career outcomes for future generations.Conference of the <strong>Australia</strong>n Science TeachersAssociation (CONASTA)GSA will attend this year’s conference at the Gold Coast <strong>in</strong> July.Feedback and <strong>in</strong>terest from teachers at the 2007 CONASTA wasvery encourag<strong>in</strong>g and we plan to build on that good relationshipthis year with workshops, displays and one-on-one discussionswith teachers, pr<strong>in</strong>cipals and adm<strong>in</strong>istrators.Global Geotourism2008 will see the <strong>in</strong>augural Global Geotourism conferenceheld at Perth <strong>in</strong> August. Tourism is an important and evergrow<strong>in</strong>gsector of the economy and geotourism is a burgeon<strong>in</strong>gcomponent of this thriv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry. The conference willbr<strong>in</strong>g together geoscientists, tourism operators, academics,TAG March 2008 | 9
SocietyUpdateparks managers and others <strong>in</strong> the sector to discuss the futureand susta<strong>in</strong>able development of the <strong>in</strong>dustry. The synergiesbetween geology, tourism, education and outreach are obviousand anyone with an <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> these developments is urged toattend this conference.TESEP developmentsThe Teacher Earth Science Education Program (TESEP) now hasan advisory board of senior personnel from all sectors of thegeoscience community, a bus<strong>in</strong>ess plan to develop and delivera series of eight teacher professional development workshopsacross <strong>Australia</strong> over the next two years and the imprimatur ofthe <strong>Australia</strong>n Science Teachers’ Association (ASTA) underwhose auspices it will be operated.The Petroleum Exploration Society of <strong>Australia</strong> (PESA) notonly provided seed fund<strong>in</strong>g to start the program off but hasalso stepped up to become a pr<strong>in</strong>cipal partner to fund theprogram over the next three years. Several other major corporations,smaller companies and university groups have alsopledged support. However, TESEP will need significantly morefund<strong>in</strong>g to operate and many more partners will be needed toensure it is a success. In order to avoid the program stumbl<strong>in</strong>gat the first hurdle the 2008 commencement of the program hasbeen rescheduled to the second half of the year to allowadditional partners to come on board. If you th<strong>in</strong>k you are ableto contribute <strong>in</strong> any way then please contact Greg McNamaraat geoservices@geoed.com.au or Jill Stevens at jill.stevens@exxonmobil.com to discuss your ideas or proposals further.Congratulations: Lachlan O’Brien<strong>Australia</strong>'s National Committee International Year of PlanetEarth judged the <strong>Australia</strong>n International Year of Planet Earth(IYPE) student competition. Lachlan O’Brien is the w<strong>in</strong>ner andwill represent <strong>Australia</strong> at the IYPE global launch to be heldon 12 and 13 February 2008 at UNESCO Headquarters <strong>in</strong>Paris. Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong> and the Geological Society of<strong>Australia</strong> are delighted to jo<strong>in</strong>tly send Lachlan to Paris.Thank you to all the competition entrants and to Geoscience<strong>Australia</strong> and the Geological Society of <strong>Australia</strong> for jo<strong>in</strong>tlyfund<strong>in</strong>g this <strong>in</strong>itiative.Further developmentsGSA Education and Outreach is always look<strong>in</strong>g for new opportunitiesto connect with students, teachers and the wider community.The GSA membership is diverse and dynamic and I amhopeful you will use IYPE as a spr<strong>in</strong>gboard. If you have thoughtof new and <strong>in</strong>novative approaches to education and outreachlet us know and together we can make them happen.Send all comments to Greg McNamara atgeoservices@geoed.com.auGREG McNAMARAEducation and Outreach Consultant10 | TAG March 2008
Newsfrom the DivisionsSouth <strong>Australia</strong>NOVEMBERCONFERENCE PERIOD28-30 November 2007The end of November has become aperiod of meet<strong>in</strong>gs and conferences <strong>in</strong>Adelaide organised and co-ord<strong>in</strong>ated bythe various Earth Science organisations.Last year proved to be a bigger andbetter affair than ever.5th Sprigg Symposium,29 NovemberGSA (SA Division) work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> collaborationwith the Co-operative Research Centre forLandscape, Environments and M<strong>in</strong>eralExploration (CRC-LEME) organised thisSymposium at the University of Adelaideunder the theme ‘Regolith: M<strong>in</strong>eral Depositsand Environment’. The Organis<strong>in</strong>gCommittee <strong>in</strong>cluded Graham Taylor(Convenor), John Keel<strong>in</strong>g, Barry Cooper,Steven Hill, Adrian Fabris, Jessie Davey andAnna Petts.Approximately 110 registrants participated<strong>in</strong> a day-long symposium at which 16papers were presented. A keynote addresswas given by Dr Steve Roger, ChiefExecutive of CRC-LEME, which was followedby papers by CRC-LEME members from theGeological Survey of South <strong>Australia</strong> andthe University of Adelaide. A poster sessionfeatured projects by university studentscomplet<strong>in</strong>g their Honours degrees. Notablewere presentations that described the geologyof the newly discovered Beverley 4-Mileuranium deposit, <strong>Australia</strong>’s largest uraniumdiscovery <strong>in</strong> more than 30 years.A volume of extended abstracts for themeet<strong>in</strong>g has been published as GeologicalSociety of <strong>Australia</strong> Abstracts No 87.Additional copies of this volume are availablefrom the GSA Central Office. Thisvolume conta<strong>in</strong>s previously unpublisheddata on ’Beverley 4-Mile’.Paper and Poster presentations were asfollows:Brown, AD and Hill, SM‘Soil vs Biogeochemical expression of m<strong>in</strong>eralisationburied by transported regolith:White Dam, Cu-Au, Curnamona Prov<strong>in</strong>ce,SA.’Cooper, BJ‘Sedimentary uranium: how it was firstdiscovered <strong>in</strong> the Frome Embayment.’Dart, RC, Hill, SM, Barovitch, KM andChittleborough, DJ‘Improv<strong>in</strong>g the reliability of Au-<strong>in</strong>-calcreteanomalies through the use of regolith-landformmapp<strong>in</strong>g and detailed assay analysis.’Davey, JE and Hill, SM‘Incorporat<strong>in</strong>g surficial geology and thesedimentary record <strong>in</strong>to tectonic drivenlandscape evolution models.’Dubieniecki, CD and Hill, SM‘Constra<strong>in</strong>ts on the 4-Mile uranium m<strong>in</strong>eralisationresult<strong>in</strong>g from neo-tectonic activity<strong>in</strong> the northern Fl<strong>in</strong>ders Ranges.’Fabris, AJ, Keel<strong>in</strong>g, JL and Fidler, RW‘Surface geochemical expression of bedrockbeneath thick sediment cover, CurnamonaProv<strong>in</strong>ce, South <strong>Australia</strong>.’Fidler, RW‘Reduce, reuse, recycle: the Gawler calcretereanalysis project.’Gallasch, DJ and Hill, SM‘Uranium m<strong>in</strong>eralisation expression anddispersion <strong>in</strong> the regolith carbonate–bedrock–plant system near the 4-Mile Westuranium prospect.’Hector, AN and Hill, SM‘Upper 4-Mile Creek palaeosediments andassociated palaeolandscape reconstructions,Eromanga Bas<strong>in</strong>, northern Fl<strong>in</strong>ders Ranges,South <strong>Australia</strong>.’Jenn<strong>in</strong>gs, MF Hill, SM, Wright, C and Kirby, J‘Biogeochemical trace element cycl<strong>in</strong>g overthe 4-Mile West Uranium m<strong>in</strong>eralisation by<strong>in</strong>vertebrate soil biota.’Joseph, J, Fabris, A and Worrall, L‘Electromagnetics for m<strong>in</strong>eral <strong>exploration</strong>and environmental studies: results fromSouth <strong>Australia</strong> and Northern Territory.’Keel<strong>in</strong>g, JL and Hore, SB‘Dr RC Sprigg – Contributions to geology and<strong>in</strong>sights <strong>in</strong>to landscape evolution.’John Keel<strong>in</strong>g (Assistant Director, CRC–LEME)to the left with Jim Jago, (Secretary GSA SADivision) to the right.Photo courtesy of Graham Taylor.CRC-LEME geologists at the 5th Sprigg Symposium. From the left are Steve Rogers (ChiefExecutive) with Ian Roach and Steve Hill. Photo courtesy of Graham Taylor.TAG March 2008 | 11
L<strong>in</strong>tern, MJ‘Gold <strong>in</strong> calcrete – 20 years on.’Mauger, AJ and Keel<strong>in</strong>g, JL‘Spectral mapp<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>in</strong>eral alteration <strong>in</strong> theCentral Gawler Gold prov<strong>in</strong>ce –Tarcoola casestudy.’McMahon, JMP and Hill, SM‘Biogeochemical and geochemical expressionsof uranium prospectivity across the 4-MileCreek catchment, South <strong>Australia</strong>.’Neimanis, M, Hill, SM and Hore, S‘Plant biogeochemical expression of the4-mile uranium m<strong>in</strong>eralisation – FromeEmbayment, South <strong>Australia</strong>.’Petts, AE and Hill, SM‘Termitaria as regolith and landscapeattributes: a case study from Titania Auprospect, Northern Territory.’Pontual, S‘Spectral characteristics of regolith materialsand application to m<strong>in</strong>eral <strong>exploration</strong>.’Reid, N, Hill, SM and Lewis, DM‘Biogeochemical prospect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the TanamiDesert.’Rogers, SL‘Recent developments <strong>in</strong> regolith researchwith application to m<strong>in</strong>eral <strong>exploration</strong> andenvironmental management.’Sheard, MJ‘Gawler Craton regolith benchmark<strong>in</strong>g:Orig<strong>in</strong>s, types, utility and where.’4th South <strong>Australia</strong>nExplorers Conference30 November 2007The 4th Explorers Conference, held at theAMF Centre, Glenside was extraord<strong>in</strong>arilysuccessful, a fact that can be attributed tothe current m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g boom.This one-day conference was sponsored byGSA (SA Division), AIG (SA Branch), AusIMM(Adelaide Branch), ASEG and the South<strong>Australia</strong> Chamber of M<strong>in</strong>erals and Energy.Over 300 delegates attended with numberssufficiently great that potential registrantswere turned away due to the limited capacityof the venue. Members should register earlyfor future SA Explorers Conferences.In a keynote address, Dr Paul Heithersay,Executive Director, Primary Industries andResources SA announced new support<strong>in</strong>gfund<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>exploration</strong> drill<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> South<strong>Australia</strong>.12 | TAG March 2008This was followed by 22 presentations, whichfocused on new <strong>exploration</strong>s programmes,<strong>exploration</strong> <strong>in</strong> progress, m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g feasibilityassessment and extant m<strong>in</strong>e geology.A CD of presentations is available fromKev<strong>in</strong> Wills at 08 8132 7950 or email:kwills@fl<strong>in</strong>dersdiamonds.comWestern <strong>Australia</strong><strong>Henry</strong> WilliamBeamish Talbot:Pioneer<strong>in</strong>g Geologist ofWestern <strong>Australia</strong>On 16 November 2007 a memorial to one ofWestern <strong>Australia</strong>’s pioneer<strong>in</strong>g geologists wasunveiled <strong>in</strong> the small town of Nannup.Despite hav<strong>in</strong>g no formal qualifications <strong>in</strong>geology, <strong>Henry</strong> Talbot had a long career as ageologist work<strong>in</strong>g for extensive periods withthe Geological Survey of Western <strong>Australia</strong>(GS<strong>WA</strong>) and Western M<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Corporation Ltd(WMC). The unveil<strong>in</strong>g of the memorial at hisgravesite was the culm<strong>in</strong>ation of an at-timesfrustrat<strong>in</strong>g ten-year effort by Talbot’s grandson,Len Talbot and the Western <strong>Australia</strong>nDivision of GSA to have the contributions ofthis unique explorer duly recognised.<strong>Henry</strong> William Beamish Talbot was born <strong>in</strong>County Cork <strong>in</strong> Ireland on 29 September1874. His family emigrated to New Zealandabout 1882, mov<strong>in</strong>g to Western <strong>Australia</strong> <strong>in</strong>1893. Talbot and his father jo<strong>in</strong>ed the goldrush to Kalgoorlie but their efforts to f<strong>in</strong>dgold were unsuccessful and <strong>in</strong> the midn<strong>in</strong>etiesthey turned to farm<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the southwest. At about this time Talbot marriedTeresa Arnold and <strong>in</strong> 1896 she bore him ason, the first of their four children.In the late 1890s <strong>Henry</strong> Talbot and his youngfamily returned to the goldfields, where hewas employed at the government camel farm<strong>in</strong> Coolgardie. In 1899 he began his longcareer with Geological Survey of Western<strong>Australia</strong> (GS<strong>WA</strong>) as a field assistant. In 1901he was one of four GS<strong>WA</strong> staff to jo<strong>in</strong> theBrockman Expedition to explore theKimberley. The Government Geologist,Andrew Gibb Maitland, was a member of theexpedition and no doubt Talbot learned muchabout field observations and the science ofgeology from him dur<strong>in</strong>g this and subsequentsurveys that the pair carried out together.In 1908, Talbot was seconded to jo<strong>in</strong> theCann<strong>in</strong>g Expedition whose task was to surveya possible stock route from Wiluna <strong>in</strong> thenortheastern goldfields to Halls Creek <strong>in</strong> theeast Kimberley. Talbot’s <strong>in</strong>structions stated, <strong>in</strong>part, ’Your trip will be a long and arduousone and doubtless you will have to enduremany hardships and privations but at thesame time you should feel proud that youhave been selected to undertake a pieceof work which will br<strong>in</strong>g your name <strong>in</strong>toprom<strong>in</strong>ence throughout the world...’ Talbotreturned to Perth 426 days after sett<strong>in</strong>g out.Although this was his longest expedition, hegenerally spent seven to eight months a year<strong>in</strong> the bush <strong>in</strong> the most remote areas of thestate. While he was survey<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> theMurchison goldfield, his wife died suddenlyof a heart attack and he was unable to reachPerth until two days after her funeral,emphasis<strong>in</strong>g the isolation <strong>in</strong> which ourpioneer geologists carried out their duties.Talbot enlisted <strong>in</strong> the army at the end of1914 but was rejected for overseas servicebecause of a heart compla<strong>in</strong>t. He became anarmy censor, but rejo<strong>in</strong>ed GS<strong>WA</strong> as a FieldGeologist <strong>in</strong> March 1916. Later that year heled a party of six men and 16 camels on areconnaissance excursion from Laverton tothe Warburton Range. While on a fly<strong>in</strong>g tripnear Mt Gosse, Talbot, geologist Edward deCourcy Clarke and camp hand JW Johnsonwere attacked by aborig<strong>in</strong>es. Talbot wasslightly <strong>in</strong>jured <strong>in</strong> the arm and chest butJohnson was more seriously wounded,ultimately dy<strong>in</strong>g from his <strong>in</strong>juries.In 1920 the heart ailment that had first beendiagnosed when Talbot jo<strong>in</strong>ed the armycaused his compulsory retirement fromGS<strong>WA</strong>. On the advice of his doctor, Talbottook his entitlements as a lump sum (£336)<strong>in</strong> lieu of a pension (£100 pa) as, accord<strong>in</strong>gto the doctor, he most likely would not havelong to enjoy it. Talbot seems not to havebeen too discouraged by this advice asshortly after he resigned he married hissecond wife, Elizabeth Elliot, a widow andsister of his first wife Teresa.
Talbot spent 1921 as a Pastoral Lease <strong>in</strong>spector,then jo<strong>in</strong>ed the Freney Kimberley OilCompany explor<strong>in</strong>g for oil <strong>in</strong> the Cann<strong>in</strong>gBas<strong>in</strong>. He spent n<strong>in</strong>e years on this very<strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g and excit<strong>in</strong>g, if ultimatelyunsuccessful, venture.In 1930-31 the nation was buzz<strong>in</strong>g withstories of Lasseter’s reef, the fabulously richgold reef found, then lost aga<strong>in</strong>, by Lasseter<strong>in</strong> 1897. An expedition <strong>in</strong> 1930 to re-locatethe reef had ended with Lasseter’s death andno sign of the reef. In 1931 a second searchwas mounted and two geologists, Talbotand his friend Torr<strong>in</strong>gton Blatchford,accompanied the expedition to the Western<strong>Australia</strong>n border. Aga<strong>in</strong>, no <strong>in</strong>dications ofgold were found but the lure of Lasseter’sReef endured.In 1933 Talbot jo<strong>in</strong>ed WMC as its first seniorgeologist. WMC was a vibrant new companycommitted to us<strong>in</strong>g the latest <strong>exploration</strong>techniques <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g aerial photography.Nonetheless, Talbot’s attributes were ideallysuited to their needs: he had an extensiveknowledge of the goldfields and its peopleand was a skilled <strong>in</strong>terpreter of the highlyoxidised rocks which cover most of theprospective areas. Although Talbot wasnearly 60, few of the younger geologistscould keep up with him <strong>in</strong> the field. Hisrout<strong>in</strong>e on mapp<strong>in</strong>g expeditions was to getup at about four <strong>in</strong> the morn<strong>in</strong>g, have agood breakfast and fill himself up withcopious quantities of tea. He would set outmapp<strong>in</strong>g at about five o’clock and keep go<strong>in</strong>gwith noth<strong>in</strong>g further to dr<strong>in</strong>k until hereturned to camp at about noon, his day’swork done. He retired from WMC <strong>in</strong> 1947 atthe age of 73. Obviously his heart conditionwas not as serious as orig<strong>in</strong>ally thought!Talbot moved to Perth <strong>in</strong> 1953, then toNannup where he died <strong>in</strong> 1957.In about 1998, Len Talbot contacted theWestern <strong>Australia</strong>n Division of GSA for supportto erect a memorial to recognise hisgrandfather’s pioneer<strong>in</strong>g contribution to thegeology of Western <strong>Australia</strong>. The committeeagreed to help, but also decided to approachWMC Resources to co-sponsor the project.The proposal was approved by the Shire ofNannup <strong>in</strong> 2000, and it was agreed that anatural cool<strong>in</strong>g column of Bunbury Basaltshould form the center-piece of thememorial. There followed a protracted andfrustrat<strong>in</strong>g period: obta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g quotes and lett<strong>in</strong>gcontracts, only to have the contractorsleave Nannup before the work could beundertaken. F<strong>in</strong>ally, <strong>in</strong> October 2006, a quotefrom Hancock Memorials <strong>in</strong> Bunbury wasaccepted. Readymix <strong>Australia</strong> supplied theprism of basalt, and with f<strong>in</strong>ancial supportfrom GSA and BHP Billiton (which had takenover WMC Resources), the memorial wascompleted, some fifty years after <strong>Henry</strong>William Beamish Talbot’s death.The unveil<strong>in</strong>g of the memorial was attendedby about 35 people <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g members of theTalbot family, GSA members, and representativesof BHP Billiton and the Shire ofNannup. Talbot’s work<strong>in</strong>g life was recountedby Phil Playford (GS<strong>WA</strong>) and Roy Woodall(WMC) and f<strong>in</strong>ally Len Talbot spoke about hisgrandfather, relat<strong>in</strong>g some of Talbot’s famousstories. The quotation on the memorialplaque, from Andrew Gibb Maitland on theoccasion of Talbot’s retirement from GS<strong>WA</strong>,reads: “Few men have contributed more toour knowledge of the <strong>in</strong>accessible and aridregions of the state”, a fitt<strong>in</strong>g epitaph forone of the pioneers of Western <strong>Australia</strong>ngeology.<strong>Henry</strong> Talbot on an expedition to an unknown location on an unknown date.TAG March 2008 | 13
Specialist Group NewsReport on the 2ndBi-annual Conference ofthe Geological Society of<strong>Australia</strong> Specialist Group<strong>in</strong> Geochemistry,M<strong>in</strong>eralogy and Petrology(SGGMP)The second bi-annual SGGMP conference(the first be<strong>in</strong>g held <strong>in</strong> Port Macquarie, NSW<strong>in</strong> 2005) was held <strong>in</strong> Duned<strong>in</strong>, New Zealandfrom 14–19 October, 2007. Some 30 attendeesfrom most <strong>Australia</strong>n states and boththe North and South islands of New Zealandmade their way to a very cold, wet andw<strong>in</strong>dy Duned<strong>in</strong> for what was to be a mostenjoyable and successful field conference.This diverse group <strong>in</strong>cluded university,government and museum researchers, alongwith a number of postgraduate studentsfrom both countries.The first event of the conference was a fieldexcursion <strong>in</strong>vestigat<strong>in</strong>g various outcropsassociated with the ~ 16–10 Ma <strong>in</strong>traplateDuned<strong>in</strong> volcano. This was held <strong>in</strong> Antarcticlikeconditions (with gale-force w<strong>in</strong>ds,driv<strong>in</strong>g ra<strong>in</strong> and even sleet) on Sunday 14October and attended by most participants.We met at the Duned<strong>in</strong> Gardens Motel andall got <strong>in</strong>to two University of Otago m<strong>in</strong>ibuses,ably driven by the leaders for the day,Richard Price from the University of Waikato(who did his PhD on the Duned<strong>in</strong> volcano atthe University of Otago) and Alan Cooperfrom the University of Otago. We drovethrough the city of Duned<strong>in</strong> and out to NorthHead (mapped by Marshall <strong>in</strong> 1914), stopp<strong>in</strong>galong the way to exam<strong>in</strong>e and sample importantoutcrops <strong>in</strong> very difficult weather conditions.Due to the <strong>in</strong>clement weather, we thenhad our packed lunch <strong>in</strong> a café <strong>in</strong> PortChalmers. After lunch we visited the ScottMemorial and nearby outcrops of PortChalmers Breccia, then very briefly visited afew other outcrops of phonolite near MountCargill before head<strong>in</strong>g back to our accommodationdue to the worsen<strong>in</strong>g weather. Then,after only be<strong>in</strong>g back <strong>in</strong> our motel rooms foran hour, the sun came out, though it wasstill cold. In the early even<strong>in</strong>g we had an icebreaker<strong>in</strong> the staff room of the GeologyDepartment of the University of Otago. Weall warmed-up with f<strong>in</strong>e New Zealand w<strong>in</strong>esand beers and an assortment of snacks.The next day and a half were devoted to themore formal part of the conference, thetechnical program. Talks covered a widerange of topics from descriptions of newm<strong>in</strong>eral species, to western Fiordland granulites,with everyth<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> between <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g,to name but a few, gem-quality variscitewith gold <strong>in</strong>clusions from <strong>WA</strong>, carbonatitesfrom lamprophyre dyke swarms <strong>in</strong> southwestland, granite formation <strong>in</strong> extensional accretionaryorogens, the Dun Mounta<strong>in</strong> Ophiolite,and <strong>in</strong>-situ isotopic analysis of zircons. Thus,the talks covered the fields of geochemistry,m<strong>in</strong>eralogy and petrology, exactly what theSGGMP is all about. That night, most of usattended the conference d<strong>in</strong>ner, consist<strong>in</strong>g ofexcellent local New Zealand produce andw<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> a nearby, very f<strong>in</strong>e restaurant. In theearly hours of Tuesday morn<strong>in</strong>g, MilfordSound experienced a substantial earthquakeof around magnitude six on the Richter scale.The half-day on Tuesday 16 October wasdevoted to student presentations, and around10.00 am we all felt the aftershocks of theMilford Sound earthquake and ran to theGeology department’s seismometer just toverify that we had actually experienced aseismic shock! As a memento, some of us gotphotocopies of the seismograph. The studentpresentations were a credit to those <strong>in</strong>volved,and it was good to see that we have a newgeneration of excellent geochemists, m<strong>in</strong>eralogistsand petrologists com<strong>in</strong>g through.Because of the high quality of these presentations,and efforts of the students <strong>in</strong>volved,we have decided to have a prize at the nextbi-annual SGGMP conference for the beststudent presentation.After lunch on the Tuesday, those who hadregistered set off on the post-conferencefieldtrip to Southland, led by Richard Price,Michael Pal<strong>in</strong> of the University of Otago, andIan Smith of Auckland University, who drovethe three m<strong>in</strong>i-buses. Between Duned<strong>in</strong> andInvercargill, sheep dom<strong>in</strong>ated the roll<strong>in</strong>g hills,though dairy cattle are steadily replac<strong>in</strong>gthem <strong>in</strong> this part of New Zealand. On theway, we passed through the towns of Cl<strong>in</strong>tonand Gore (though apparently not namedafter the two illustrious US politicians withthe same surnames). The weather wasn’tpromis<strong>in</strong>g, with ra<strong>in</strong> and a cold w<strong>in</strong>d, buthad improved by the time we reachedInvercargill, where we had a f<strong>in</strong>e meal <strong>in</strong>a local restaurant.We woke up to, would you believe, evenbleaker weather on the Wednesday morn<strong>in</strong>gand so it was decided to change the programfor the day and head out to eastern Fiordlandfirst. Here we did a section along BorlandRoad to <strong>in</strong>vestigate outcrops of LateCretaceous orthogneiss and the BorlandGranite, with snow steadily fall<strong>in</strong>g and stopp<strong>in</strong>gus from progress<strong>in</strong>g further along theroad. The snow really highlighted the landscape<strong>in</strong> this part of the world, creat<strong>in</strong>g amounta<strong>in</strong>ous w<strong>in</strong>ter wonderland of snowcoveredtrees and glacial valleys. Numerousphotographs were taken and there was evenenough snow to make snowmen! A f<strong>in</strong>epacked lunch was then had <strong>in</strong>doors <strong>in</strong> aroom at Borland Lodge. In the afternoon,Lava sequence, North Head Otago Pen<strong>in</strong>sula.Photo courtesy Ian Graham.14 | TAG March 2008
we <strong>in</strong>vestigated well-exposed pillow lavasand breccias with<strong>in</strong> the Brook Street Terraneon the coast at Howells Po<strong>in</strong>t near Riverton.With the weather gett<strong>in</strong>g worse we alldecided to head back to our accommodationearly. Another very good meal, supplementedby f<strong>in</strong>e New Zealand w<strong>in</strong>es, was had thateven<strong>in</strong>g at a local restaurant just out ofInvercargill.The next morn<strong>in</strong>g saw the sun out and muchwarmer weather. The day’s activities beganwith a spectacular scenic overview fromBluff Lookout (composed of the ~ 260 MaBluff gabbro), followed by Stirl<strong>in</strong>g Po<strong>in</strong>t(tourist spot with a famous signpost) to<strong>in</strong>vestigate complex <strong>in</strong>trusive relationshipswith<strong>in</strong> the Bluff Intrusion. We then brieflyvisited Greenhills Group sedimentary rocks atOmaui Road quarry, before do<strong>in</strong>g a traversethrough the Greenhills layered mafic-ultramaficcomplex of the Brook Street Terranealong coastal exposures at low tide. Onceaga<strong>in</strong> the day culm<strong>in</strong>ated <strong>in</strong> a f<strong>in</strong>e meal, thistime <strong>in</strong> a Thai restaurant <strong>in</strong> Invercargill.The f<strong>in</strong>al day of our trip saw us head<strong>in</strong>g backtowards Riverton to <strong>in</strong>vestigate variouscoastal exposures of the Permian to JurassicLongwoods Igneous Complex between Orakaand Pahia po<strong>in</strong>ts. Once aga<strong>in</strong>, the tide waslow and enabled us to safely traverse thenumerous boulders that dom<strong>in</strong>ate this coastl<strong>in</strong>e.Highlights of this morn<strong>in</strong>g were thecomposite dykes and a lone doz<strong>in</strong>g NewZealand fur seal at Pahia Po<strong>in</strong>t, and the spectacularmafic-enclave-rich quartz diorite atKawakaputa Bay. Appropriately, this was alsoour f<strong>in</strong>al stop for the trip, and after a packedlunch at the f<strong>in</strong>al outcrop, we all headedback to the m<strong>in</strong>i-buses for our drive back toDuned<strong>in</strong>.Overall, the second bi-annual SGGMP conferencewas a great success, especially <strong>in</strong> forg<strong>in</strong>gstronger ties with our colleagues acrossthe Tasman and <strong>in</strong> giv<strong>in</strong>g postgraduate studentsa chance to present their results <strong>in</strong> amore <strong>in</strong>formal and less stressful conferencewith positive feedback. To further this, wehave decided to set aside the small profitfrom this conference to help fund NewZealand students to attend future SGGMP biannualconferences.I would like to thank our New Zealandcolleagues, Alan Cooper (for arrang<strong>in</strong>g thevenue, cater<strong>in</strong>g, conference d<strong>in</strong>ner, lunches,fieldtrips etc etc), Richard Price (for his generalorganizational skills, runn<strong>in</strong>g of thefieldtrips, production of the field-guide etc),Michael Pal<strong>in</strong> (for his coord<strong>in</strong>ation of them<strong>in</strong>ibuses and runn<strong>in</strong>g of the fieldtrips) andIan Smith (for his idea of hold<strong>in</strong>g this conference<strong>in</strong> New Zealand, handl<strong>in</strong>g of f<strong>in</strong>ances,and expertise <strong>in</strong> f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g superb food anywhere<strong>in</strong> New Zealand) for help with mak<strong>in</strong>gthis a highly successful field conference.John Foden k<strong>in</strong>dly offered to organise thethird bi-annual SGGMP field conference forKangaroo Island, South <strong>Australia</strong> <strong>in</strong> 2009.Copies of both the Extended ConferenceAbstracts (Geological Society of <strong>Australia</strong>Abstracts No. 86) and field guide (Guide bookfor field excursions Duned<strong>in</strong> Volcano andigneous rocks of the Southland coast andeastern Fiordland) are available from theGSA Sydney Office.IAN GRAHAMSchool of Biological, Earth andEnvironmental SciencesUNSW, Sydney, NSWGroup at Borland Road, Fiordland, NewZealand. Photo courtesy Ian Graham.Otago University geology department.Photo courtesy Ian Graham.Redef<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the ‘Newerand Older Volcanic(s) ’:an update.Ca<strong>in</strong>ozoic volcanic rocks <strong>in</strong> southeastern<strong>Australia</strong> are historically recognised by theterms ‘Newer and Older Volcanic(s)’. TheNewer Volcanic(s), <strong>in</strong> particular, has <strong>in</strong>ternationalscientific and cultural significancebe<strong>in</strong>g a global analogue for the diversegeomorphological features and products ofTAG March 2008 | 15
<strong>in</strong>traplate basaltic pla<strong>in</strong>s volcanism. Alongwith basaltic prov<strong>in</strong>ces <strong>in</strong> northernQueensland, it represents <strong>Australia</strong>’s mostrecent volcanic activity, conta<strong>in</strong>s <strong>Australia</strong>’syoungest volcanoes (Mt Gambier, Mt Schank)and is still considered as an active volcanicregion. Much of the western part of theNewer Volcanic(s) region is very likely tobecome <strong>Australia</strong>’s first UNESCO GlobalGeopark for geotourism (Joyce, 2007a). Boththe Newer and Older Volcanic(s) have alsobeen, and cont<strong>in</strong>ue to be, important sourcesof construction materials for Victoria.Last year there was debate <strong>in</strong> TAG on theproblems with the def<strong>in</strong>itions and term<strong>in</strong>ologyof the ‘Newer and Older Volcanic(s)’.F VandenBerg raised the issue by argu<strong>in</strong>gthat these conventional group<strong>in</strong>gs were notbased on a sound lithostratigraphic def<strong>in</strong>ition,and adopted the approach of Price et al(2003) by subdivid<strong>in</strong>g the Ca<strong>in</strong>ozoic volcanicrocks of Victoria <strong>in</strong>to prov<strong>in</strong>ces (cf igneousprov<strong>in</strong>ces) (VandenBerg, 2007). In thisscheme, most parts of the conventionalNewer Volcanic(s) would constitute theWestern District Prov<strong>in</strong>ce (Price et al 2003),with the noteworthy exclusion of the lavaflows of the eastern Uplands. B Joyceresponded with a Letter to the Editor (Joyce,2007b) with supportive comments fromN Rosengren, R Cas and C Ollier. Furthercomment was <strong>in</strong>vited through an emailforum-style discussion <strong>in</strong> LAVA News (Pittari,2007) with contributions from F VandenBerg,A Brakel, C Ollier, I Nicholls, L Sutherland andR Cas. The key issues are centred around theterms themselves, how the purpose of theterms is perceived (eg mapp<strong>in</strong>g unit, geographicregion or petrological group<strong>in</strong>g) andhow each of the group<strong>in</strong>gs are def<strong>in</strong>ed. Thisreport is a summary of the key po<strong>in</strong>ts of thediscussion from Joyce (2007b) and <strong>in</strong> LAVANews.‘Newer’ and ‘Older Volcanic(s)’As VandenBerg (2007) po<strong>in</strong>ted out, the terms‘Upper/Newer Volcanic’ and ‘Older Volcanic’orig<strong>in</strong>ate from the mapp<strong>in</strong>g of Melbourneand western Victoria <strong>in</strong> the 1860-70s, wellbefore the first <strong>Australia</strong>n Code ofStratigraphic Nomenclature. A Brakel confirmedthat, because they were already wellknown, they were recognised and allowedusage <strong>in</strong> the first Code as stratigraphic units,despite not meet<strong>in</strong>g essential requirements(eg formal def<strong>in</strong>ition, type section, geographically-derivedname). The majority of contributorsto this discussion are comfortable withthese historic terms, and it is now morepopular to use the plural ‘Volcanics’ <strong>in</strong> eachcase.Stratigraphic/Mapp<strong>in</strong>g UnitsAs A Brakel po<strong>in</strong>ted out, the ‘Newer’ and‘Older Volcanics’ are accepted <strong>in</strong> the<strong>Australia</strong>n Code of StratigraphicNomenclature, although this does not necessarilypreclude future revision. An importantreason for categoris<strong>in</strong>g Ca<strong>in</strong>ozoic volcanicrocks <strong>in</strong>to lithostratigraphic units is to satisfythe requirements of standard geologicalThank you GSA membersIn July 2007 the GSA Endowment Fund was created. S<strong>in</strong>ce then you gave$10,718.55 to the fund and your donations will be used to assist students with thecost of field and laboratory work and provide sponsorship for them to attend conferencesboth <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong> and overseas.The Endowment Fund can be <strong>in</strong>cluded as part of your Estate plann<strong>in</strong>g. If you are<strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g a bequest to the GSA please contact the Executive Director atthe bus<strong>in</strong>ess office.The GSA Endowment Fund is fully tax-deductible.Thank you GSA members – your gift makes adifference.maps and mapp<strong>in</strong>g reports. C Ollier notedthat “mapp<strong>in</strong>g units [should be dist<strong>in</strong>ct from]classification units based on a wide range ofgeological facts and <strong>in</strong>terpretation”.F VandenBerg acknowledged that the ‘NewerVolcanics’ was a lithostratigraphic unit, andothers have also stated that this term ismore appropriate for this purpose than the‘Western District Prov<strong>in</strong>ce’ (A Brakel, C Ollier,R Cas). The ‘Western District Prov<strong>in</strong>ce’ is notonly def<strong>in</strong>ed by lithology, but also by age andgeography, and by def<strong>in</strong>ition, is not lithostratigraphic.In addition, “the word Prov<strong>in</strong>ceis no more stratigraphic than Bas<strong>in</strong> orBatholith” (A Brakel). Whilst the ‘NewerVolcanics’ is more appropriate as a stratigraphicmapp<strong>in</strong>g unit, its formal def<strong>in</strong>itionrema<strong>in</strong>s to be resolved. This problem, forexample, is the ma<strong>in</strong> obstacle towards decid<strong>in</strong>gwhether the late Ca<strong>in</strong>ozoic lavas of theEastern Uplands should be <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> the‘Newer Volcanics’ (F VandenBerg, B Joyce,N Rosengren).The ‘Older Volcanics’ is problematic becausethey “have many components of disparateage and are therefore not a discrete stratigraphicpackage” (R Cas). R Cas likens the‘Older Volcanics’ to a Supergroup and highlightsthe subdivisions of Day (1989).F VandenBerg prefers to refer only to <strong>in</strong>dividualdiscrete volcanic groups/formations (egPentland Hills Volcanics, Yaugher Group,Carrajung Volcanics, ‘Greensborough Phase’,Maude Basalt, Kerrs Road Basalt, P<strong>in</strong>tadeenBasalt). It is also clear that rock units thatcould fit <strong>in</strong>to the ‘Older Volcanics’ occuracross the NSW border (F Vandenberg, COllier; eg Monaro Volcanics, basalts <strong>in</strong> theSnowy Mounta<strong>in</strong>s), but the ‘Older Volcanics’are not recognised on NSW state geologicalmaps. If the ‘Older Volcanics’ are to cont<strong>in</strong>ueas a stratigraphic mapp<strong>in</strong>g unit a cleardef<strong>in</strong>ition must be agreed upon, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>gthe various <strong>in</strong>ternal discrete volcanic packages,and any cross-border extent recognisedformally.16 | TAG March 2008
Various classification schemes for southeastern<strong>Australia</strong>n Ca<strong>in</strong>ozoic volcanic rocks areconceivable and even different styles of mapscan be drawn to represent the differentgroup<strong>in</strong>gs (C Ollier). “Debates about the def<strong>in</strong>itionof Large Igneous Prov<strong>in</strong>ce [is] not avery distant topic from [this] debate...seeGillian Folgers website: www. mantleplumes.org/LIPClass.html”(C Ollier). The orig<strong>in</strong>alproblems raised by VandenBerg (2007)arose because of problems construct<strong>in</strong>g standardgeological maps and reports for whichthe rules are more rigorous. For this purpose,the ma<strong>in</strong> challenge now is to devise “satisfactorydef<strong>in</strong>itions [for each group<strong>in</strong>g]…thatare practical, useful and follow the rules ofStratigraphic Nomenclature…[that] must saynot just what is <strong>in</strong> the basket, but also wherethe baskets’ limits are” (F VandenBerg).The Newer Volcanics have gone!”, exclaimed Bernie Joyce (left)“Oh, no! I didn’t mean to kill them!”, replied Fons VandenBerg (right)Northeast railway cutt<strong>in</strong>g at Royal Park, dur<strong>in</strong>g the ESHG field trip, 30 November 2007.And there are <strong>in</strong>deed no Newer Volcanics <strong>in</strong> this cutt<strong>in</strong>g – and never have been – Royal Park istoo high above the adjacent NVP pla<strong>in</strong>s. Photo courtesy Craig Robertson.ADRIAN PITTARIEditor, LAVA NewsletterSchool of Earth and Ocean SciencesUniversity of Waikato, Hamilton,New ZealandGeographic andChronologic Group<strong>in</strong>gsGeographic and chronologic criteria, <strong>in</strong> additionto lithology, have been used to groupsoutheastern <strong>Australia</strong>n Ca<strong>in</strong>ozoic volcanicrocks. I Nicholls suggested that ‘Newer’ and‘Older Volcanics’ could be replaced with‘Quaternary’ or ‘Late Tertiary-Quaternary’ and‘Tertiary Basaltic Prov<strong>in</strong>ces’, respectively, toprovide a “broad age framework” for the variousprov<strong>in</strong>ces described <strong>in</strong> Price et al (2003).A more detailed age classification was suggestedby L Sutherland: Late Neogene volcanicfields (0-10 Ma), Early Neogene volcanicfields (10-23 Ma), Palaeogene volcanicfields (23-65 Ma), Late Cretaceous volcanicfields (65-105 Ma), Early Cretaceous volcanicfields (105-145 Ma) and Jurassic volcanicfields (145-200 Ma). This scheme would<strong>in</strong>clude <strong>in</strong> the Late Neogene field some olderbasalts found with<strong>in</strong> the younger volcanicsprov<strong>in</strong>ce (eg Lady Julia Percy Island,Hamilton, Cosgrove), as well as
The Earth SciencesHistory GroupConference of theGeological Societyof <strong>Australia</strong> IncThe history of geology <strong>in</strong> the second halfof the n<strong>in</strong>eteenth century: the story <strong>in</strong><strong>Australia</strong>, and <strong>in</strong> Victoria, from Selwyn andMcCoy to Gregory – 1853 to 1903.45 registrations were received for the recentESHG conference, held from Thursday 29November to Saturday 1 December 2007 <strong>in</strong>the Fritz Loewe Lecture Theatre, School ofEarth Sciences, the University of Melbourne.On the first day 10 papers were presented,and dur<strong>in</strong>g coffee breaks and lunch, participantswere able to <strong>in</strong>spect a display of volumesfrom the Earth Sciences Rare BookCollection, a selection of the GSA’s‘<strong>Australia</strong>n Geology Hall Of Fame’ posters,and n<strong>in</strong>e maps on loan from the GeologicalSurvey of Victoria’s exhibition for its 150thAnniversary <strong>in</strong> 2003 – see Beneath Our Feetby Peter O’Shea, Technical Record 2003/10www. t<strong>in</strong>yurl.com/3cqwu4.The Earth Sciences Rare Book Collection isheld at the Earth Sciences Library. It is animportant research collection of rare andearly geological and palaeontological texts.The collection <strong>in</strong>cludes many sem<strong>in</strong>al worksfrom the 19th and early 20th centuries. It<strong>in</strong>cludes over 1,000 volumes and approximately65% of the items are the only knowncopy available <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong> (see EarthSciences Library web site at:www.lib.unimelb.edu.au/collections/earth/rarebooks/<strong>in</strong>dex.html.On the Thursday even<strong>in</strong>g, at the Monthlymeet<strong>in</strong>g of the GSA Victoria Division,Professor Geoffrey Bla<strong>in</strong>ey AC gave theFollow<strong>in</strong>g his conference Keynote Address to a capacity audience at the November 2007 GSAVmeet<strong>in</strong>g, Professor Geoffrey Bla<strong>in</strong>ey AC is presented with the conference volumes by ESHG ChairBernie Joyce. Photo courtesy Roger Pierson.Keynote Address on ‘Victorian Gold: A Bird’sEye View of the Victorian Goldfields, fromthe First Rushes to the First World War’. Afterenthusiastic discussion and comments, manymembers adjourned for an excellent d<strong>in</strong>nerat Café Italia <strong>in</strong> Carlton.On the second day five papers were presented<strong>in</strong> the morn<strong>in</strong>g, and the ESHG Bus<strong>in</strong>essMeet<strong>in</strong>g was also held. M<strong>in</strong>utes of theBus<strong>in</strong>ess Meet<strong>in</strong>g will appear <strong>in</strong> a futureESHG Newsletter. In the afternoon 17 participantsattended the Royal Park field trip, ledby Bernie Joyce and Doug McCann.Twenty eight participated <strong>in</strong> the Deep LeadsField Trip to the Creswick area, led by GuyHoldgate on Saturday 1 December, beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>gwith a tour of the Creswick Museum, followedby a field <strong>in</strong>spection of the Berry DeepLead system. After lunch at the historic m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gtown of Clunes, the trip ended with aclimb up Mt Greenock scoria cone led byBernie Joyce, to locate and view MajorMitchell’s 1836 panorama of the localvolcanoes.Charles Lawrence talk<strong>in</strong>g on groundwater <strong>in</strong>Victoria, 1850-1900.Photo courtesy Roger Pierson.18 | TAG March 2008
New Australasian M<strong>in</strong>e mullock heap, nearCreswick. Photo courtesy Roger Pierson.The conference organisers wish to thankProfessor Geoffrey Bla<strong>in</strong>ey, Guido Tresoldi ofthe Earth Sciences Library, Peter O’Shea ofGeoscience Victoria, Sue Fletcher of the GSASydney office, Sandra McLaren, TomFromhold and Jonathan Gidd<strong>in</strong>gs, Chairs ofthe conference sessions, as well as theSchool of Earth Sciences.The pre-conference details, orig<strong>in</strong>ally on theweb site at: web.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/Joyce/eshg.html will now be archived (witha l<strong>in</strong>k from the ma<strong>in</strong> website). A new frontpage report<strong>in</strong>g more about the conference,provid<strong>in</strong>g a compilation of conference presentations,and outl<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g future activities ofthe ESHG, will be made available.At the AESC 2008 meet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Perth, we hopea new Committee will be tak<strong>in</strong>g over therunn<strong>in</strong>g of the ESHG, and be responsible fororganis<strong>in</strong>g a future conference, perhaps witha Western <strong>Australia</strong>n emphasis!Two Melbourne conferencevolumes are for sale.Pierson, RR (Ed) 2007. The history of geology<strong>in</strong> the second half of the n<strong>in</strong>eteenth century:the story <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>, and <strong>in</strong> Victoria, fromSelwyn and McCoy to Gregory – 1853 to1903. Earth Sciences History Group conference,Thursday 29 November to Saturday1 December, 2007. Volume of Short Papers,Special Publication No 1, Earth SciencesHistory Group, GSA Inc, Melbourne,Victoria. 70p.Holdgate, GR, 2007. Creswick deep leadsgoldfields tour ‘Buried rivers of gold’.Saturday 1 December, 2007; Earth SciencesHistory Group Field Guide Series No 1, EarthSciences History Group, GSA Inc, Melbourne,Victoria. 29p. (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Appendix 1: Joyce,Bernie. 2007. Volcanoes of the Creswick DeepLeads region <strong>in</strong> the Western Uplands ofVictoria, pp17-29.)Copies of these publications at $10 each pluspostage may be obta<strong>in</strong>ed from:The SecretaryEarth Sciences History Group, GSA Inc.(Address of current Secretary is available onthe GSA web site at www.gsa.org.au)ESHG CommitteeBERNIE JOYCE - ChairGuy Holdgate – SecretaryRoger Pierson – TreasurerDoug McCann – Newsletter EditorTAG March 2008 | 19
<strong>Feature</strong><strong>Uncover<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>: <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>exploration</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>WA</strong>Western <strong>Australia</strong> (<strong>WA</strong>) is famed for its massive orebodies and huge m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g operations, but with much ofthe state under deep regolith cover, geologists arelook<strong>in</strong>g to new research technologies to discover the next generationof deposits.There is <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g recognition that <strong>WA</strong>’s m<strong>in</strong>eral resourceboom cannot be limited to currently known m<strong>in</strong>eral deposits.This is reflected <strong>in</strong> the relative drop-off <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>’s share <strong>in</strong>global <strong>in</strong>vestments; while the amount of company expenditure<strong>in</strong> <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>exploration</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong> has gone up rapidly <strong>in</strong> thelast year (accord<strong>in</strong>g to ABARE statistics), dur<strong>in</strong>g 2005–2007<strong>Australia</strong>’s share of global <strong>in</strong>dustry expenditure decreased from19% to 13%.One of the reasons for this, accord<strong>in</strong>g to Dr Steve Rogers,CEO of the Cooperative Research Centre for LandscapeEnvironments and M<strong>in</strong>eral Exploration (CRC-LEME), is that<strong>Australia</strong> is seen as a difficult landscape to explore because ofits deeply weathered surface. He cites the Yilgarn Craton, hometo rich greenstone-belt-derived gold deposits, iron m<strong>in</strong>es at JackHills, Weld Range and Mt Gibson, as well as world-class nickelsulfidem<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g around Kambalda and much more. Around 90%of the Yilgarn is buried by <strong>in</strong> situ and transported (exotic)regolith and any further <strong>exploration</strong> of the area will have tocope with deep cover. This rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g area may be every bit asprospective as the Yilgarn m<strong>in</strong>eral prov<strong>in</strong>ces we currentlyexploit, Rogers po<strong>in</strong>ts out.Paul Roberts, Theme Leader – Discover<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Australia</strong>'s M<strong>in</strong>eralResources, M<strong>in</strong>erals Down Under National Research Flagship atthe CSIRO, and part of the <strong>Australia</strong>n Resources Research Centre(ARRC), says the government has recognised that it is necessaryto put money <strong>in</strong>to this area.The Commonwealth government <strong>in</strong>vested $34.6 million <strong>in</strong>the newly-formed <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> National Research Flagship <strong>in</strong> theMay 2007 budget. Part of this contributes to a $20-millionper-yearresearch program headquartered at the ARRC, whosema<strong>in</strong> focus is on discover<strong>in</strong>g new <strong>Australia</strong>n m<strong>in</strong>eral resources.“We are develop<strong>in</strong>g a suite of technologies aimed at help<strong>in</strong>gWest <strong>Australia</strong>n and <strong>Australia</strong>n geologists make the next generationof harder discoveries,” Roberts says.Traditionally geologists have operated <strong>in</strong> 2D us<strong>in</strong>g maps andcross sections, whereas techniques such as hyperspectral analysisof <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>in</strong> aerial surveys and down-hole m<strong>in</strong>eral mapp<strong>in</strong>gare allow<strong>in</strong>g geoscientists to operate <strong>in</strong> 3D, which is a significantchange, says Roberts.Hyperspectral analysisHyperspectral analysis utilises visible to near <strong>in</strong>frared (VNIR),short-wave <strong>in</strong>frared (SWIR) and thermal <strong>in</strong>frared (TIR). New<strong>in</strong>struments developed by CSIRO <strong>in</strong> Sydney and tested for thefirst time <strong>in</strong> <strong>WA</strong> are provid<strong>in</strong>g a new toolset for <strong>exploration</strong>geologists and have further applications <strong>in</strong> environmental andstructural geology.Although gathered at different scales for decades, therehave been several advances <strong>in</strong> hyperspectral analysis technologywhich are improv<strong>in</strong>g our capacity to map for <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong>. CSIROis work<strong>in</strong>g with State Geological Surveys to update and completenew maps, while the company HyVista, which conductsaerial hyperspectral surveys, late last year (October 2007) completedacquir<strong>in</strong>g data for a 17,000 km 2 survey <strong>in</strong> Queensland aswell as for surveys <strong>in</strong> the Northern Territory and Western<strong>Australia</strong>. Further surveys have been contracted from the Pilbarato Kalgoorlie.Dr Tom Cudahy, a geoscientist with CSIRO Exploration andM<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, notes that the first demonstration of the aerial component,HyMap TM , was at Kalgoorlie <strong>in</strong> conjunction with theGeological Survey of Western <strong>Australia</strong>. The 1:100,000 mapsheet created provides m<strong>in</strong>eralogy of the regolith and superimposedalteration associated with Archaean gold m<strong>in</strong>eralogy.Congratulations: Peter Cawood<strong>Australia</strong>n Academy of Science 2008 Awardwon by Western <strong>Australia</strong>n scientistProfessor Peter Cawood from the University of Western<strong>Australia</strong> has been announced as a w<strong>in</strong>ner of a dist<strong>in</strong>guishedaward for scientific excellence from the <strong>Australia</strong>n Academyof Science, <strong>Australia</strong>’s peak science body.Professor Cawood will receive the 2008 Mawson Medal andLecture for significant contributions to understand<strong>in</strong>g thehistory of the Earth’s structure. He is an <strong>in</strong>ternational leader<strong>in</strong> the application of structural geology, tectonic processesand geochronology.The Mawson Lecture will be delivered at the 19th GeologicalConvention, a jo<strong>in</strong>t conference of the Geological Society of<strong>Australia</strong> and the <strong>Australia</strong>n Institute of Geoscientists to beheld <strong>in</strong> Perth from 20–24 July 2008, known as the <strong>Australia</strong>nEarth Sciences Convention (AESC).Further <strong>in</strong>formation on awards and recipients:www.science.org.au/awards/<strong>in</strong>dex.htmCourtesy <strong>Australia</strong>n Academy of Science20 | TAG March 2008
“We have to know what’s at the surface very accurately.While this has been done previously us<strong>in</strong>g magnetics, gravityand EM by geophysicists, <strong>exploration</strong> geologists haven’t had thistechnology,” says Cudahy.“Today we rely on geologists por<strong>in</strong>g over cores,” says CSIRO’sPaul Roberts. “While geologists will still need to pore over cores,technologies such as HyLogger TM will provide quantitative <strong>in</strong>formationon what <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> are there.”Us<strong>in</strong>g spectroscopic methods, HyLogger TM and partner technologyHyChipper TM can determ<strong>in</strong>e m<strong>in</strong>eralogy, clay m<strong>in</strong>eral‘crystall<strong>in</strong>ity’ and alteration for rocks and regolith.HyLogger TM is particularly useful <strong>in</strong> f<strong>in</strong>e-gra<strong>in</strong>ed samples orclay-rich regolith where m<strong>in</strong>eral <strong>in</strong>formation can be difficult toget, says Roberts. It’s also able to log an average of 700 m ofcore per day, accord<strong>in</strong>g to CSIRO statistics, and is be<strong>in</strong>g used ondiamond drill cores and drill chips.CSIRO is also develop<strong>in</strong>g a sensor for demonstration <strong>in</strong>Western <strong>Australia</strong> that works <strong>in</strong> the thermal <strong>in</strong>frared(5,000–14,000 nanometres) and is capable of mapp<strong>in</strong>g frameworksilicates. The TIR (Thermal Infra Red) HyLogger TM(TIR-Logger) can be used to diagnose quartz/silica, feldspars,garnets, oliv<strong>in</strong>e, pyroxenes and carbonates.While CSIRO, <strong>in</strong> conjunction with CRC LEME and thePredictive M<strong>in</strong>eral Discovery CRC (pmd*CRC) are still work<strong>in</strong>g onthe technology and add<strong>in</strong>g new features, Roberts notes therehas been “lots of <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong> and overseas”. He alsohopes that creat<strong>in</strong>g a series of <strong>in</strong>struments for most StateGeological Surveys <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong> will <strong>in</strong>crease appetite andaccess.Learn<strong>in</strong>g from leavesDrill<strong>in</strong>g and aerial mapp<strong>in</strong>g still come with costs, however.Predictive m<strong>in</strong>eral <strong>exploration</strong> techniques can help to narrowthe search by utilis<strong>in</strong>g hydrogeochemistry to understandgroundwater m<strong>in</strong>eral footpr<strong>in</strong>ts us<strong>in</strong>g exist<strong>in</strong>g networks ofgroundwater bores, and sampl<strong>in</strong>g of native plants.Us<strong>in</strong>g plants to <strong>in</strong>dicate m<strong>in</strong>eralisation was first developed<strong>in</strong> Africa <strong>in</strong> the 1950s and 60s, but over time, analytical techniquesfor detect<strong>in</strong>g trace elements and <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>in</strong> planttissue have improved and become more sensitive. Researchersare also tak<strong>in</strong>g a closer look at deep-rooted <strong>Australia</strong>n nativeplants as opposed to more shallowly-rooted NorthernHemisphere plants, says CRC-LEME CEO Steve Rogers.Primary or supergene m<strong>in</strong>eralisation potentially dissolves <strong>in</strong>tothe groundwater and deep-rooted natives translocate these signatures<strong>in</strong>to their above-ground organs (leaves, twigs, phylodesand seeds). Anomalous trace metal signatures <strong>in</strong> plant structurescan therefore <strong>in</strong>dicate buried or ‘bl<strong>in</strong>d’ m<strong>in</strong>eralisation.The river red gum has a tap root that goes down 40 to 50 m,for example, while the humble sp<strong>in</strong>ifex may reach down as faras 30 m underground. CSIRO geoscientist Dr Ravi Anand, CRC-LEME Program Leader (M<strong>in</strong>eral Exploration <strong>in</strong> areas of cover)has also led <strong>in</strong>vestigations <strong>in</strong>to us<strong>in</strong>g the deep-rooted mulga <strong>in</strong>identify<strong>in</strong>g gold and base-metal deposits under cover <strong>in</strong> theYilgarn Craton.Anand is currently project leader for the <strong>Australia</strong>n M<strong>in</strong>eralsIndustry Research Association (AMIRA) P778 project: ‘Predictivegeochemistry <strong>in</strong> areas of transported overburden: mechanismsof anomaly formation’. The project description states thatresearchers will apply techniques such as vegetation analysis,isotope analysis to establish source of metal <strong>in</strong> plants and soil,groundwater geochemistry and redox analysis, as well as look<strong>in</strong>gat the role of microbes <strong>in</strong> gas generation and m<strong>in</strong>eral-traceelement biotransformation (solubilisation/precipitation)throughout the profile.CRC-LEME will produce a phyto-<strong>exploration</strong> field guide byJune 2008.Andrew Hacket, Hylogger operator, load<strong>in</strong>g a iron ore core trayon the HyLogger XY table. Photo courtesy Erick Ramanaidou.HydrogeologyDr David Gray, Stream Leader of the M<strong>in</strong>erals Down UnderNational Research Flagship, whose research also forms part ofthe AMIRA P778 predictive geochemistry project, is focus<strong>in</strong>g onhydro-geochemical signatures to uncover underly<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>in</strong>eralisation.Gray is currently work<strong>in</strong>g on projects utilis<strong>in</strong>g the thousandsof bore holes from m<strong>in</strong>eral <strong>exploration</strong> drill<strong>in</strong>g, farm dams, productionbores and so on. Like the plant-sampl<strong>in</strong>g, the borewatersamples cover a large area of <strong>WA</strong>, provid<strong>in</strong>g regional m<strong>in</strong>eralisationpatterns. The technique has already been used <strong>in</strong> theUS to create a database of specific geochemical signals usefulfor <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>exploration</strong> as well as environmental work, and isso far look<strong>in</strong>g promis<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>Australia</strong>n <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>exploration</strong>,particularly for base metals <strong>exploration</strong>.Many dissolved elements, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g gold, can be used for<strong>exploration</strong>, as Gray po<strong>in</strong>ted out <strong>in</strong> LEME's June 2006 M<strong>in</strong>eralsBrief. Gray has exam<strong>in</strong>ed hydrogeochemical expressions overmany deposits <strong>in</strong> <strong>WA</strong>, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Granny Smith, Sunrise Dam andLawlers, where he showed that dissolved gold, and otherTAG March 2008 | 21
David Gray from CSIRO, Patrice de Caritat from Geoscience<strong>Australia</strong> and others have been develop<strong>in</strong>g methods for regionaland prospect scale <strong>exploration</strong> us<strong>in</strong>g hydrogeochemistry.Photo courtesy David Gray.pathf<strong>in</strong>ders such as arsenic, correlated closely with gold m<strong>in</strong>eralisation.In the Harmony nickel deposit, 11 km northeast ofLe<strong>in</strong>ster, groundwater metal concentrations "reflected theunderly<strong>in</strong>g lithology with nickel and chromium-enrichedgroundwaters encountered near m<strong>in</strong>eralised zones," Gray wrote.Modell<strong>in</strong>g and mapp<strong>in</strong>gTwo areas <strong>in</strong> which the pmd*CRC has been concentrat<strong>in</strong>gresearch efforts are numerical modell<strong>in</strong>g, and a large,multi-scale <strong>in</strong>tegration of 3D data over the Yilgarn, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>ggeophysics, geochronology, metamorphic and <strong>in</strong>trusive events,Com<strong>in</strong>g soon <strong>in</strong> anAJES near youFor the first time, the distribution of seabed geomorphicfeatures has been systematically mapped over much of the<strong>Australia</strong>n marg<strong>in</strong> and adjacent seafloor. In their paper‘Geomorphology’ of the <strong>Australia</strong>n marg<strong>in</strong> and adjacentseafloor’, Andrew Heap and Peter Harris of Geoscience<strong>Australia</strong> map some n<strong>in</strong>e million km 2 of the seabed surround<strong>in</strong>gthe <strong>Australia</strong>n ma<strong>in</strong>land and the island territories ofChristmas, Cocos (Keel<strong>in</strong>g), Macquarie and Norfolk. A totalof 6,702 <strong>in</strong>dividual geomorphic features was mapped.The area mapped comprises 7% of the ocean area covered byglobal exclusive economic zones. Compared to other regions,the <strong>Australia</strong>n area is relatively under-represented <strong>in</strong> shelf andabyssal pla<strong>in</strong>/deep ocean floor area and over-represented <strong>in</strong>slope area. Marg<strong>in</strong>al plateaus represent 20% of the totalworld area of marg<strong>in</strong>al plateaus and the area conta<strong>in</strong>s 1% ofthe total number of seamounts identified <strong>in</strong> the world ocean.The area is subdivided <strong>in</strong>to 10 regions def<strong>in</strong>ed on the basisof assemblages of diagnostic geomorphic features. Such asubdivision is a useful start<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>t for def<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g seabedenvironments, and coupled with high-quality biological datacan be used to develop strategies for ecosystem-basedmanagement of <strong>Australia</strong>’s ocean resources.AD Heap and PT Harris 2008. ‘Geomorphology of the<strong>Australia</strong>n marg<strong>in</strong> and adjacent seafloor’. <strong>Australia</strong>n Journalof Earth Sciences 55 (4).m<strong>in</strong>eralisation events and fluid-flow paths. The result, accord<strong>in</strong>gto Paul Roberts, who has worked extensively with the CRC,is an understand<strong>in</strong>g of gold m<strong>in</strong>eral systems <strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>tegratedway that is second to none, from the top of the crust to theMoho.Numerical modell<strong>in</strong>g techniques have been applied extensivelythroughout <strong>WA</strong> to understand and target ore systems,particularly the relationship between deformation and fluidflow and thermal evolution. Some of the deposits <strong>in</strong> <strong>WA</strong> wherethe system has been applied are the Wallaby gold deposit <strong>in</strong> theLaverton district, Sunrise Dam, Kundana, west of Kalgoorlie, andthe St Ives goldfield, as well as uranium and gold deposits <strong>in</strong>South <strong>Australia</strong>.The future of <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>exploration</strong>Where are we head<strong>in</strong>g with these new techniques, and how isthe future look<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>exploration</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>WA</strong>?Despite the closure of both pmd*CRC and CRC-LEME (<strong>in</strong>June 2008) Rogers believes a lot of the new research will be ableto carry on through the CSIRO <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> flagship, the CRC-LEMEuniversity partners and State government geoscience agencies.He said that AMIRA is currently seek<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>in</strong>terest for anew CRC <strong>in</strong> <strong>exploration</strong> undercover.Roberts agrees that <strong>in</strong> the short term, research will revertback to CRC partner organisations, but that there will be a gapof at least one year before a new <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> CRC is up andrunn<strong>in</strong>g.In terms of <strong>exploration</strong>, predictive geochemical techniquesare prov<strong>in</strong>g promis<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the test bed of resource-rich Western<strong>Australia</strong>. <strong>Australia</strong>’s deep weather<strong>in</strong>g profile is ideal terra<strong>in</strong> for<strong>exploration</strong> at a regional scale and new projects look<strong>in</strong>g athyperspectral analysis, plant and groundwater sampl<strong>in</strong>g areshow<strong>in</strong>g some promis<strong>in</strong>g results. In terms of promot<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>vestment<strong>in</strong> <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>exploration</strong>, these sorts of techniques — whichmay yield the next generation of major discoveries — may proveto be exactly what is needed to further expand <strong>Australia</strong>’sm<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustries.HEATHER CATCHPOLEHeather Catchpole is production editor for The <strong>Australia</strong>nGeologist and a freelance science writer who writes regularlyfor the ABC, Cosmos magaz<strong>in</strong>e and CSIRO, and has appeared <strong>in</strong>pr<strong>in</strong>t and onl<strong>in</strong>e publications <strong>in</strong>ternationally. She is author offive children's science books and has a BSc <strong>in</strong> Earth Scienceand Masters of Science Communication from the <strong>Australia</strong>nNational University.REFERENCES‘M<strong>in</strong>erals Brief: Regolith Science <strong>in</strong> M<strong>in</strong>erals Exploration’,CRC-LEME, June 2006 Ed 10.www.crcleme.org.au/Pubs/PubsOther/LEME%20M<strong>in</strong>erals%20Brief%20June2006%20(2).pdf22 | TAG March 2008
In FocusMore about Earth Science <strong>in</strong> Western <strong>Australia</strong> forAESC visitors: the University of Western <strong>Australia</strong>On the banks of the Swan River, with<strong>in</strong> sight of Perthcity and a mere six kilometres from the beautifulbeaches of the Indian Ocean, lies the tranquil gardencampus of the University of Western <strong>Australia</strong> (U<strong>WA</strong>) (listedas hous<strong>in</strong>g one of Western <strong>Australia</strong>’s geological <strong>in</strong>stitutions <strong>in</strong>the <strong>Feature</strong> Article <strong>in</strong> TAG 145). The School of Earth andGeographical Sciences occupies colonnaded heritage as well asmodern build<strong>in</strong>gs at the north end of the campus and anothermodern build<strong>in</strong>g with extensive laboratories at the south end ofthe campus. It enjoys well-equipped lecture theatres and stateof-the-artcomput<strong>in</strong>g and analytical facilities and access to allthe extensive <strong>in</strong>frastructure of one of <strong>Australia</strong>’s premieruniversities.The U<strong>WA</strong> campus itself is well worth visit<strong>in</strong>g if you havetime. There is a direct bus route from the Convention Centre, butmore energetic delegates might enjoy a four-km scenic riversidestroll on a dual-use path. Wander through U<strong>WA</strong>’s grounds andsee resident peacocks, a Japanese Garden, the Tropical Groveand the Sunken Garden. There are four theatres (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g anoutdoor c<strong>in</strong>ema), eleven libraries, an Art Gallery and two museums,one anthropological and one an Earth Science Museum.This latter is an important part of the School of Earth andGeographical Sciences. As well as the galleries (used to enhancethe undergraduate learn<strong>in</strong>g experience), the collections of over140,000 curated specimens and extensive unregistered materialare a vital teach<strong>in</strong>g and research resource and <strong>in</strong>clude all theavailable material from the thousand or so geology researchtheses kept <strong>in</strong> the Museum’s thesis library. Much of the State’sgeological heritage is thus preserved for future generations.The orig<strong>in</strong>al geology build<strong>in</strong>g at the University of Western<strong>Australia</strong>. Photo courtesy JC Bevan.Earth Science MuseumThe Museum will be open on ALL days of the AESC <strong>in</strong> July,from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm. Normal open<strong>in</strong>g hours are:Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.30 am to 5.00pm, and on Sundays from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm, althoughthe Curator is there full-time, and can open the Museumby special request.Contact details: Mrs JC Bevan, Senior Curator,E de C Clarke Earth Science Museum, School of Earth andGeographical Sciences, the University of Western <strong>Australia</strong>,M004, 35 Stirl<strong>in</strong>g Highway, Crawley <strong>WA</strong> 6009Tel: 08 6488 2681 Fax: 08 6488 1037Email: jbevan@ cyllene.uwa.edu.au or see the i<strong>in</strong>formative and <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g web site at:www.earthmuseum.segs.uwa.edu.auThe E de C Clarke Earth Science Museum (named for one ofU<strong>WA</strong>’s early Professors) is entered through an Eocene Garden,which <strong>in</strong>cludes flora typical of those exist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the area whenWestern <strong>Australia</strong> was still jo<strong>in</strong>ed to Antarctica. The ma<strong>in</strong> museumarea has colourful didactic displays cover<strong>in</strong>g many aspectsof Earth Science, from diamonds to soils, with special referenceto <strong>WA</strong>. There are smaller displays <strong>in</strong> the adjo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Geologybuild<strong>in</strong>g foyer, and another reference gallery of rocks and<strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong>. In contrast to many larger museums, here there is awell-<strong>in</strong>formed Senior Curator (with a research background) onsite, who is happy to discuss geological topics with everyonefrom d<strong>in</strong>osaur-obsessed tots to senior <strong>in</strong>ternational researchers.She also runs educational programs for school students and forEarth Science teachers and many other outreach <strong>in</strong>itiatives suchas a ’Friends of the Earth Science Museum‘ group. Adjunct toTAG March 2008 | 23
the museum is the Earth Science Discovery Centre with 3D projectionand 3D computer facilities, used by the school and alsoavailable for outreach activities.Undergraduate degrees and programs offered reflect thewide-rang<strong>in</strong>g expertise available and <strong>in</strong>clude Geology,Geography, Soil Science, Environmental Geoscience, EarthScience, Geochemistry, Petroleum Geoscience, M<strong>in</strong>eralGeoscience, Physical Science, Geology and Resource Economics,Mar<strong>in</strong>e and Coastal Management and Land and WaterManagement, Environmental Science, Mar<strong>in</strong>e Science, NaturalResource Management, Land Rehabilitation, Horticulture andViticulture, Urban and Regional Plann<strong>in</strong>g and Agriculture.The Geology Build<strong>in</strong>g at the University of Western <strong>Australia</strong>.Photo courtesy JC Bevan.Postgraduate options <strong>in</strong>clude Graduate Certificates andDiplomas, and Masters of Science or Regional Development, allby coursework, and research-only degrees <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g MSc andPhD <strong>in</strong> all discipl<strong>in</strong>es. Students undertake fieldwork throughout<strong>WA</strong> and abroad, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Ch<strong>in</strong>a, India, Africa, Madagascar and,nearer home, <strong>in</strong> Indonesia and East Timor.JENNY BEVANThe School of Earth and Geographical Sciences was created <strong>in</strong> 2002 by merg<strong>in</strong>g three exist<strong>in</strong>g Departments:Geology and Geophysics, Geography, and Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. Staff here carry out research <strong>in</strong> all areasof the Earth and geographical sciences, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g resource-based studies for m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and oil which may <strong>in</strong>cludetectonics, fluid <strong>in</strong>clusion work, biostratigraphy, sedimentology, geophysics and geochemistry; environmental andgeomechanical studies and study of soils, particularly <strong>in</strong> terms of agriculture and m<strong>in</strong>e rehabilitation as well as‘blue sky’ scientific discovery <strong>in</strong> many fields. Human Geography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are alsoimportant. The school <strong>in</strong>cludes, or is associated with, four major resource centres funded by government and theresource <strong>in</strong>dustry, which gives them close l<strong>in</strong>ks with other universities and research <strong>in</strong>stitutions <strong>Australia</strong>-wide. Asmentioned <strong>in</strong> the <strong>Feature</strong> article <strong>in</strong> the last issue of TAG, the school <strong>in</strong>corporates the new and vigorous Centre forExploration Target<strong>in</strong>g. The strong research culture, benefitt<strong>in</strong>g from fund<strong>in</strong>g associated with Western <strong>Australia</strong>’spowerful resources and agricultural sectors, underp<strong>in</strong>s undergraduate and postgraduate teach<strong>in</strong>g, provid<strong>in</strong>g anenrich<strong>in</strong>g experience for students.24 | TAG March 2008
Special ReportAuScope and National TransectsThe 2003 National Strategic Plan for the Earth Sciencesadvocated that: ”That the nation <strong>in</strong>vest <strong>in</strong> a major geotransectstudy to ga<strong>in</strong> fundamental <strong>in</strong>formation about the<strong>Australia</strong>n plate, from its basic structure and evolution through toits m<strong>in</strong>eral and petroleum systems and surficial processes.”The establishment of the AuScope <strong>in</strong>itiative, funded under theNational Collaborative Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS), helps to meetthis recommendation. There is fund<strong>in</strong>g for Earth Imag<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g theestablishment of data <strong>in</strong>frastructure through transects across regionsof major scientific <strong>in</strong>terest.In 2003 the necessary resources needed to undertake even a fractionof such a Geotransect program were not available, but subsequentmajor <strong>in</strong>vestment by the <strong>Australia</strong>n Government means that, with suitableco-ord<strong>in</strong>ation, we can now make significant progress. The OnshoreEnergy Security Program at Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong> will be mak<strong>in</strong>g amajor <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> seismic reflection profil<strong>in</strong>g, of the order of 2,500l<strong>in</strong>e km, with the aim of improved understand<strong>in</strong>g of energy resources<strong>in</strong> less explored areas. The AuScope Earth Imag<strong>in</strong>g fund<strong>in</strong>g should besufficient for three 200-km segments of seismic reflection work, withassociated collection of other geophysical <strong>in</strong>formation.Figure 1: Configuration of geotransect corridors acrossthe <strong>Australia</strong>n cont<strong>in</strong>ent. Courtesy: Brian KennettTAG March 2008 | 25
Figure 2: Current and potential reflection profil<strong>in</strong>g. Orange l<strong>in</strong>es<strong>in</strong>dicated data acquired with explosive sources, and red l<strong>in</strong>es dataacquired us<strong>in</strong>g vibrators. The dark red l<strong>in</strong>es show l<strong>in</strong>es acquiredus<strong>in</strong>g the OESP program, together with the trial AuScope segment<strong>in</strong> north Queensland (dark green). The rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g segmentsrepresent concepts from OESP (p<strong>in</strong>k), AuScope (turquoise) andNSW (light blue).Courtesy: Geological background from Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong>data base.Through the National Committee for Earth Sciences, a GeotransectWork<strong>in</strong>g Group chaired by Prof. Brian Kennett (ANU) has been established.As a basis for plann<strong>in</strong>g, this work<strong>in</strong>g group has endorsed theconcept of designat<strong>in</strong>g a suite of corridors across the cont<strong>in</strong>ent thatcross major geological features (Figure 1). Collectively, the results fromsuch corridors provide major <strong>in</strong>sight <strong>in</strong>to both the scientific issuesassociated with the structure and evolution of the cont<strong>in</strong>ent, and theassociated resources. With<strong>in</strong> each corridor a full range of geophysical,geological, geochemical and geochronological <strong>in</strong>formation should beassembled build<strong>in</strong>g on exist<strong>in</strong>g and planned data sources (see Figure 2).The transect corridors are of the order of a couple of hundred kilometresacross, but certa<strong>in</strong>ly noth<strong>in</strong>g should exclude tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> nearby<strong>in</strong>formation. For convenience, each corridor has been named. It ishoped that identification of the corridors will help to focus activity, <strong>in</strong>particular the fram<strong>in</strong>g of important geological questions and the coord<strong>in</strong>ationof exist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formation of all types.A trial AuScope transect of 200 km of reflection profil<strong>in</strong>g was carriedout <strong>in</strong> July 2007, <strong>in</strong> conjunction with Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong> and theGeological Survey of Queensland, which conducted 1,250 km ofreflection work on three l<strong>in</strong>es from Cloncurry to near Croydon, acrossthe Georgetown Inlier and from Mt Surprise through Charters Towers.The AuScope component from just south of Mareeba to MtSurprise adds a further cross<strong>in</strong>g of the expected location of theTasman L<strong>in</strong>e and hence improves three-dimensional coverage <strong>in</strong> thisarea.In July 2007, the Earth Imag<strong>in</strong>g component of AuScope issued acall for proposals for data <strong>in</strong>frastructure <strong>in</strong> the form of acquisition ofdata along transect segments dur<strong>in</strong>g the next three years. The proposalswere to be directed at elucidat<strong>in</strong>g the structure and evolution of thecont<strong>in</strong>ent. Six detailed proposals were submitted and after carefulreview for both scientific and technical merit, a number of priorityprojects can be now identified (Figure 3).26 | TAG March 2008
Figure 3: Endorsed transect projects from AuScope Earth Imag<strong>in</strong>g.Most data <strong>in</strong>frastructure projects are larger than can be fundeddirectly by AuScope and so co-<strong>in</strong>vestment will be needed to ga<strong>in</strong>the maximum benefit.Courtesy: Geological background from Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong>data base.The highest priority has been given to a profile across the northernedge of the Gawler Craton <strong>in</strong>to the Musgrave Block cross<strong>in</strong>g fromSouth <strong>Australia</strong> <strong>in</strong>to the Northern Territory (Gawler-Musgrave <strong>in</strong> Fig 3),and to a profile from the Pilbara to the northern edge of the YilgarnCraton <strong>in</strong> Western <strong>Australia</strong> (Capricorn <strong>in</strong> Fig 3). At the next level ofpriority is a profile across the Newer Volcanic Prov<strong>in</strong>ce and theDelamerian Orogen connect<strong>in</strong>g from near Stawell <strong>in</strong> Victoria to MtGambier <strong>in</strong> South <strong>Australia</strong> (NVP <strong>in</strong> Figure 3). Other endorsed projectsare the <strong>in</strong>stallation of passive seismic record<strong>in</strong>g around the recentreflection profiles <strong>in</strong> northern Queensland (Isa-Coast SP <strong>in</strong> Figure 3), aprofile across the southern edge of the Mt Isa Block <strong>in</strong>to the ThompsonOrogen (Diamant<strong>in</strong>a <strong>in</strong> Figure 3) and a profile through the Halls CreekFold Belt <strong>in</strong> the Kimberley Block (Halls Creek <strong>in</strong> Figure 3).Current plann<strong>in</strong>g is based on l<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g the AuScope experiment <strong>in</strong> northernSouth <strong>Australia</strong> with work under the Onshore Energy Security Programdur<strong>in</strong>g 2008, thereby m<strong>in</strong>imis<strong>in</strong>g the mobilisation costs for the survey.The configuration of data <strong>in</strong>frastructure acquisition by AuScopeEarth Imag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> 2009–2011 will depend on the availability of seismicreflection crews and sufficient co-<strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> fund<strong>in</strong>g to enable thescientific objectives to be fully met.The greatest challenge is how we can organise the full range ofcomplementary studies (geophysical, geological, geochemical andgeochronological) needed for each geotransect, and obta<strong>in</strong> the necessaryco-<strong>in</strong>vestment required to make this happen.The Geotransect Work<strong>in</strong>g Group <strong>in</strong>vites expressions of <strong>in</strong>terestaimed at form<strong>in</strong>g Project Def<strong>in</strong>ition Groups for each of the prioritytransects. These groups should then work towards formulat<strong>in</strong>g workplans and specific proposals for fund<strong>in</strong>g from ARC, or wherever elsemight be appropriate.BRIAN KENNETTTAG March 2008 | 27
NEWSA volcano on ourdoorstep – help<strong>in</strong>g ourneighboursWait<strong>in</strong>g for the next volcanic eruption <strong>in</strong>South <strong>Australia</strong>, Victoria or even Queensland isproblematic for <strong>Australia</strong>ns want<strong>in</strong>g to view anactive volcano, and Heard Island is too faraway. <strong>Australia</strong>n volcano enthusiasts musttravel outside <strong>Australia</strong> and the most accessibleand affordable active volcano is just threehours’ fly<strong>in</strong>g time from Sydney.Port Vila is the capital of Vanuatu, a 900 kmlong cha<strong>in</strong> of volcanoes <strong>in</strong> the southwestPacific. Vanuatu straddles the <strong>Australia</strong>n Plateboundary where the Pacific Plate is subductedto the west beneath the <strong>Australia</strong>n Plate.Subject each year to tropical cyclones, thelocals are also threatened by destructive earthquakes,tsunamis and active volcanoes.Mt Yasur, an active volcano on the island ofTanna is a one-hour flight south of Port Vila <strong>in</strong>a Tw<strong>in</strong> Otter and another two hours by 4WDacross the island from the airport. Several touroperators <strong>in</strong> Port Vila offer this trip subject toweather. One operator suggested that if therehas been no ra<strong>in</strong>, and the volcano shows nosign of activity they don’t offer tours, and if itis ra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the volcano is enshrouded <strong>in</strong> mist soaga<strong>in</strong> they don’t offer tours. As can be seenfrom the pictures, we were lucky on bothcounts. The volcano was active and the weatherclear.With our hired guide (part of the tour package)we set out from the village where we hadbooked accommodation for the night, to climbthe 360 m peak. The access road to the summitpasses through beautiful ra<strong>in</strong>forest pastthe base of a giant banyan tree where a tollcollector sits. Incredibly, near the summit, theclimber is confronted by a post-box, <strong>in</strong> themidst of a barren landscape strewn with ejecta,some of them metres across.Explosions were audible earlier <strong>in</strong> the afternoon<strong>in</strong> the village 10 km away; dull at thatdistance but with a view of the summit.We could see an accompany<strong>in</strong>g puff of ashfollow<strong>in</strong>g each boom. At the summit theexplosions were much more frequent, m<strong>in</strong>utesnot tens of m<strong>in</strong>utes apart and <strong>in</strong>credibly loud.We could also see that the ash cloud wasdosed with glow<strong>in</strong>g bombs and we sat on thesummit for a while to see which way the w<strong>in</strong>dwas tak<strong>in</strong>g them. Only then did the guiderelax but asked us not to go downw<strong>in</strong>d andsuggested we not run when partially moltenrocks ra<strong>in</strong>ed down but stand and watch andget out of the way if one looked as if it wouldland on us. Scary advice know<strong>in</strong>g that twoguides and a tourist have been killed on thevolcano <strong>in</strong> recent years. None of us plannedon be<strong>in</strong>g enveloped <strong>in</strong> the acrid gas cloud thatdrifted downw<strong>in</strong>d even though it was fromthat northern side of the crater that the lavalake would have been visible.As the sun set, the temperature plummetedand we were quite cold <strong>in</strong> the w<strong>in</strong>d but theviews just kept gett<strong>in</strong>g better. The whole craterglowed fiercely for a second then with a veryloud explosion ejected hundreds of glow<strong>in</strong>g redbombs hundreds of metres <strong>in</strong>to the air, someup to a metre across, swirl<strong>in</strong>g end-over-endlike soft dough which landed with a loudcrump as close as 100 m from where we sat.Then the ash cloud enveloped everyth<strong>in</strong>g.There were two craters visible separated by anarrow ridge and we learned to dist<strong>in</strong>guishwhich explosion came from which crater eventhough the ash from the previous blast oftenobscured the view.After four hours or so, we tore ourselves awayand headed off the mounta<strong>in</strong> walk<strong>in</strong>g downthe track with torchlight <strong>in</strong> pitch dark, glad toput a safe distance between us and themounta<strong>in</strong> but reluctant to leave the beautifulfireworks display. (See page 39.)It ra<strong>in</strong>ed all the next day and we lost ourviews of the volcano but did manage to f<strong>in</strong>da seismograph used to warn of impend<strong>in</strong>geruptions. It had a satellite upl<strong>in</strong>k and the datawas transmitted back to Port Vila and France.Next day back <strong>in</strong> Port Vila I took the opportunityto visit the centre responsible for monitor<strong>in</strong>gthe earthquakes and volcanoes only to f<strong>in</strong>dthat vandals had burned down their office afew months before. They lost all their data,reports and, even worse, their equipment andTourists and local guide (note footwear) at the summit of Mt Yasur, 17 October 2007.Photo courtesy Kev<strong>in</strong> McCue.TAG March 2008 | 29
computers. There was not a s<strong>in</strong>gle operationalseismograph. They currently rely on the Frenchto issue warn<strong>in</strong>gs of the volcano status byemail and have no <strong>in</strong>formation on earthquakeactivity or the threat of tsunamis. As I left theywere writ<strong>in</strong>g applications for foreign aid, toFrance and New Zealand, to help rebuild their<strong>in</strong>frastructure.Surely this has to be a very good cause for<strong>Australia</strong>n overseas aid to help restore goodwill<strong>in</strong> the southwest Pacific. The <strong>Australia</strong>nGovernment could provide aid to <strong>in</strong>stall anearthquake operations centre and develop along-term tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g program. Rapid dataexchange would provide an early warn<strong>in</strong>g for<strong>Australia</strong> either the next time a tsunamigenicearthquake orig<strong>in</strong>ates <strong>in</strong> the southwest Pacificor when aid officials have to visit to providerelief after the next destructive earthquake orvolcanic eruption there. This would cost a fractionof what the April 2007 false alarm over apossibly damag<strong>in</strong>g tsunami strik<strong>in</strong>g Sydneyharbour cost.KEVIN MCCUE<strong>Australia</strong>n Seismological CentreTESEP calls for partnersThe PESA <strong>in</strong>itiative known as the Teacher EarthScience Education Programme (TESEP) is currentlycall<strong>in</strong>g for partners. TESEP is endorsedand supported by the <strong>Australia</strong>n ScienceTeachers Association (ASTA) and is assisted byan advisory board compris<strong>in</strong>g senior personnelfrom all sectors of the <strong>Australia</strong>n geosciencecommunity.PESA is pleased to announce it will be aPr<strong>in</strong>cipal Partner ($30,000/year for three years)and that several major corporations are likelyto jo<strong>in</strong> as pr<strong>in</strong>cipal partners <strong>in</strong> the near future<strong>in</strong> this eastern states education programme.Other committed fund<strong>in</strong>g partners are theUniversity of Sydney, the <strong>Australia</strong>n NationalUniversity and Macquarie University. Notional<strong>in</strong>tent to commit has been received from severalother organisations and <strong>in</strong>-k<strong>in</strong>d support<strong>in</strong>tent has also been promised by several other<strong>in</strong>stitutions and companies.‘The Challeng<strong>in</strong>g Earth‘ professional developmentworkshop series 2008–2010, due tobeg<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> March this year, has been delayed toAugust so sufficient fund<strong>in</strong>g can be raised toguarantee appropriate levels of teach<strong>in</strong>gresource development and workshop facilitationat multiple centres.A very supportive science teacher audiencewas present at the <strong>in</strong>ternational ScienceTeachers’ Conference (CONASTA) held <strong>in</strong> Perth<strong>in</strong> July last year when the concept of TESEPwas launched. The five TESEP state coord<strong>in</strong>atorteachers and the TESEP Executive Officer havereceived enthusiastic response from <strong>Australia</strong>nteachers of secondary Earth and Environmentalscience across the country. Lists of teacherskeen to participate <strong>in</strong> the workshops <strong>in</strong> thestates and territories have been compiled.Participat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> this Professional Developmentprogramme will have a significant effect onsourc<strong>in</strong>g tertiary entry students and tra<strong>in</strong>eesfor Energy/M<strong>in</strong>erals and Sciences <strong>in</strong>dustriesand has the potential to broaden theeducation of <strong>Australia</strong>n youth significantly.Please give the fund<strong>in</strong>g of TESEP your consideration.Contact Jill Stevens (Chairperson)jill.stevens@exxonmobil.com orGreg McNamara (Executive Officer)geoservices@geoed.com.au, to discuss yourparticipation further.<strong>Australia</strong> and theIntegrated Ocean Drill<strong>in</strong>gProgram (IODP): we f<strong>in</strong>allycaught the boats!<strong>Australia</strong> will jo<strong>in</strong> the Integrated Ocean Drill<strong>in</strong>gProgram (IODP) <strong>in</strong> early 2008, five years afterthe Ocean Drill<strong>in</strong>g Program (ODP) (of which<strong>Australia</strong> was a member) ended <strong>in</strong> 2003. Asa country with one of the largest mar<strong>in</strong>ejurisdictions <strong>in</strong> the world, <strong>Australia</strong> is an importantmember of the worldwide mar<strong>in</strong>e geosciencecommunity. Neville Exon expla<strong>in</strong>s howwe f<strong>in</strong>ally succeeded <strong>in</strong> jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g IODP and outl<strong>in</strong>esthe opportunities that opens up for<strong>Australia</strong>n geoscientists and microbiologists.At last <strong>Australia</strong> is jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the IODP(www.iodp.org), which is the world’s largestmult<strong>in</strong>ational geoscience program and <strong>in</strong>cludesalmost all OECD countries. IODP carries outdeep scientific cor<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> all the world’s oceansus<strong>in</strong>g a variety of platforms, and provides‘ground truth<strong>in</strong>g’ of global geoscientific theoriesthat are often based largely on remotesens<strong>in</strong>g techniques. New technologies andconcepts <strong>in</strong> geoscience are cont<strong>in</strong>uously be<strong>in</strong>gdeveloped through IODP. As it is a long-termprogram, IODP membership will have importantscientific outcomes for us.The road to membership<strong>Australia</strong> was a highly successful member ofIODP’s precursor, the Ocean Drill<strong>in</strong>g Program(ODP). In TAG 138 of March 2006, HelenBostock and Neville Exon gave a broad outl<strong>in</strong>eof <strong>Australia</strong>’s <strong>in</strong>volvement and (to some extent)its predecessor, the Deep Sea Drill<strong>in</strong>g Project(DSDP) so I will not repeat the details here.I refer <strong>in</strong>terested scientists to the book FullFathom Five, available from the <strong>Australia</strong>nIODP Office. This gives details of ODP achievements<strong>in</strong> the <strong>Australia</strong>n region over 15 yearsfrom 1988 to 2003. As well as numerouspublications available on-l<strong>in</strong>e at wwwodp.tamu.eduand www-odplegacy.org, there isa vast repository of exist<strong>in</strong>g ODP (and DSDP)cores available to bona fide researchers onwww-odplegacy.org. When ODP ended <strong>in</strong>2003, no fund<strong>in</strong>g mechanism could be foundfor <strong>Australia</strong> to jo<strong>in</strong> IODP, despite its morediverse cor<strong>in</strong>g capabilities.The TAG 2006 article was written while asubmission for fund<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>Australia</strong> to jo<strong>in</strong>IODP through the National CollaborativeResearch Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) waswith the Department of Education, Science andTechnology. This submission was preparedlargely by Helen Bostock with widespreadsupport from the members of MARGO(www.margo.org.au), a group<strong>in</strong>g of scientistsfrom most <strong>in</strong>stitutions <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> mar<strong>in</strong>egeoscience. It went through the system withgood support, but failed at the last hurdle (late2006) when it was <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> the IntegratedMar<strong>in</strong>e Observ<strong>in</strong>g Systems (IMOS) group, <strong>in</strong>which it was a poor fit.Hav<strong>in</strong>g learned from this failure, MARGO (ledby Helen Bostock until late 2006, and methereafter) set about build<strong>in</strong>g a broad, wellf<strong>in</strong>ancedcoalition, led by the <strong>Australia</strong>nNational University (ANU) and theCommonwealth Scientific and IndustrialResearch Organisation (CSIRO) and consist<strong>in</strong>gof a group of university science departmentsand government agencies, plus MARGO.Follow<strong>in</strong>g a successful application for an<strong>Australia</strong>n Research Council’s ‘L<strong>in</strong>kageInfrastructure, Equipment and Facilities’ grant<strong>in</strong> September 2007, we will receive $6 millionover five years and the group<strong>in</strong>g itself will add$2.85 million to that sum. We will become anassociate member of IODP <strong>in</strong> early 2008. An<strong>Australia</strong>n IODP Secretariat is be<strong>in</strong>g set up atANU, to carry out overall plann<strong>in</strong>g of the<strong>Australia</strong>n effort, to deal with our <strong>in</strong>ternationalpartners and to support all the necessary30 | TAG March 2008
travel. The ARC bid was supported by the USNational Science Foundation and leaders ofthe Japanese, European and Korean IODPgroups. 14 universities, plus two CSIRODivisions, AIMS, ANSTO and MARGO, are now<strong>in</strong> our group<strong>in</strong>g, which will jo<strong>in</strong> IODP as anAssociate Member at 25% of the cost of fullmembership. This is a workable scientific levelfor <strong>Australia</strong> and will give us six to sevenshipboard places per year (Chris Fergusson ofthe University of Wollongong was the first<strong>Australia</strong>n to sail under IODP – to the NankaiTrough on Expedition 316 <strong>in</strong> December 2007),plus membership of several IODP committees.We are <strong>in</strong> discussions with New Zealandgeoscience <strong>in</strong>stitutions about jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g a consortiumwith us, <strong>in</strong>itially at the 5% level, whichwould <strong>in</strong>crease our access to IODP activitiesconsiderably.The advantages of membership<strong>Australia</strong>n scientists will ga<strong>in</strong> through shipboardand post-cruise participation <strong>in</strong> cutt<strong>in</strong>gedge science, by build<strong>in</strong>g partnerships withoverseas scientists, by hav<strong>in</strong>g research proponentsand co-chief scientists who can steerprograms and outputs, and by early access tokey samples and data. They will also have theopportunity of science tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g for post-doctoraland doctoral students <strong>in</strong> mar<strong>in</strong>e sciencethat could not be obta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> any other way.Our region is the best <strong>in</strong> which to addressvarious global science problems, and some ofthem cannot be addressed elsewhere. Be<strong>in</strong>g amember of IODP will help us ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> ourleadership <strong>in</strong> Southern Hemisphere mar<strong>in</strong>egeoscience research.<strong>Australia</strong> has a vast mar<strong>in</strong>e jurisdiction and ispresently mak<strong>in</strong>g a case to maximise this jurisdictionthrough the United NationsCommission on the Limits of the Cont<strong>in</strong>entalShelf. This will extend our sea-bed jurisdictionwell beyond the 200-nautical-mile limit of ouralready very large Exclusive Economic Zone.Hav<strong>in</strong>g claimed this mar<strong>in</strong>e jurisdiction, weneed to <strong>in</strong>crease our mar<strong>in</strong>e research efforts,thereby deploy<strong>in</strong>g a full range of scientifictools. The cor<strong>in</strong>g capabilities of IODP provide agreat variety of tools, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g some capableof sampl<strong>in</strong>g sub-bottom environments, wherekey biogeochemical transformations, such asthe formation of methane hydrates, occur.<strong>Australia</strong> will benefit from IODP’s array ofdrill<strong>in</strong>g vessels, which are now capable of tak<strong>in</strong>gcont<strong>in</strong>uous cores of sediments and rocks <strong>in</strong>almost all our mar<strong>in</strong>e environments, and up tofive kilometres below the seafloor. The primarytools are Japanese and American cor<strong>in</strong>g vesselsthat are dynamically-positioned, withEuropean Union funds be<strong>in</strong>g used to providechartered cor<strong>in</strong>g platforms to deal with drill<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong> locations or for purposes for which theprimary vessels are not suitable. Unsuitablelocations <strong>in</strong>clude the Arctic Ocean, whereice-break<strong>in</strong>g capability is needed, and waterdepths of less than 100 m, for which float<strong>in</strong>gvessels are not suitable. Altogether, the valueof the cor<strong>in</strong>g platforms is nearly $US1 billion,and annual runn<strong>in</strong>g costs for the program arenearly $US200 million. The Japanese vesselChikyu is a huge vessel, capable at this stageof riser drill<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> 2,500 m water depth, with10,000 m of drill str<strong>in</strong>g. Because it has amar<strong>in</strong>e riser, it is capable of drill<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> regionswhere flows of oil and gas might occur andneed to be controlled. The ODP vessel did nothave this capability. Chikyu has recentlydrilled deep-water <strong>exploration</strong> holes forWoodside Petroleum. The American vesselJoides Resolution is well known as the formerODP drillship, but has been extensively refittedat a cost exceed<strong>in</strong>g $US100 million. It is capableof drill<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> water depths of 6,000 m andseveral kilometres beneath the sea-floor buthas no riser, so must avoid any region whereoil or gas might be encountered. Neither vesselis completely funded, so both are seek<strong>in</strong>g commercialwork. Perhaps an <strong>in</strong>dustry group<strong>in</strong>gmight consider us<strong>in</strong>g one of them to drill astratigraphic hole <strong>in</strong> an <strong>Australia</strong>n frontier areawhere little is known of the basic sequences –the Lord Howe Rise spr<strong>in</strong>gs to m<strong>in</strong>d.IODP drill<strong>in</strong>g expeditions <strong>in</strong> our region will leadto huge scientific and monetary <strong>in</strong>vestmentsby scientists from other nations <strong>in</strong> our waters.For example, dur<strong>in</strong>g the ODP program, theaverage drill<strong>in</strong>g leg <strong>in</strong> our region producedabout 100 refereed publications. We encouragemembers of our science community to help <strong>in</strong>ref<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g exist<strong>in</strong>g proposals, and to gather <strong>in</strong>ternationalpartners to build new proposals tohelp resolve global science problems.Key IODP Research AreasThe key research areas are spelt out <strong>in</strong>IODP’s ‘Initial Science Plan’ www.iodp.org/ispand are:1. Deep biosphere and ocean floor.This research area deals with ‘extremophile’microbes that live below the sea-floor andcould be of <strong>in</strong>dustrial importance, and alsowith gas hydrates that are a huge potentialenergy resource and have been shown totrigger bursts of global warm<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the past.2. Environmental changes, processesand effects.This research area covers rapid climate changeand extreme climates, climatic cycles andevolution of oceanic currents and boundaries.Ocean drill<strong>in</strong>g has been, and will be, a key tounderstand<strong>in</strong>g past climate change on all timescales and at many locations, and hence <strong>in</strong>help<strong>in</strong>g predict future climate changes.3. Solid earth cycles and geodynamics.This research area deals with cont<strong>in</strong>entalbreak-up and sedimentary bas<strong>in</strong> formation,which are especially important <strong>in</strong> petroleum<strong>exploration</strong>; large igneous prov<strong>in</strong>ces; drill<strong>in</strong>g tothe Earth’s mantle; and understand<strong>in</strong>g earthquakesand the generation of tsunamis (importantto <strong>Australia</strong> <strong>in</strong> the context of Indonesiantsunamis).Exist<strong>in</strong>g Drill<strong>in</strong>g ProposalsThe map (see next page) shows the manyexist<strong>in</strong>g proposals for IODP expeditions <strong>in</strong> the<strong>Australia</strong>n region <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Antarctic waters.Three of these expeditions are alreadyapproved, and those likely to be carried out <strong>in</strong>the next few years are shown by boxes <strong>in</strong> themap. <strong>Australia</strong>ns are co-proponents of many ofthe proposals, and most are underp<strong>in</strong>ned by<strong>Australia</strong>n geophysical survey data. An aim ofthe <strong>Australia</strong>n mar<strong>in</strong>e geoscience communityand the ‘extremophile’ microbiological sciencecommunity should be to build IODP proposalsfor the <strong>Australia</strong>n region, with <strong>in</strong>ternationalpartners. Microbiological programs will beconsidered for all expeditions, and will bedom<strong>in</strong>ant on some.Two scheduled expeditions <strong>in</strong> our region, eachtwo months long, are those to the CanterburyBas<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> New Zealand (Expedition 321:November 2008 to January 2009) and toWilkes Land <strong>in</strong> the <strong>Australia</strong>n AntarcticTerritory (Expedition 323: January to March2009). The first expedition will study changes<strong>in</strong> global sea level and climatic variations <strong>in</strong>the last 35 million years. The second expeditionwill study the onset, the development, andthe wax<strong>in</strong>g and wan<strong>in</strong>g of Antarctic ice sheets<strong>in</strong> the last 40 million years, a subject of greatglobal significance <strong>in</strong> this time of globalwarm<strong>in</strong>g. A third expedition, to drill the GreatBarrier Reef, has been approved by IODP, butawaits <strong>Australia</strong>n Government approval beforeschedul<strong>in</strong>g. It would follow several earlier ODPTAG March 2008 | 31
drill<strong>in</strong>g programs <strong>in</strong> the reef, and aims to veryaccurately date the history of sea-level rise <strong>in</strong>the 20,000 years s<strong>in</strong>ce the Last GlacialMaximum.<strong>Australia</strong>n consortiumarrangementsThe <strong>Australia</strong>n IODP partners at thismoment are:Universities: <strong>Australia</strong>n National, Adelaide,Curt<strong>in</strong>, James Cook, Macquarie, Melbourne,Monash, Newcastle, Queensland, QueenslandUniversity of Technology, Sydney, Tasmania,Western <strong>Australia</strong>, Wollongong;Government Agencies: CSIRO PetroleumDivision and Exploration and M<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Division,AIMS, ANSTO, and a peak body, MARGO(Mar<strong>in</strong>e Geoscience Office).Other universities and government agenciesare welcome to jo<strong>in</strong> at any time (m<strong>in</strong>imumsubscription $20,000 pa).Representatives of some of the IODP partners,along with a representative from New Zealandand another from ARC, met at ANU <strong>in</strong> October2007 and agreed to establish a Govern<strong>in</strong>gCouncil, an ANU-based Office, and a ScienceCommittee. The Govern<strong>in</strong>g Council met at ANU<strong>in</strong> December 2007, with its present membershipof Patrick De Deckker (ANU), Chris Yeats(CSIRO), David Falvey (ARC), Kelsie Dadd(Macquarie University), Will Howard (Universityof Tasmania) and chairperson Kate Wilson,Head of CSIRO’s Wealth from Oceans Flagship.Photo courtesy Neville Exon32 | TAG March 2008 JOIDES Resolution.Other attendees were Richard Arculus (primaryLIEF signatory), Neville Exon (Interim Head of<strong>Australia</strong>n IODP Office) and Chris Hollis (GNS,NZ) represent<strong>in</strong>g New Zealand.We are presently work<strong>in</strong>g on several importantadm<strong>in</strong>istrative tasks:• (<strong>Australia</strong>n Research Council (ARC) is responsiblefor a Memorandum of Understand<strong>in</strong>g(MOU) with the ma<strong>in</strong> IODP partners: theAmerican National Science Foundation and theJapanese JAMSTEC and MEXT. We jo<strong>in</strong> IODPfrom 1 January 2008• ARC is also responsible for a MOU with NewZealand, br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g them <strong>in</strong>to a ConsortiumTwo part-time AIO positions <strong>in</strong> Canberra aresoon to be advertised• Participants are be<strong>in</strong>g sought for the<strong>Australia</strong>n Science Committee, <strong>in</strong>ternationalIODP panels and committees, and shipboardplacesChikyu.Photo courtesy Neville Exon• A list<strong>in</strong>g of all <strong>Australia</strong>n geoscientists andmicrobiologists with a potential <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong>IODP, with addresses and expertise, is be<strong>in</strong>gprepared by AIO. It is <strong>in</strong>tended that this willbe a cont<strong>in</strong>uously updated public documentavailable through AIO and MARGO. Pleasecontact me if you wish to be added to it.ConclusionsThere are excit<strong>in</strong>g opportunities for <strong>Australia</strong>nscientists <strong>in</strong> IODP research expeditions <strong>in</strong> ourregion and beyond. We encourage you tobecome <strong>in</strong>volved both <strong>in</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g proposalsfor drill<strong>in</strong>g legs and <strong>in</strong> participat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> drill<strong>in</strong>glegs as shipboard or shore-based <strong>in</strong>vestigators.There are also huge underutilised resourcesavailable through IODP <strong>in</strong> the form of archivedmaterial – the vast repositories of exist<strong>in</strong>gcores can be accessed by bona fide researcherson www-odp.tamu.edu andwww.odplegacy.org.You need not necessarily be from our member<strong>in</strong>stitutions. Two expeditions are alreadyscheduled for our region start<strong>in</strong>g late this yearand others are <strong>in</strong> advanced plann<strong>in</strong>g stages. Allnecessary background <strong>in</strong>formation is availablethrough the IODP home page at www.iodp.orgbut applications for shipboard or laboratory<strong>in</strong>volvement should be made through the nowform<strong>in</strong>g<strong>Australia</strong>n IODP Office at ANU. Theprimary contacts for the Office <strong>in</strong> this <strong>in</strong>itialphase are Neville Exonneville.exon@anu.edu.au, Richard Arculusrichard.arculus@anu.edu.au, Patrick DeDeckker patrick.dedeckker@anu.edu.au andWill Howard Will.Howard@utas.edu.auNEVILLE EXON
REFERENCESHelen Bostock and Neville Exon, 2006.‘<strong>Australia</strong> and the Integrated Ocean Drill<strong>in</strong>gProgram: will we miss the boat?’ The<strong>Australia</strong>n Geologist (TAG) 138, 27-29.Ela<strong>in</strong>e Baker and Jock Keene, 2003. FullFathom Five: 15 years of <strong>Australia</strong>n <strong>in</strong>volvement<strong>in</strong> the Ocean Drill<strong>in</strong>g Program. <strong>Australia</strong>n ODPOffice, Sydney University, 65 p. (Copies areavailable free of charge from Neville Exon atthe <strong>Australia</strong>n IODP Office, ANU.)IODP Plann<strong>in</strong>g Sub-Committee, 2001. Earth,Oceans and Life: IODP Initial Science Plan,2003-2013. International Work<strong>in</strong>g GroupSupport Office, Wash<strong>in</strong>gton DCwww.iodp.org/isp, 110 p.Initial contact: Dr Neville Exon, Interim Head,<strong>Australia</strong>n IODP Office, Research School ofEarth Sciences (now <strong>in</strong>corporat<strong>in</strong>g theDepartment of Earth and Mar<strong>in</strong>e Sciences),Build<strong>in</strong>g 47, ANU, Canberra 0200.Neville.Exon@anu.edu.au. Phone 02 6125 5131(afternoons); 02 6288 2034 (other times).In the footsteps of theFound<strong>in</strong>g Fathers:Celebrat<strong>in</strong>g 200 years ofthe Geological SocietyLondon (GSL)On 13 November 2007 the Geological Societyof London celebrated 200 years s<strong>in</strong>ce its formation.It was the culm<strong>in</strong>ation of a year ofcelebrations, with two <strong>in</strong>ternational meet<strong>in</strong>gs– <strong>in</strong> September look<strong>in</strong>g to the future, <strong>in</strong>November consider<strong>in</strong>g the Society’s past history.It was my privilege to attend the latter<strong>in</strong>ternational meet<strong>in</strong>g of geology historians.For the Bicentenary the Society has produced a‘warts and all’ history Whatever is under theEarth, for popular consumption at a decidedlydiscount price, written by the geologist/historian Gordon Herries Davies. It achieves itspurpose.The conference began with a weekend excursionto the Isle of Wight led by Mart<strong>in</strong>Rudwick and Hugh Torrens; the former notedfor his books <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g The Mean<strong>in</strong>g of Fossils,Scenes from Deep Time and Burst<strong>in</strong>g the Limitsof Time; the latter for his champion<strong>in</strong>g of thework of m<strong>in</strong>ers and surveyors such as JohnFarey and particularly William Smith. Torrens’work was the basis of W<strong>in</strong>chester’s The Mapthat changed the World.The field trip traced the work <strong>in</strong> 1811 and 1813of Thomas Webster, an early member, look<strong>in</strong>gat the rocks through Webster’s eyes, us<strong>in</strong>g hissketches and field notes.The November weather was brac<strong>in</strong>g, and theexcursion <strong>in</strong>volved challeng<strong>in</strong>g cliff scramblesand attention to tides along kilometres ofbouldery beaches, provid<strong>in</strong>g access to spectacularoutcrops, particularly near the famousNeedles. Here we kept a two m<strong>in</strong>ute silence for11.00 am, 11 November, the British equivalentof our Anzac memory. In addition to d<strong>in</strong>osaurfootpr<strong>in</strong>ts <strong>in</strong> situ there was an after-hours visitto the Island’s f<strong>in</strong>e D<strong>in</strong>osaur Museum.The conference proper was held at theSociety’s rooms <strong>in</strong> Burl<strong>in</strong>gton House, Piccadilly,its home s<strong>in</strong>ce the 1870s. The meet<strong>in</strong>g wasremarkable, if for noth<strong>in</strong>g else, <strong>in</strong> that all thespeakers stuck to time, without be<strong>in</strong>g badgeredby the Chair! The papers covered a wide range,some cover<strong>in</strong>g the 13 orig<strong>in</strong>al members manyof whom are relatively little known or rememberedtoday.A key feature of the found<strong>in</strong>g of the societywas the determ<strong>in</strong>ation of a mixed group ofbus<strong>in</strong>essmen Quakers and medicos to beg<strong>in</strong> ageological society, as opposed to a m<strong>in</strong>eralogicalone as was the rage at the time. Papersdelivered drew little attention to the Society’slater, well-known figures, such as Lyell,Sedgwick, and Murchison, but concentrated onpeople such as Humphrey Davy and GeorgeGreenough (the Society’s first President andcompiler of a large geological map which hasequal pride of place with Smith’s map on thema<strong>in</strong> staircase of the build<strong>in</strong>g).It was pleas<strong>in</strong>g to see the quality of theresearch undertaken by young scholars fromvarious countries, while some of the ‘oldcodgers’ didn’t do too badly either. My presentationthreatened to be a disaster when mytrial of Powerpo<strong>in</strong>t presented the pics <strong>in</strong> trueantipodean manner – upside down! However, aless recalcitrant computer solved the problem.My own paper discussed the l<strong>in</strong>ks between theGeological Society and the Antipodes.The Geological Society was important to<strong>Australia</strong>n geology and geologists <strong>in</strong> a numberof ways. Notably <strong>in</strong> the 19th century therewere many <strong>Australia</strong>n geologists who had noformal qualifications, and the letters FGS gavesome kudos. In the 1870s <strong>Australia</strong>n geologistsRalph Tate, ARC Selwyn, WB Clarke and SirFrederick McCoy ga<strong>in</strong>ed prestigious Societyawards, with Edgeworth David, EW Skeats andW Howch<strong>in</strong> recognised later.There was general surprise at the large numberof Society members’ names scattered aroundthe map of <strong>Australia</strong>. These <strong>in</strong>clude several MtsLyell and Murchison, with Greenough,Sedgwick, Geikie, and ‘homegrown’ memberssuch as Ayers, Chew<strong>in</strong>gs, Selwyn etc. Thisprompted GSL President, Richard Fortey to askif there might be any creek available for him!On the night of 12 November the History ofGeology Group (HOGG), host<strong>in</strong>g the conference,held a d<strong>in</strong>ner at the site of the firstSociety function. For years the site was <strong>in</strong>correctlyidentified as the Freemason’s Arms pub<strong>in</strong> Long Acre. We know now that the true locationwas the Freemason’s Tavern, 60 GreatQueen Street, L<strong>in</strong>coln’s Inn, still a large hotel.The HOGG d<strong>in</strong>ner attracted 200 members andfriends, about 75% com<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> period costume,as the Brits can do so well. Speeches were fewand brief, but <strong>in</strong> true Russian style Dr IrenaMalakhova presented the Society, through thepresident, with formal documents, <strong>in</strong> Russian,a fa<strong>in</strong>t echo of the hundreds presented dur<strong>in</strong>gthe stiff formalities of 1907.Follow<strong>in</strong>g the ma<strong>in</strong> course, and much to theastonishment of the locals, President Forteyaccompanied by a motley collection of moustachioedmilitary gentlemen, card<strong>in</strong>als, nightwatchmen,French Legion of Honour (genu<strong>in</strong>e,<strong>in</strong> fact), ladies and yours truly sport<strong>in</strong>g somerevolutionary head gear and a few medals (Cityto Surf 1972, etc) ventured <strong>in</strong>to the cold, darkGreat Queen Street to unveil a plaque conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gcorrect <strong>in</strong>formation about the orig<strong>in</strong>s ofthe Geological Society. President Fortey,dressed as a gentleman of the period, was briefand to the po<strong>in</strong>t at the plaque unveil<strong>in</strong>g (thetemperature was hover<strong>in</strong>g well down <strong>in</strong> thes<strong>in</strong>gle digit position). He had been equally briefat the d<strong>in</strong>ner, rem<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g us that ”the present isthe key to the repast”.There were a few latecomers to the nextmorn<strong>in</strong>g’s session follow<strong>in</strong>g that d<strong>in</strong>ner! An<strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g paper near the end of the meet<strong>in</strong>gwas delivered by John Smallwood who, apply<strong>in</strong>gcomputer modell<strong>in</strong>g, took a new look atSchiehallion, Scotland where <strong>in</strong> 1774 NevilleMaskelyne attempted to measure gravity. Wewere brought back to the modern world with apreview by Iaian Stewart of a new BBC ScienceSeries Earth: A Biography. It has some extraord<strong>in</strong>aryfootage and hopefully will tell millionsof people about Geology – watch out for it.Five o’clock, 13 November 1807 was the orig<strong>in</strong>alwitch<strong>in</strong>g hour of the d<strong>in</strong>ner we had commemoratedthe previous even<strong>in</strong>g. At 5.00 pmTAG March 2008 | 33
on 13 November 2007 we toasted the bicentenaryon the dot, <strong>in</strong> the Society’s Lower Library,with a witty speech by Phillipe Taquet,President of the INternational (Commission forthe) HI(story of the) GEOlogical Sciences(INHIGEO) outl<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the papers which had reallybeen given by the various speakers.Then <strong>in</strong>to black tie (and other garments) andoff to the f<strong>in</strong>al event – the sold-out, SocietyD<strong>in</strong>ner where 600 people were crammed <strong>in</strong>,under the eagle eye-socket of Diplodocus <strong>in</strong>the ma<strong>in</strong> hall of the Natural History Museum,South Kens<strong>in</strong>gton.May the next two hundred years prove as<strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g…certa<strong>in</strong>ly they will be different.I express my gratitude to the GSA Executive,President Andy Gleadow, and the NSW Division(Chairman, Ron Vernon) for their generoussupport to me as the <strong>Australia</strong>n representativeat the History meet<strong>in</strong>g.DAVID BRANAGANIGCP 524ARC-Cont<strong>in</strong>ent Collision:Benefitt<strong>in</strong>g Human Societythrough an enhanced understand<strong>in</strong>gof Plate TectonicprocessesThis project was accepted by IGCP as a threeyear (2007–2009) project led by Dr DennisBrown, Instituto de Cierncias de la Tierra’Jaume Almera‘, CSIC Barcelona, Spa<strong>in</strong> andProfessor Chi-Yue Huang Department of EarthSciences National Cheng Kung University. DickGlen of the Geological Survey of NSW (DPI) isthe <strong>Australia</strong>n correspondent.Aims and background:One key aim of the IGCP project 524 is the studyof processes that occur <strong>in</strong> zones of collisionbetween volcanic island arcs and cont<strong>in</strong>entalmarg<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> both fossil and active sett<strong>in</strong>gs. Thekey questions to be <strong>in</strong>vestigated <strong>in</strong>clude:processes tak<strong>in</strong>g place with<strong>in</strong> the subductionchannel once the cont<strong>in</strong>ental crust has enteredthe subduction zone; the cont<strong>in</strong>ued evolution ofthe arc dur<strong>in</strong>g collision; the response of cont<strong>in</strong>entalcrust to the collision; erosion of thedevelop<strong>in</strong>g mounta<strong>in</strong> belt and the formation offoreland and suture fore-arc bas<strong>in</strong>s; theemplacement of ophiolite massifs; and durationof arc-cont<strong>in</strong>ent collision orogeny itself.A second aim <strong>in</strong>volves <strong>in</strong>vestigation of theimpact of these collisions for human society <strong>in</strong>terms of economic development. Zones of arccont<strong>in</strong>entcollision are producers of much ofthe world’s gold, copper, and molybdenum, andare primary targets for the <strong>exploration</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry.Increas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>exploration</strong> <strong>in</strong> accreted arcs <strong>in</strong>develop<strong>in</strong>g world countries <strong>in</strong> turn is speed<strong>in</strong>gup their economic development by catalys<strong>in</strong>gtransition to first world legal systems of tenementand m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g law, thereby speed<strong>in</strong>g up<strong>in</strong>frastructure development; Mongolia is aclassic example. The IGCP project will <strong>in</strong>vestigatethe tim<strong>in</strong>g of m<strong>in</strong>eral deposit formationwith<strong>in</strong> the context of arc-cont<strong>in</strong>ent collisions,<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the effect that the entry of the cont<strong>in</strong>entalcrust <strong>in</strong>to the subduction zone had ondeposit formation.Recognis<strong>in</strong>g that zones of active arc-cont<strong>in</strong>entcollision are among the most seismically activeand highly populated <strong>in</strong> the world, a third aimof the project focuses on zones of potentiallyhigh geological risk associated with arc accretion.For example, seismic shak<strong>in</strong>g and landCongratulations Professor Michael Archerand Dr Max Richards<strong>Australia</strong> Day Honours ListMEMBER (AM) IN THE GENERAL DIVISIONProfessor Michael ARCHER for service to science as a palaeontologist; the promotionof susta<strong>in</strong>able management of wildlife; scientific education and research; mentor<strong>in</strong>gand adm<strong>in</strong>istrative roles.Dr Max RICHARDS (Sydney Maxwell Richards) for service to geological science <strong>in</strong>the areas of m<strong>in</strong>eral <strong>exploration</strong>, m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and scientific research and throughcontributions to <strong>in</strong>dustry, public sector and professional organisations.slid<strong>in</strong>g caused by the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake<strong>in</strong> Taiwan killed an estimated 2,400 people andcaused widespread damage to <strong>in</strong>frastructure.The project will thus also <strong>in</strong>vestigate theresponse of the cont<strong>in</strong>ental crust to subduction<strong>in</strong> terms of the distribution of seismicity <strong>in</strong>the develop<strong>in</strong>g mounta<strong>in</strong> belt, and the effectof the crustal response on the development oftopography and landslide risk.Activities to dateThe first meet<strong>in</strong>g of the project was held <strong>in</strong>April 2007, timed to co<strong>in</strong>cide with the EGUmeet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the Vienna InternationalConference Centre. This was essentially a plann<strong>in</strong>gmeet<strong>in</strong>g although there were scientificpresentations (more later).I attended to raise the possibility that one ofthe activities of the project be an <strong>in</strong>ternationalconference on arc accretion held <strong>in</strong> NSW, coupledwith a field trip to the OrdovicianMacquarie Arc that was recently written up <strong>in</strong>a special issue of <strong>Australia</strong>n Journal of EarthSciences this year. Such a field conferencewould fulfil two of the three aims of the conferenceand would have tectonic and economicthemes, given the copper and gold deposits <strong>in</strong>,and potential of, the arc.Future ActivitiesThree meet<strong>in</strong>gs are planned, designed to focuson collisions over geological time:• The currently active collision <strong>in</strong> Taiwan(January 2008)• The Palaeozoic Urals <strong>in</strong> July 2009, be<strong>in</strong>g heldas a pre-conference fieldtrip of the 33rd IGC <strong>in</strong>Oslo. This will be followed by a symposium <strong>in</strong>Oslo, EUR-19 Arc-cont<strong>in</strong>ent collision processes<strong>in</strong> the Uralides and its modern analogues,chaired by Dennis Brown, Chi-Yue Huang,Richard Herr<strong>in</strong>gton and Richard Glen• A potential conference and field trip <strong>in</strong> NSW,focus<strong>in</strong>g on Pacific examples of arcs, accretionand m<strong>in</strong>eral deposits scheduled for 2009.It is planned that the <strong>in</strong>tegration of researchon both active and fossil arc-cont<strong>in</strong>ent orogenswill provide key data for the understand<strong>in</strong>gof how plate tectonics works today, andhow it might have worked <strong>in</strong> the past.TAG March 2008 | 35
Some technical presentations,EGU 2007 conferenceThis began with a keynote paper by JohnDewey et al on collisions of island arcs withcont<strong>in</strong>ental marg<strong>in</strong>s, draw<strong>in</strong>g on examplesfrom the western Irish Caledonides, Nevadaand New Gu<strong>in</strong>ea. Herr<strong>in</strong>gton et al drew attentionto the contribution to arc magmas andgold systems of cont<strong>in</strong>ental crust enter<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>the subduction system <strong>in</strong> the Banda arc. Therewere several papers on the Urals, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g onepresent<strong>in</strong>g evidence for Ordovician convergencefollowed by 410-415 Ma thrust<strong>in</strong>g thatoccurred before onset of later convergencethat generated the ma<strong>in</strong> Uralian arc <strong>in</strong> theEarly Devonian. Glen et al presented a paper onthe Macquarie Arc.For more <strong>in</strong>formation contactdick.glen@dpi.nsw.gov.auIGCP 502Relationship betweenVHMS (Kuroko) deposits and theevolution of volcanic arcs symposiumand workshop <strong>in</strong> Japan,27 October 4 November 2007The aim of the project ’Global Comparison ofVolcanic-hosted Massive Sulphide (VMS)Districts‘ IGCP-502 is to study and compare anumber of the world’s important VMS districts<strong>in</strong> order to def<strong>in</strong>e the key geological eventsthat control the distribution and tim<strong>in</strong>g ofhigh-value VMS deposits, and thereby developnew criteria for locat<strong>in</strong>g these ore deposits.Late <strong>in</strong> 2007 I participated <strong>in</strong> a workshop compris<strong>in</strong>ga one-day symposium <strong>in</strong> Tokyo followedby a seven-day field traverse <strong>in</strong> northernHonshu. The symposium was attended by 37people and 26 participated <strong>in</strong> the field trip.We were a group of field geologists, modernsea-floor specialists, igneous petrologists, oredeposit geologists and geochemists. The fieldtrip traversed the northeast Honshu volcanicarc from the arc front (Ou Backbone range)through the Hokuroku (kuroko) district to theback-arc side (Oga Pen<strong>in</strong>sula) and emphasisedthe sett<strong>in</strong>g and tim<strong>in</strong>g of kuroko depositswith<strong>in</strong> the evolution of the northeast Honshuarc and back-arc rift. The reason I attendedwas that the theme of the workshop tied <strong>in</strong>nicely with my project on the genetic andchemical characterisation of the ArcheanJaguar VHMS deposit.A symposium held at Tokyo University on thefirst day was divided <strong>in</strong>to three themes:Tectonic and magmatic evolution of the northeastHonshu volcanic arc and sett<strong>in</strong>g of kurokodeposits;Implications of modern sea floor studies forthe tectonic sett<strong>in</strong>g, volcanic sett<strong>in</strong>g andgenesis of rhyolite-associated VMS <strong>in</strong> volcanicarc-back arc terranes;The tectonic-volcanic sett<strong>in</strong>g and tim<strong>in</strong>g offelsic-associated VMS <strong>in</strong> the evolution of otherplate marg<strong>in</strong> terranes (other than Japan).Next day we travelled from Tokyo to theHokuroku district where we saw the LateMiocene to recent volcanism of the OuBackbone mounta<strong>in</strong> belt (arc-front), and visitedthe Tamagawa hot spr<strong>in</strong>g hydrothermal system.Our first full day <strong>in</strong> the field concentratedon the Early-Late Miocene succession of theHokuroku district; <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g pre-subsidenceEarly Miocene terrestrial andesitic rocks,Middle Miocene lower pillow basalts(Hotakizawa basalt), footwall and hang<strong>in</strong>gwallrhyolitic domes and pyroclastics. We alsovisited the Hanaoka core and ore sample storagefacility. Unfortunately there are no activeKuroko m<strong>in</strong>es these days where ore can beseen <strong>in</strong> situ, so we visited outcrops, ore dumpsand archives.Next day we saw the Shijuhitaki basalt firefounta<strong>in</strong> deposit which directly overlies the orehorizon <strong>in</strong> the central part of the HokurokuBas<strong>in</strong>, and then visited the old Kosaka-Motoyama open pit. We exam<strong>in</strong>ed footwallalteration and m<strong>in</strong>eralisation at Furutobezawa,then the eruption centre of the T2 tuffat Nakano-kozan followed by the T2 pumice.The T2 pumice breccia site was unusual, as itwas essentially an underground quarry wherethey m<strong>in</strong>ed by cutt<strong>in</strong>g the rock <strong>in</strong>to dimensionblocks for later slic<strong>in</strong>g.On the fifth day we concentrated on LateMiocene to Quaternary calderas. Late Miocenefelsic caldera magmatism and hydrothermalsystems mark the end of kuroko-relatedvolcanism, uplift of the arc, and change to aperiod of major felsic caldera volcanism. TheQuaternary Towada caldera is the youngestand best preserved caldera <strong>in</strong> the area. It isalso a spectacular sight. We visited the oldOsarizawa ve<strong>in</strong>-Cu m<strong>in</strong>e, now a tourist m<strong>in</strong>e.The follow<strong>in</strong>g day we travelled westward fromHokuroku to Akita and the Oga Pen<strong>in</strong>sular.On the way we visited the Babame kuroko areaand other exposures of the Neogene volcanicsuccession <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the Nanakura tuff. Later,we attended a short workshop at the M<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gMuseum of Akita University where samplesfrom their archive of kuroko specimens wereon display.On the seventh day we visited the Oligocene-Late Miocene type area of the Green Tuff. Thekuroko time-stratigraphic <strong>in</strong>terval at Oga isma<strong>in</strong>ly shallow mar<strong>in</strong>e, and stratigraphy issomewhat different to the kuroko areasbecause Oga is on the back-arc side of, andoutside of, the ma<strong>in</strong> graben bas<strong>in</strong>s that conta<strong>in</strong>kuroko ores. The lower part of the Ogastratigraphy provides <strong>in</strong>formation about theearly development of back-arc rift<strong>in</strong>g.On our last day <strong>in</strong> the field we exam<strong>in</strong>ed drillcores of the Hokuroku district stratigraphy atAkita Prefecture Drill Core Archive. The corehold<strong>in</strong>g has been much reduced over the yearsand the cores that rema<strong>in</strong> are selected representationsthrough each unit. Unfortunatelythe Akita Prefecture has expressed its <strong>in</strong>tentionto dispose of these last rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g cores andtherefore this resource will not be availablemuch longer.Many thanks to the IGCP National Committeefor an <strong>Australia</strong>n Government-sponsoredgrant-<strong>in</strong>-aid, and Jabiru Metals for f<strong>in</strong>ancialassistance to attend the workshop.Further<strong>in</strong>formation can be read on theproject website: www.ltu.se/tkg/avd/kgo/forsk/IGCP/d2525/1.6644SUSAN BELFORDCODESUniversity of Tasmania36 | TAG March 2008
Letters to the editorIntegrat<strong>in</strong>g Earth Sciences:an exampleThe cont<strong>in</strong>ual modern developments orevolution of science and technology areaccompanied by – or unequivocallydemand – an <strong>in</strong>tegration of all relevantdiscipl<strong>in</strong>es. This applies also to the variousEarth Sciences, as is well known.Allow me to comment briefly on a morerecent aspect of the mega-scaled holistic<strong>in</strong>ter-relationships between severalgeological and geophysical data sets andmethodologies as described by the follow<strong>in</strong>gbook:Wolf, D and Fernandez, J 2007.Deformation and Gravity Change:Indicators of Isostasy, Tectonics,Volcanism, and Climate Change.Birkhäuser and Spr<strong>in</strong>ger, Boston, Basel,Berl<strong>in</strong>.(See also: Pure and Applied Geophysics,volume 184, 2007, No. 4.)Inasmuch as the book’s 14 chaptersaddress a group of highly specialisedexperts I will refra<strong>in</strong> from writ<strong>in</strong>g adetailed book review – yet wish to mentiona few specifics to those <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>tegrative studies of complex Earth systems.The follow<strong>in</strong>g are dealt with underthe head<strong>in</strong>gs of Earth crust’s rebound(isostatic adjustments), glacial/deglacial<strong>in</strong>ducedload<strong>in</strong>g and unload<strong>in</strong>g, magmatism/volcanism,surface (eg landslidestudies) and subsurface tectonic/crustaldeformation, geophysics (eg gravity,crustal stress, earth’s viscosity changes,seismic/microtremor studies), sea-leveland ocean-mass changes (ow<strong>in</strong>g to thermalexpansion, sal<strong>in</strong>ity and atmosphericvariations), hydrology (eg aquifer andgroundwater resource studies) and globalclimatology (<strong>in</strong> the context of glacialisostaticstudies). Various geodynamicalresearch methodologies and techniquesare deliberated and numerous modelsevaluated. The application of ‘fuzzy logic<strong>in</strong> analys<strong>in</strong>g sea-level <strong>in</strong>dicators withrespect to glacial-isostatic adjustment’ isparticularly <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g as this logic hasbeen applied to other Earth Sciencesrelatedproblems.As a f<strong>in</strong>al word: all the above globalsystemphenomena cannot be <strong>in</strong>vestigated<strong>in</strong> isolation: they are part of a complexglobal whole – and must thus be tackledas such. Those engaged <strong>in</strong> research ofglobal warm<strong>in</strong>g (eg sea-level rise) may dowell to check the data <strong>in</strong> the book tof<strong>in</strong>d what could be the consequence of‘natural’ <strong>in</strong> contrast to ‘anthropogenic’phenomena.KARL H. WOLFI refer to the Special Report by AndrewGlickson titled ‘Sea Change: Implicationsof the 4th IPCC report for 21st centuryclimate change‘ TAG 145 (December2007).The Report summarises the currentknowledge very well, but does not tell uswhat the current estimates may be for:Total tonnage of CO 2 already <strong>in</strong> atmosphere;Tonnage of CO 2 added to the atmosphereevery year from burn<strong>in</strong>g of fossil fuels;Tonnages of CO 2 and methane result<strong>in</strong>gfrom other human activities, added to theatmosphere every year;Tonnages of CO 2 and methane added tothe atmosphere every year from naturalsub-aerial sources such as decay of vegetation,gas emanations from fracturezones <strong>in</strong> maturated sedimentary rocks andvolcanoes, weather<strong>in</strong>g of carbonate rocks,etc every year (a difficult question toanswer because isolated spot measurementscannot be used to estimate thetotal annual tonnage of gas emanationsfor the whole cont<strong>in</strong>ental masses);Tonnages of CO 2 used <strong>in</strong> new vegetationgrowth every year and tonnages lockedup <strong>in</strong> peat swamps;Tonnages emanat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to atmospherefrom oceans or else be<strong>in</strong>g absorbed fromatmosphere by oceans (estimates based onmeasurements, on annual basis)Tonnage of CO 2 added to ocean water bysubmar<strong>in</strong>e volcanic and black smokeractivity (estimates based on repeatedmeasurements on many locations, onannual basis)Tonnage of CO 2 precipitated as carbonatecomponent of sediments on ocean floorevery year (estimates based on repeatedmeasurements on sea floor).Such checklist would provide a frameworkfor future <strong>in</strong>tensive and extensivegeo-scientific field sampl<strong>in</strong>g programmesto obta<strong>in</strong> more reliable measurements forall parts of CO 2 equation. Based on dataas per 1 – 8 above, one would be able toprepare improved estimates on how muchof the recent average annual <strong>in</strong>crease ofconcentration of CO 2 <strong>in</strong> atmosphere is dueto burn<strong>in</strong>g of fossil fuels and how muchto other sources.We need to know all that before we committo fundamental changes <strong>in</strong> sources ofenergy which are the foundation of currenteconomic system. There is urgentneed to greatly <strong>in</strong>crease geo-scientificfield sampl<strong>in</strong>g programmes to obta<strong>in</strong>more reliable measurements for all partsof CO 2 equation.In conclusion, discussion of the amountof CO 2 <strong>in</strong> the atmosphere and the needfor reductions of CO 2 emissions fromhuman activities must focus on totaltonnages, not on ppm CO 2 and percentagesfor reductions.RADO JACOB REBEKI enjoyed your Editor's Comment <strong>in</strong> TAG145, titled ’Th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g gold‘. However, Imust draw attention to your use of theterm 'hypergene', which refers to depositsformed <strong>in</strong> supergene or hypergene (secondary)blankets.In the context of deposits ’formed at thesame time as the quartz reefs‘, I'm surethat you meant to say 'hypogene'?PAUL BURRELL, GSA Member (NSW)Bill Birch responds:Thanks Paul for po<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g out my error; acase of ‘gene confusion’. I can’t expla<strong>in</strong>how it happened, as the authors clearlyused hypogene.TAG March 2008 | 37
AGC Summit and the Supplyof GeoscienceI notice that accord<strong>in</strong>g to TAG 144, the<strong>Australia</strong>n Geoscience Council will convenea summit on ’The Plight ofUniversity Geoscience Education and theSupply of Geoscience‘. I’ve been an economicgeologist for many years and theissue of supply of geoscience is noth<strong>in</strong>gnew to me.Accord<strong>in</strong>g to TAG, one of the purposes ofthe summit will be to ’obta<strong>in</strong> an overviewof issues all are confront<strong>in</strong>g at the presenttime (my emphasis), <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g thesupply of geoscience graduates‘. I assumethat this purpose will deal with the currentshortage of geoscience expertise, andif this is the case I suggest the purpose bebroadened to also <strong>in</strong>clude the oversupplyof geoscientists that regularly scourge ourprofession dur<strong>in</strong>g economic busts.I’ve seen the boom and bust cycle manytimes, and every boom we hear bleat<strong>in</strong>gfrom our professional <strong>in</strong>stitutions/associationsabout the shortage of expertise, justas dur<strong>in</strong>g each bust we hear about thetragedy of the unemployed, highly-tra<strong>in</strong>edgeoscientist – shock/horror. There is noth<strong>in</strong>gnew <strong>in</strong> the current skills shortage, buttackl<strong>in</strong>g the supply problem only from theperspective of the current <strong>in</strong>dustrial boomis narrow-m<strong>in</strong>ded and short-sighted.A partial solution to geoscience supply –demand imbalances is to control thenumber of geoscientists be<strong>in</strong>g tra<strong>in</strong>ed. Itis impossible to anticipate at least threeyears <strong>in</strong> advance (the m<strong>in</strong>imum time thatit takes to tra<strong>in</strong> a geoscientist) thedemand for geoscientists, so the best wecan hope for is to control the supply ofgeoscientists to reasonable and consistentlevels over the long term that encompassesperiods of both high and low demand.This will not completely remove the hugepeaks and troughs of supply-demand butmay help smooth it out a little.Dur<strong>in</strong>g times when enrolment numbersmight fall below reasonable levels <strong>in</strong>centivesto study geoscience may be necessarysuch as the reduction of HECS fees.Dur<strong>in</strong>g times of high geoscience enrolmentthe number of new Earth Sciencestudents could be reduced by, for example,rais<strong>in</strong>g the academic levels <strong>in</strong>togeoscience courses or rais<strong>in</strong>g HECS forthose subjects.38 | TAG March 2008The identification of ‘reasonable levels’ ofenrolment may be problematic but letsnot get sucked <strong>in</strong>to th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g of the currentgeoscience supply problem as uniqueto today, otherwise, whatever the solution,it will not last the next bust.Dur<strong>in</strong>g career selection we should extolto young people not only the benefits ofwork<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the geosciences but also thepitfalls. And the pitfalls with<strong>in</strong> thecontext of this discussion are the hugecontrasts between demand for one’s servicesas a geoscientist that might lead to sporadicemployment and possibly unemployment,regardless of the quality of work.Anyway, the problem is not only to dowith graduate <strong>in</strong>take but also to do withretention (or lack thereof) of practis<strong>in</strong>ggeoscientists. It was only dur<strong>in</strong>g the lastbust that many geoscientists, quite reasonably,left the <strong>in</strong>dustry never to return,thus exacerbat<strong>in</strong>g the current shortages.Retention of geoscientists dur<strong>in</strong>g economicslumps might also be addressed <strong>in</strong> thesummit.All this aside and regardless of the skilldemand, to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> an enthusiastic poolof prospective candidates to choose fromwe need to enhance the common (poor)perception of m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g so as young peoplefeel comfortable professionally associatedwith the geosciences and m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>particular.Cheers,DAVID THOMASMAusIMM(CP), MAIGdvthomas@ozemail.com.auARC 2008/2009Hi everyone, further to a few brief comments<strong>in</strong> the last issue I should like to addto the discussion about the ARC andEarth Sciences <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>. I’m back onthe panel this year due to ill health of oneof the others. We have got ourselves collectively<strong>in</strong>to a downward spiral and thegood will of the entire geoscientificresearch community is needed to get itgo<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the right direction aga<strong>in</strong>.First, if you are asked to do reviews forthe ARC, please do them and do a goodjob! If you have ever applied to or beensuccessful with ARC you have anobligation to act as a reader if asked –read the f<strong>in</strong>e pr<strong>in</strong>t and it will tell youthat.If you are an Ozreader you have beenselected by the Panel’s chairperson, whomay choose to receive advice from thepanel if there are, for example, conflictsof <strong>in</strong>terest that aren’t picked up at first. Ifyou are an Intreader you have beenselected by panel members as a personmost likely to have specific expertise relevantto the proposal. Intreader selection is<strong>in</strong> April. The panel tries its best (butadmittedly sometimes fails) to get the bestfit of Intreaders for each proposal – weload <strong>in</strong> four, on top of the one or twoOzreaders, and with the two panellists thismeans a grant could receive up to eightreviews, of which six have comments thatcould come back to the applicant. (TheGAMS system provides an ‘autofit’ basedon keywords and RFCD codes but this isonly used by us as a guide. We wouldnormally check the profile of potentialreviewers before assign<strong>in</strong>g them – <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>gwhether they have been ‘good’ or‘bad’ at do<strong>in</strong>g their reviews <strong>in</strong> recentyears. The worst th<strong>in</strong>g for any applicantis to f<strong>in</strong>d that there are only two reviews(or, rarely, only one). This means that theIntreaders have let the team down.It is rare that all the Intreaders do theirreviews – very annoy<strong>in</strong>g for us. Eventhough the Intreader- ranked scores donot count heavily <strong>in</strong> the overall rank<strong>in</strong>gprocess, the comments and match of comments-to-scoresare absolutely crucial forthe panel to see so decisions can be madeor adjusted. So please, do as many ofthese as you can, for the sake of everyone.And be nice! If you th<strong>in</strong>k a proposalis not very good, offer some constructivecriticism. Very few reviewers fill <strong>in</strong> thatsection about ‘what could be done toimprove this proposal’. Don’t be lazy – itonly takes a m<strong>in</strong>ute.Second, there have been some compla<strong>in</strong>tsabout the make-up of the panel and whomakes the decisions as to who gets to beon the panel. Some have compla<strong>in</strong>ed thatcerta<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>stitutions have been over-represented.Well, folks, there is only one solutionto this. If you feel your sub-discipl<strong>in</strong>eneeds representation (eg there hadnot been an economic geologist on thepanel for about 20 years when I offered)then stick your hand up to do the job! Ifyou are Senior Lecturer or below, you are
not eligible, <strong>in</strong> which case you shouldprod a Professor or Associate Professor!The number of applications to be EarthScience panellists that have arrived at theARC <strong>in</strong> the last few years has only been afew more than were actually acceptedonto the panel. This is not good enough.Decisions about panel make-up have beendriven mostly by common-sense <strong>in</strong> theface of very few applications hav<strong>in</strong>g beenreceived. The panel job is difficult thefirst time around, but not so bad <strong>in</strong> Yearstwo and three and by serv<strong>in</strong>g on thepanel you will certa<strong>in</strong>ly ga<strong>in</strong> an appreciationof the system that you cannot f<strong>in</strong>dany other way.F<strong>in</strong>ally, many people become discouragedby the failure of their applications. Thesuccess rate for Discovery Projects <strong>in</strong>2008 was low for Earth Sciences, but itwas above the average for the panel andthe ARC overall the year before that. Weare certa<strong>in</strong>ly receiv<strong>in</strong>g fewer applications– which means less money comes to thepanel – which means fewer grants arefunded. Nasty circle. Aga<strong>in</strong>, only one wayout of it <strong>in</strong> the short term. Keep apply<strong>in</strong>g!Do not give up. Recast the proposal; makesure it is peer-reviewed; get yourProfessors to pull their f<strong>in</strong>ger out andtake a close look at it and remember thata failed proposal should be convertible tothe essence of a publication or perhaps,with <strong>in</strong>dustry support, a L<strong>in</strong>kage Projectgrant.Let’s hope 2009 is a better year for EarthSciences!NICK OLIVER, JCUA fair go for sceptics?The Editor's Comment <strong>in</strong> TAG 144 makesseveral generalisations which should notbe unchallenged.You claim that it is undeniable that the’vast majority of scientists‘ agree thathumanity is responsible for ’human<strong>in</strong>duced‘warm<strong>in</strong>g and you then agreewith the figure of 98% support which yousay ’is bandied around‘. What is the evidencefor these generalisations? Also, itshould be obvious that if there is ’human<strong>in</strong>duced‘warm<strong>in</strong>g then who, other thanhumans, would be responsible? Surelythis statement is not an attempt to begthe question?Night-time pyroclastic eruption of Mt Yasur 17 October 2007.Photo courtesy Kev<strong>in</strong> McCue. (See page 29: A volcano on our doorstep.)TAG March 2008 | 39
Recently over 400 scientists, hardly a trifl<strong>in</strong>gnumber, are quoted <strong>in</strong> a US SenateReport as hav<strong>in</strong>g disputed ’man-madeglobal warm<strong>in</strong>g claims <strong>in</strong> 2007’.For more <strong>in</strong>formation go to:epw.senate.gov/public/<strong>in</strong>dex.cfm?FuseAction=M<strong>in</strong>ority.SenateReport orwww.jennifermarohasy.com/blog/archives/002641.html. For a critique of the expertsused by the IPCC for one of their reportsgo to this website:www.climate-resistance.org/2007/12/physician-heal-thyself.htmlRead a detailed analysis of the way theIPCC has assembled its various reportsand their drafts and you may come to adifferent view on the experts used, themanner <strong>in</strong> which the op<strong>in</strong>ions of dissent<strong>in</strong>greviewers have been ignored, andwhether the author is far from be<strong>in</strong>g a’majority' of scientists are even ’a largenumber’: scienceandpublicpolicy.org/orig<strong>in</strong>alswhytheipccshouldbedisbanded.htmlThe editorial disparages Mart<strong>in</strong> Durk<strong>in</strong> byliken<strong>in</strong>g him to a ’creation scientist‘ butfails to demolish his arguments. On theother hand I may have mis-read the articleand perhaps it is Tony Jones who youliken to a ‘creationist’. In particular Jonesseemed to be determ<strong>in</strong>ed to move the<strong>in</strong>terview on when Durk<strong>in</strong> attempted toexpla<strong>in</strong> why he had not used recent temperaturedata which he considered unreliable.Presumably this would have <strong>in</strong>cludedthe Hockey Stick which was one of thepillars of the IPCC case but the validity ofwhich is now debateable. It was thereforesurpris<strong>in</strong>g that dur<strong>in</strong>g the follow<strong>in</strong>g ABCdebate that when one of the globalwarmers claimed that the Hockey Stickhad been validated, Tony Jones did notask for further evidence to support this. IfABC staff read TAG then perhaps youmight consider offer<strong>in</strong>g space to enablethe rehabilitation of the Hockey Stick. Forcriticism of the Hockey Stick visit thesetwo sites: www.john-daly.com/hockey/hockey.htm and www.uoguelph.ca/~rmckitri/research/papers.htmlF<strong>in</strong>ally, <strong>in</strong> what appears to be an attemptto establish a fall-back position the editorialclaims that global warm<strong>in</strong>g scepticsshould expla<strong>in</strong> how Earth is deal<strong>in</strong>g with<strong>in</strong>creased CO 2 . But if there are no observableeffects then why would an explanationbe necessary? Atmospheric CO 2 atpast geological times has been far higherthan at present; <strong>in</strong>deed, this was admittedby a supporter of global warm<strong>in</strong>g dur<strong>in</strong>gthe ABC debate and <strong>in</strong> the TAG editorial.Why did those high CO 2 levels not reachthe dreaded and oft-quoted ’tipp<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>t‘and plunge Earth's climate <strong>in</strong>to a Venusianhell-hole? The po<strong>in</strong>t is the climate did notreach such a po<strong>in</strong>t. Historical records also<strong>in</strong>dicate that periods of warmth have co<strong>in</strong>cidedwith prosperous times for humanity.So what then is to be feared from higherlevels of CO 2 and greater warmth? Perhapsthat is the appropriate question that needsto be answered by those who fear globalwarm<strong>in</strong>g.JOHN ELLIOTBill Birch responds:I thank John for his challenge, but I amnot go<strong>in</strong>g to attempt a detailed reply. Atthis stage of the discussion over globalwarm<strong>in</strong>g, I don’t th<strong>in</strong>k it’s possible, ornecessary, for either side’s arguments tobe ‘demolished’. Time will tell eventually,as it has for millions of years past. As Iargued <strong>in</strong> part, sceptics’ appeals to thegeological past (ie greater CO 2 contents atvarious times) to support their case maynot be appropriate. So what if they werehigher? Presently we are deal<strong>in</strong>g withrapid CO 2 <strong>in</strong>crease over a time period ofabout 100 years, an <strong>in</strong>terval beyond resolutionon the geological time scale beyonda few tens of thousand years or so ago.We can’t determ<strong>in</strong>e what effects such arapid <strong>in</strong>crease might have had <strong>in</strong> the distantgeological past. In this situation, it isbetter to exam<strong>in</strong>e and discuss what’soccurr<strong>in</strong>g today <strong>in</strong> terms of parametersthat we can measure and correlate directly.As for John’s question<strong>in</strong>g what there isto fear about greater warmth and higherCO 2 , I guess a Greenland dairy farmerand a Bangla Deshi family abandon<strong>in</strong>gtheir flooded coastal village may givedifferent answers to that question.40 | TAG March 2008
Book ReviewsTAG received a record number of book reviews for the March issue (clearly a lot of read<strong>in</strong>g was done <strong>in</strong> December and January). Unfortunatelywe do not have enough advertisers to cover the extra pages required for so many reviews. Please accept our apologies if your review does notappear <strong>in</strong> this issue. We value your contribution and anticipate publish<strong>in</strong>g more <strong>in</strong> the upcom<strong>in</strong>g issue(s) and please remember the shorter thereview the more likely it will be published as TAG aims to publish a cross-section of our members’ views.Basic Environmentaland Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>gGeologyFG Bell2007Whittles Publish<strong>in</strong>g UK384 pagesISBN 1904445020www.whittlespublish<strong>in</strong>g.comor www.<strong>in</strong>books.com.auAs the title suggests this is a basic text forstudents – primarily at an advanced level andfor post graduates. However it is also avaluable book for the experienced professionalwho wishes to revise the basics of theapplication of geology, to eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g andenvironmental <strong>in</strong>vestigations and studies.The book covers basic concepts and also runsthrough topical subjects such as geo-hazards,water resources, environmental issues ofsoils, m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, waste management and construction.It is a worthwhile addition to otherbooks on these subjects as it provides anup- to-date compendium on the appliedgeosciences. The wealth of <strong>in</strong>formation isquite remarkable and this is aided byProfessor Bell’s lucid, readable style. However,with so much <strong>in</strong>formation to cover, it is difficultto re-locate particular passages and the<strong>in</strong>dex is not detailed enough. Students andexperienced geologists alike would need toheavily mark up or provide their own summariesfor the book to be used as a readyreference.The first chapter re-<strong>in</strong>troduces ‘BasicGeology‘ (such a pity that the pr<strong>in</strong>ted chaptertitle has such a glar<strong>in</strong>g, major typographicalerror). For experienced professionalsthere is a temptation to pass over thischapter but upon read<strong>in</strong>g, it provides welldescribed, useful def<strong>in</strong>itions and covers manyissues, such as the difference betweenschistosity and foliation. The next chapter,‘Geology and Plann<strong>in</strong>g’ provides an <strong>in</strong>troductionto the latest methods of mapp<strong>in</strong>g andsources of remote sens<strong>in</strong>g data and GIS. Inaddition, the def<strong>in</strong>itions of hazard and riskare set out for the purpose of assessmentand plann<strong>in</strong>g.‘Natural Geohazards’ is a topic covered <strong>in</strong>many texts but the author has focused onthe essential geological issues for each hazard,cover<strong>in</strong>g most of the hazards that affectour lives and the world at large <strong>in</strong> sufficientdetail to alert the reader to the particularpert<strong>in</strong>ence of these issues.The essentials of hydrology and hydrogoleogyare covered <strong>in</strong> the chapter, ‘Water Resources’and this leads <strong>in</strong>to a discussion of aspects ofeng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g geology (such as dam sites) andenvironmental geology. There is sufficientdetail to prompt awareness <strong>in</strong> this subject.‘Soil and the Environment’ follows, br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>gbasic pedology to the fore with discussionson soil conservation, soil erosion, desertificationand irrigation.‘M<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and the Environment‘ follows as aseparate topic with the emphasis on theimpacts of m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g on the environment andthe relevance of the geosciences to assessand handle specific issues such as m<strong>in</strong>e subsidence,waste management and contam<strong>in</strong>ation.This leads to ‘Waste, Contam<strong>in</strong>ation andthe Environment’ that presents an issueaffect<strong>in</strong>g all societies: handl<strong>in</strong>g our waste,quality of water and contam<strong>in</strong>ation of varioushabitats, such as urban areas and estuaries.The chapter ‘Land Evaluation and SiteAssessment’ provides the reader with a briefrun-down of the latest technology <strong>in</strong> remotesens<strong>in</strong>g, aerial photography, site <strong>in</strong>vestigationtechniques, applied geophysical methods and<strong>in</strong> situ test<strong>in</strong>g. These form the basis for ga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gknowledge of the ground conditions uponwhich geotechnical design parameters can beobta<strong>in</strong>ed.The book then emphasises the essentials ofeng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g geology with a comprehensivesummary of ‘Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g Aspects of Soils andRocks’.The f<strong>in</strong>al chapter, ‘Geology and Construction’is likely a summary of Professor Bell’s comprehensivestand-alone text book on thesame subject <strong>in</strong> which he covers a wealth oftopics that are a valuable reference for studentsand practic<strong>in</strong>g professionals. Basic<strong>in</strong>formation and commentary only are provided<strong>in</strong> this chapter and more detailed guidancewould have to be taken from othersources, such as are listed <strong>in</strong> the section‘Further Read<strong>in</strong>g’.The illustrations do not match the standardof Professor Bell’s f<strong>in</strong>e writ<strong>in</strong>g. They arepoorly presented; photographs are smallblack and white images and the landscapesquite <strong>in</strong>dist<strong>in</strong>ct. With so many excellent newphotos and graphics now available the bookwould have been improved greatly withclearer photographs and more illustrations.In summary, as this book is expected to be atext for students and professionals alike andthe subjects enter areas of socially responsibleeng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g, it should be widely available<strong>in</strong> order to add to the awareness of theissues.ROBERT GOLDSMITHEuropean LithosphereDynamicsGeological SocietyMemoir No 32DG Gee and RA Stephenson (Eds)2007Geological Society of London668 pagesISBN: 1-86239-212-9www.geolsoc.org.uk/<strong>in</strong>dex.htmlThe publishers are to be congratulated forthe excellence of the presentation, more acoffee-table book than one to hide on alibrary shelf. This is large format (230 x 310mm), hard cover volume with some 38contributions totall<strong>in</strong>g 662 pages <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>gan <strong>in</strong>dex. There are numerous colour figureswhich contribute greatly to the clarity andcomprehension.The book is <strong>in</strong> four parts start<strong>in</strong>g with an<strong>in</strong>troduction which <strong>in</strong>cludes four big-picturearticles, the first encapsulat<strong>in</strong>g the topic ofthe book: Deep Europe today: geophysicalsynthesis of the upper mantle structure andTAG March 2008 | 41
lithospheric processes over 3.5 Ga. Thefollow<strong>in</strong>g three parts are time differentiated;Europe: Alp<strong>in</strong>e to Present, Mesozoic –Palaeozoic Europe (the largest part) andPrecambrian Europe. Many papers <strong>in</strong> the latterthree parts focus on discrete areas suchas the Iberian Pen<strong>in</strong>sula or Southern Urals.The book is a culm<strong>in</strong>ation of projectEuroprobe which focused on understand<strong>in</strong>gthe state and orig<strong>in</strong> of European lithosphereby <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g geological, geochemical andgeophysical data. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to the editors,many hundreds of geoscientists from morethan 30 countries contributed to the projectover its lifetime of more than 20 years. It is atribute to the political acumen of the organisersand of the International GeologicalCongress and International LithosphereProgram that so many countries were ableand will<strong>in</strong>g to participate, and a fortunateco<strong>in</strong>cidence with perestroika and glasnostprovid<strong>in</strong>g a framework for closer cooperationbetween east and west.I admit I haven’t quite read every word, thereare so many, but one of the first papers I didturn to, by Wilson and Downes, is concernedwith Tertiary-Quaternary <strong>in</strong>traplate magmatism<strong>in</strong> Europe and its relationship to mantledynamics. Here at last was a readable andbelievable explanation of the orig<strong>in</strong> of recentvolcanism <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>traplate Europe <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g theEifel field <strong>in</strong> southwest Germany that Irecently visited. Unfortunately not theanswer for the orig<strong>in</strong> of the Newer Volcanicsis southeast <strong>Australia</strong> as I had hoped but awell-written story.This book will appeal strongly to geologists(<strong>in</strong> the wider mean<strong>in</strong>g of the word) anywherewho may be <strong>in</strong>volved with understand<strong>in</strong>gcrust and upper mantle structure, platereconstructions or rheology of the lithosphere.In particular the smaller group whouse or rely on seismic methods <strong>in</strong> the ma<strong>in</strong>will probably want to rush out and buy theirown copy of the book rather than wait <strong>in</strong> thelibrary queue. Hopefully it may <strong>in</strong>fluencethem to use S waves and Rayleigh waves <strong>in</strong>addition to P waves <strong>in</strong> their analyses andextend the scope of their data sampl<strong>in</strong>g togreater depths.Surpris<strong>in</strong>gly few of the authors use earthquakesources to constra<strong>in</strong> their models,especially consider<strong>in</strong>g they are free. Of theexceptions, Kissl<strong>in</strong>g and others use teleseismictomography as an additional tool anddescribe a very unexpected model of Alp<strong>in</strong>etectonic evolution. Why do they not use themany small earthquakes that occur <strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>traplate Europe as some researchers havedone <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong> – even before the highsample rate, broad-band digital age?42 | TAG March 2008There isn’t much to carp about <strong>in</strong> this book. Iwould like to see the references all togetherat the end of the book rather than at the endof each contribution and it may even shortensuch a book a page or two. The MagneticMap and Gravity Map of Europe are fortunatelyon fac<strong>in</strong>g pages <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>troductionbut unfortunately are at different scales (notobvious without a grid on the Gravity Map)and there is a typo <strong>in</strong> the reference authorname. I don’t know how the <strong>in</strong>dex was compiledbut it did not pick up ‘earthquakes’ <strong>in</strong>the caption to Fig 1 on page 114. A CD<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the maps and figures would havebeen a bonus.This book is a real pleasure to browse, awonderful reference for your personal library(if you can afford it), a must for any seriousgeoscience library and a tribute to theGeological Society, London. I thank the GSAfor my copy.KEVIN MCCUEDirector<strong>Australia</strong>n Seismological Centre, CanberraStudies of CaveSediments:Physical and ChemicalRecords of Paleoclimate(Revised edition 2007)Ira Sasowsky and John Mylroie (Eds)Spr<strong>in</strong>ger Verlag329 pagesISBN 978-1-4020-5326-9 (HB)$AU215.85Paleoclimate studies are <strong>in</strong>deed becom<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly more complex. They <strong>in</strong>volve all(no exaggeration!) scientific, technological,and ‘humanity-type’ (used as a collectiveexpression for economic, social, psychological,educational, political, etc) discipl<strong>in</strong>es bycollect<strong>in</strong>g data deal<strong>in</strong>g with the whole neoandpalaeo-geographical environment, geologicaltime (Precambrian to Recent) andscale (local to global and even universal)spectrum. The book covers some preferentiallyselected (thus not complete) physical andchemical geologic, biologic, and anthropologicspeleothemic data of cave or karst sedimentsto reconstruct palaeoclimates.The editors’ preface, to be read first, proffersa neat <strong>in</strong>troduction and overview of thechapters of this first comprehensive volumeon cave sediments. Here are some highlightsof the follow<strong>in</strong>g topics:• Generally applicable <strong>in</strong>formation related to:speleogenesis, geomorphology, karst structures/morphology,transportation and trapp<strong>in</strong>gmechanisms, sediment budgets, classificationof litho-facies, contam<strong>in</strong>ations, stormresponses, diagenesis, m<strong>in</strong>eralogy, petrology,provenance <strong>in</strong>terpretations, aquifers andhydrological processes• Genetic and historical <strong>in</strong>terpretations ofhypotheses/theories of: palaeoclimatic sett<strong>in</strong>gs(the basic aim of the book, but coveredalso are contributions from mechanical versuschemical and organic processes); <strong>in</strong>ternalsedimentary processes; applications ofpalaeomagnetic and geochronological techniques;reconstructions of the process rates;provenance identifications; <strong>in</strong>fluence of contam<strong>in</strong>ations;ice advance and retreat <strong>in</strong> thecontext of glaciation; use of various isotopes<strong>in</strong> palaeoclimatic <strong>in</strong>terpretations; growthratedeterm<strong>in</strong>ations of speleothems, silicacarbonatediagenesis and their time, plustemperature conditions of formation• Research methodology and techniquesrelateddiscussions (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g their limitations)of: sampl<strong>in</strong>g techniques; palaeomagnetism;time-resolution; start/stop models;growth model<strong>in</strong>g; genetic model<strong>in</strong>g, dat<strong>in</strong>gand geochronology; petrology (textures, erosionalfeatures); diagenesis (eg authigenesisof SiO2, clay alterations); isotope and traceelementdistributions• Descriptions of allogenic clastics, pluschemical (authigenic) precipitates, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>gclay–sand–gravel deposits, muds, glacial(till-derived) deposits, soil and stream sediments,flood deposits, carbonate precipitatesof various types (stalactites, stalagmites,flowstones, speleothems, crusts, spr<strong>in</strong>gprecipitates, bacterial contam<strong>in</strong>ants, Fe- andMn- rich material, and silicates• Several specific local cave systems of<strong>Australia</strong>, USA, Slovenia, Austria, Norway,and West IndiesThe book naturally appeals to climatologistexperts, but also to any specialist and <strong>in</strong>telligent‘generalist’ or amateur scientist <strong>in</strong>terested<strong>in</strong> cave/karst/speleological features.Among the scientists, there is a whole groupwho has <strong>in</strong>tensely <strong>in</strong>vestigated both ancientand recent carbonate caves ow<strong>in</strong>g to theirfundamental importance <strong>in</strong>, for <strong>in</strong>stance,genetic <strong>in</strong>vestigations related to the <strong>exploration</strong>of hydrocarbons/petroleum/gas, water,numerous types of metallic/sulfide and nonmetallicores. The often extremely complexgeological, climatologic, and hydrologic historyof the orig<strong>in</strong> and ‘<strong>in</strong>-fill<strong>in</strong>g’ of carbonate(and other lithologic) cave-system reservoiror host rocks have been described by numerousresearchers.
Historians, anthropologists and archaeologistshave always searched for clues <strong>in</strong> caves(eg refer to recent discoveries of the socalledhobbit skeletons <strong>in</strong> caves on FloresIsland, Indonesia). Dur<strong>in</strong>g the recent wars <strong>in</strong>Iraq/Afghanistan, the search for the enemyhas <strong>in</strong>volved the study of cave systems. Thus,the book should be consulted by expertsbeyond those <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> climatology. Thereferences to even more general books oncaves/karsts are recommended as caves areunique data repositories.KARL WOLFGeotourismRoss K Dowl<strong>in</strong>g and D Newsome (Eds)2006Elsevier Butterworth-He<strong>in</strong>emann Amsterdam260pp Hard-coverISBN: 0750662158As the wrapper for this book says,“Geotourism is tourism surround<strong>in</strong>g geologicalattractions and dest<strong>in</strong>ations. This uniquetext uses a wealth of case studies to discussthe issues <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> the management andcare of such attractions, cover<strong>in</strong>g topics suchas susta<strong>in</strong>ability, impacts and environmentalissues.”The editors state that “the book has beencompiled for a broad audience, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>gnatural-area tourism professionals, plannersand managers; government and bus<strong>in</strong>essdecision-makers; and students from a widerange of discipl<strong>in</strong>es seek<strong>in</strong>g general <strong>in</strong>formationon geotourism <strong>in</strong> one volume”; <strong>in</strong>deed itdoes this very well.<strong>Australia</strong> has unusual and extensive naturallandscapes which offer much to geotourists,whether local or overseas. Geotourism can beused to harness the grow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> environmentand ecology, and to educate thepublic <strong>in</strong> the story of the landscape. And atthe same time geotourism can providetourists with a better understand<strong>in</strong>g of thewhole environment, and by us<strong>in</strong>g l<strong>in</strong>ks tocultural and historical aspects can betterexpla<strong>in</strong> the place of humans <strong>in</strong> the landscape(Joyce 2007).A list of contents provided here will helpdemonstrate the range of countries covered<strong>in</strong> the book, and also show the l<strong>in</strong>k betweenGeotourism and UNESCO’s new concept ofGeoparks.Part One: The Resources for TourismThe scope and nature of geotourism,David Newsome and Ross Dowl<strong>in</strong>g.Geotourism <strong>in</strong> Malaysian Borneo,Felix Tongkul.Geotourism potential of southern Africa,Wolf Uwe Reimold, Gav<strong>in</strong> Whitfield andThomas Wallmach.Geotourism <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>,Jane James, Ian Clark and Patrick James.Geotourism resources of Iran,Alireza Amrikazemi and Abbas Mehrpooya.Part Two: GeoparksGeoparks – regional, European and global policy,Marie-Luise Frey, Klaus Schäfer, Georg Bücheland Margarete Patzak.Geotourism: a perspective from southwestGermany, Christof Pforr and Andreas Megerle.Geological heritage <strong>in</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>a, Jiang Jianjun,Zhao Xun and Chen Youfang.Part Three: Geotourism <strong>in</strong> ActionGeotourism: a perspective from the USA,Alexander E. Gates.Geotourism <strong>in</strong> Ireland and Brita<strong>in</strong>, Patrick Mc Keever, Jonathan Larwood andAlan McKirdy.Geotourism <strong>in</strong> Spa<strong>in</strong>: resources andenvironmental management,José M. Calaforra and Ángel Fernández-Cortés.Geotourism and <strong>in</strong>terpretation,Thomas A. Hose.From the Geological Society of London•November 2006•630 pages•Hardback•November 2006•352 pages•Hardback• Special Publication 268: Channel Flow, Ductile Extrusion and Exhumation <strong>in</strong> Cont<strong>in</strong>ental Collision ZonesEdited by R. D. Law, M. P. Searle and L. God<strong>in</strong>This collection of 27 review and research papers provides an overview of the geodynamic concepts of channel flow and ductile extrusion <strong>in</strong> cont<strong>in</strong>ental collisionzones. The focal po<strong>in</strong>t for this volume is the proposal that the middle or lower crust acts as a ductile, partially molten channel flow<strong>in</strong>g out from beneath areas ofover-thickened crust, such as the Tibetan plateau, towards the topographic surface at plateau marg<strong>in</strong>s. This controversial proposal expla<strong>in</strong>s many features relatedto the geodynamic evolution of the plateau and, for example, extrusion and exhumation of the crystall<strong>in</strong>e core of the Himalayan mounta<strong>in</strong> cha<strong>in</strong> to the south.In this volume thermal–mechanical models for channel flow, extrusion and exhumation are presented, and geological and geophysical evidence both for andaga<strong>in</strong>st the applicability of such models to the Himalayan–Tibetan Plateau system, as well as older cont<strong>in</strong>ental collision zones such as the Hellenides, theAppalachians and the Canadian Cordillera, are discussed.•ISBN: 978-1-86239-209-0 •Prices: List: £125.00/US$250.00 GSL: £62.50/US$125.00 AAPG/SEPM/GSA/RAS/EFG/PESGB/TMS: £75.00/US$150.00• Special Publication 265: Non-Mar<strong>in</strong>e Permian Biostratigraphy and BiochronologyEdited by S. G. Lucas, G. Cass<strong>in</strong>is and J. W. SchneiderDur<strong>in</strong>g the Permian, the s<strong>in</strong>gle supercont<strong>in</strong>ent Pangaea stretched from pole to pole. Early Permian glacial deposits are found <strong>in</strong> southern Gondwana. Alongthe sutures of Pangaea, mounta<strong>in</strong> ranges towered over vast tropical lowlands. Interior areas <strong>in</strong>cluded dry deserts where dune sands accumulated. Gypsumand halite beds document the evaporation of hot, shallow seas that formed the most extensive salt deposits known <strong>in</strong> the geological record. The Permianperiod (251 to 299 Ma) encompasses n<strong>in</strong>e ages (stages) arranged <strong>in</strong>to three epochs (series). Most of the Permian mar<strong>in</strong>e timescale has been def<strong>in</strong>ed by globalstratotype sections and po<strong>in</strong>ts for the stage boundaries. This volume presents new data regard<strong>in</strong>g the biostratigraphy and biochronology of the non-mar<strong>in</strong>ePermian and provides a basis for temporally order<strong>in</strong>g Permian geological and biotic history on land, and correlat<strong>in</strong>g that history to events <strong>in</strong> the mar<strong>in</strong>e realm.•ISBN: 978-1-86239-206-9 •Prices: List: £85.00/US$170.00 GSL: £42.50/US$85.00 AAPG/SEPM/GSA/RAS/ EFG/PESGB/TMS: £51.00/US$102.00Postage: UK: +5% (£4.00 m<strong>in</strong>imum) Europe: +15% (£8.00 m<strong>in</strong>imum) Rest of world: +15% £12.50 m<strong>in</strong>imum) Please allow up to 28 days for delivery of <strong>in</strong> stock items <strong>in</strong> the UK. Parcels to Europeand Rest of World are sent by surface mail and can take 6 to 12 weeks to arrive. (Air or courier rates available on request). All prices and postage valid until 31 December 2008.Please order from: Geological Society Publish<strong>in</strong>g House, Unit 7 Brassmill Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Lane, Bath BA1 3JN, UKFax: +44 (0)1225 442836 Enquiries: Tel: +44(0)1225 445046 Email: sales@geolsoc.org.uk Society Web site: www.geolsoc.org.ukFor full details see the Onl<strong>in</strong>e Bookshop:www.geolsoc.org.uk/bookshopThe Geological Society’s Lyell Collection: journals, Special Publications andbooks onl<strong>in</strong>e. For more <strong>in</strong>formation visit www.geolsoc.org.uk/LyellCollectionTAG March 2008 | 43
Geotourism's issues and challenges,Ross Dowl<strong>in</strong>g and David Newsome.Note the countries represented, and theemphasis on Europe and Ch<strong>in</strong>a, where theconcepts of both geotourism and geoparksare now well-developed.Each chapter has a list of references at theend (except for the Ch<strong>in</strong>a chapter), and thesouthern Africa chapter also has a list of tenweb sites. An appendix shows a geologicaltime scale. The <strong>in</strong>dex fails to mention<strong>Australia</strong>, but we do f<strong>in</strong>d <strong>Australia</strong> under‘Volcanic landforms’ and other terms; theterm ’Geopark‘ is not <strong>in</strong>dexed, but’Geotourism‘ is.There are 62 grey-scale figures, mostly goodlandscape photographs; some maps are toosmall for the details shown, and some appearto have orig<strong>in</strong>ally been <strong>in</strong> colour. There are12 tables, and also eighteen useful casestudies, pr<strong>in</strong>ted on a grey background – butunfortunately none for the southern Africa or<strong>Australia</strong>n chapters.There is a background paragraph on eachauthor, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the two editors. RossDowl<strong>in</strong>g is Foundation Professor of Tourismat Edith Cowan University <strong>in</strong> Western<strong>Australia</strong>. Co-author David Newsome isSenior Lecturer <strong>in</strong> Environmental Science atMurdoch University, <strong>in</strong> Perth, Western<strong>Australia</strong>.Who co<strong>in</strong>ed the term ‘geotourism’ is debatable.The Travel Industry Association ofAmerica <strong>in</strong> 2003 prepared a reportGeotourism: The New Trend <strong>in</strong> Travel, claim<strong>in</strong>gthat geotourism is a term created byJonathan Tourtellot, head of the tourism<strong>in</strong>stitute at the National Geographic Society.Their def<strong>in</strong>ition of geotourism is “tourismthat susta<strong>in</strong>s or enhances the geographicalcharacter of the place be<strong>in</strong>g visited, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>gits environment, culture, aesthetics, heritageand the well-be<strong>in</strong>g of its residents”.However, Margarete Patzak of UNESCO’sDivision of Earth Sciences has writtenelsewhere that ‘Geotourism’ came <strong>in</strong>to commonusage from the mid-1990s onwards. Thefirst widely published def<strong>in</strong>ition was that ofTom Hose <strong>in</strong> 1995: “The provision of <strong>in</strong>terpretativeand service facilities to enabletourists to acquire knowledge and understand<strong>in</strong>gof the geology and geomorphologyof a site beyond the level of mere aestheticappreciation.” In his own chapter <strong>in</strong> the bookbe<strong>in</strong>g reviewed here, Tom Hose elaborates onhis orig<strong>in</strong>al def<strong>in</strong>ition, and discusses thegrowth of geotourism, and particularly thedevelopment of <strong>in</strong>terpretation, and how<strong>in</strong>terpretation may be important <strong>in</strong> help<strong>in</strong>gprotect sites from damage. He provides severalcase studies from the UK.Elsewhere I have also suggested a simplerwork<strong>in</strong>g def<strong>in</strong>ition of geotourism: “Peoplego<strong>in</strong>g to a place to look at and learn aboutone or more aspects of geology and geomorphology.”See the web site: http://web.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/Joyce/heritage/geotourism<strong>in</strong>australia.htmlThe chapter by James, Clark and James <strong>in</strong>this book provides one of the most recentaccounts of geotourism <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>. Theybriefly discuss visitor numbers, and recentgovernment market<strong>in</strong>g campaigns, and aftera short account of <strong>Australia</strong>’s geological heritage,describe ten major geotourism sites,five of which are World Heritage sites.Twenty-one references are listed, but mostare concerned with tourism <strong>in</strong> general.Guidebooks such as those produced by theGSA, AGSO and others are not referenced.Nor do James, Clark and James provide referencesto, or acknowledge, over forty years ofwork by GSA heritage subcommittees whichhave listed, documented, evaluated anddeveloped methodologies for heritage sites.By work<strong>in</strong>g with the <strong>Australia</strong>n HeritageCommission under a long series of grants,GSA workers have compiled many volumes ofreports, and made many detailed nom<strong>in</strong>ationsto the Register of the National Estate.GSA workers have also made recommendationsabout site management, and workedwith state and local organisations to provideaccurate and clear <strong>in</strong>formation for signboards,leaflets, booklets and maps. Severalrecent articles and book reviews <strong>in</strong> TAGdescribe this work (for example Joyce 2007).Geologists such as JN Casey, AE Stephensonand W Mayer appear to have been the firstto be concerned with geotourism <strong>in</strong><strong>Australia</strong>, at the 1996 GSA Canberra meet<strong>in</strong>g.See http://vic.gsa.org.au/geotourism.htm.<strong>Australia</strong>n geologists have been active <strong>in</strong>geotourism for many years, although notnecessarily us<strong>in</strong>g this relatively new term. Tomention just a few: Monica Yeung of the ACThas led Gondwana Dream<strong>in</strong>g tours; Pat Quiltyfrom Hobart has led ship tours to theAntarctic; The Hall of Fame Museum <strong>in</strong>Kalgoorlie encourages <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> rocks and<strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong>; Phil Creaser of the ACT works yearafter year at Riversleigh and promotes itsgeological heritage; and Geofossil Tourism ispromoted at Naracoorte, with the GSA’sSouth <strong>Australia</strong> Heritage Subcommittee amember of the local Fossil and GeologicalHeritage Tourism Workgroup.The nom<strong>in</strong>ation of <strong>Australia</strong>’s first GlobalGeopark was made to UNESCO <strong>in</strong> December2006 (Joyce 2007). The ’Kanaw<strong>in</strong>ka Geopark‘will cover much of the young volcanicprov<strong>in</strong>ce of Western Victoria and also part ofnearby South <strong>Australia</strong>, extend<strong>in</strong>g from Colac<strong>in</strong> the east to Mt Gambier <strong>in</strong> the west. Forthe UNESCO <strong>in</strong>spectors visit<strong>in</strong>g the area <strong>in</strong>44 | TAG March 2008
June 2007 its scientific significance wasbased on the work of many <strong>Australia</strong>n geologistsand GSA heritage workers, over manydecades. Geotourism <strong>in</strong> this future Geoparkcould be of major economic and educationalsignificance.However, there is still some way to go withthe development of geotourism <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>.For example, the reports of the Fifth NationalConference on Tourism Futures, held 4 - 6December 2006 <strong>in</strong> Melbourne, fail to mentionthe word ’geotourism’ at all (or even the word’geology’).Curiously, Dowl<strong>in</strong>g and Newsome do notadopt a formal def<strong>in</strong>ition of geotourism <strong>in</strong>their book, but <strong>in</strong> their f<strong>in</strong>al chapter’Geotourism’s issues and challenges‘, thereare excellent discussions of what the termcovers, and they state that “it is essentialthat the term be clearly def<strong>in</strong>ed and characterisedso that a universal mean<strong>in</strong>g can beascribed to it”… (and)…“it is now for otherfora to debate it further”.This might happen at the <strong>in</strong>augural GlobalGeotourism Conference be<strong>in</strong>g hosted <strong>in</strong>Fremantle, Western <strong>Australia</strong>, from 17 to 20August 2008, by the Forum Advocat<strong>in</strong>gCultural and Eco Tourism (FACET), withProfessor Ross Dowl<strong>in</strong>g as conference convener.Details are now be on the web atGlobal Geotourism Conference 2008 –www.promaco.com.au/2008/geotmLocal and overseas keynote speakers haverecently been announced for the GlobalGeotourism Conference <strong>in</strong> 2008, and fieldtrips are planned with<strong>in</strong> Western <strong>Australia</strong>,but unfortunately, once aga<strong>in</strong> GeologicalSociety of <strong>Australia</strong> heritage workers andtheir knowledge and experience seem so farto be play<strong>in</strong>g little part.However, lest we get too concerned aboutthe present, it might help to look at the twobooks I have listed below, which illustrate forEurope and <strong>Australia</strong> how our <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> thelandscape has grown over several centuries.Neither book <strong>in</strong>dexes geology (or geotourism)but they do show how the public has become<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> the Earth’s surfaceand its relationship to people, and especiallythe l<strong>in</strong>ks between landscape and culturalheritage, and that is what a grow<strong>in</strong>g numberof geologists f<strong>in</strong>d themselves concerned withtoday.So read Dowl<strong>in</strong>g and Newsome’s Geotourismand be ready for the future, and the benefitsit can offer our favourite science. This book is<strong>in</strong>deed “a treasure-trove of geological heritagematerial” and deserves to be on thebookshelves of many <strong>Australia</strong>n geologists.(Note that you may also f<strong>in</strong>d on the web abook listed as Geotourism: Susta<strong>in</strong>ability,Impacts and Management by Ross Dowl<strong>in</strong>g,hard-cover (and elsewhere ‘paperback’) withthe date 19 August, 2005, of 352 pages, at£35.00, $AUD 98.11 (<strong>in</strong>c GST); this appears tobe the same book.)REFERENCESBernie Joyce. 2007. ‘Geotourism, Geosites andGeoparks: work<strong>in</strong>g together <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>’, The<strong>Australia</strong>n Geologist, September 2007, pp 26-29.Ian Ousby. 1990. The Englishman’s England: Taste,Travel and the Rise of Tourism. Pimlico, (CUP),London.Julia Horne. 2005. The Pursuit of Wonder: How<strong>Australia</strong>’s landscape was explored, nature discoveredand tourism unleashed. The Miegunyah Press,Carlton, Victoria, <strong>Australia</strong>.Hose, T.A. 1995. Sell<strong>in</strong>g the Story of Brita<strong>in</strong>’s Stone,Environmental Interpretation, 10 (2), 16-17.Associate Professor EB JoycePr<strong>in</strong>cipal FellowSchool of Earth SciencesThe University of Melbourneebj@unimelb.edu.auwww.geology.au.comIgneous Petrology(3rd Edition)Alexander McBirney.Jones and Bartlett Publishers (hard cover)2007550 pages ISBN-10: 0-7637-3448-9$105.95 (U.S)www.jbpub.comAlexander McBirney states that this book isprimarily aimed for a s<strong>in</strong>gle semester coursefor undergraduate students who already haveat least an elementary background <strong>in</strong> petrographyand petrology. I certa<strong>in</strong>ly agree withthis, though would further recommend theTAG apologiesbook to any postgraduate student undertak<strong>in</strong>gany research <strong>in</strong> igneous petrology and toanyone with a general <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> igneouspetrology, as it gives an excellent overview ofthe various developments <strong>in</strong> igneous petrologyand concise treatment of the ma<strong>in</strong> typesof magmatism and their tectonic sett<strong>in</strong>gs.The book beg<strong>in</strong>s with a two-page Preface onthis latest edition by McBirney <strong>in</strong> which hestresses the need for this updated editiondue to the great advances <strong>in</strong> analytical techniquesand change of ideas <strong>in</strong> the past 20years. The Chapters are then structured asfollows: The Earth and its Magmatism (1),Magmas and Igneous Rocks (2), Crystal-Liquid Reactions (3), Igneous M<strong>in</strong>erals andTheir Textures (4), Magmatic Differentiation:Mechanism and Effects (5), MagmaticDifferentiation: Basic Intrusions (6), Basaltsand Magma Series (7), Oceanic Magmatismand Flood Basalts (8), Magmatism atConvergent Plate Boundaries (9), GraniticPlutons and Siliceous Ignimbrites (10),Magmatism of the Cont<strong>in</strong>ental Interiors (11).There are then a series of Appendices cover<strong>in</strong>gCalculation of Normative M<strong>in</strong>erals (A),Calculations of Densities and Viscosities ofSilicate Melts (B), Error Functions (C),Mathematical Functions of RadiogenicIsotopes (D), Atomic and Molecular Weightsand Radii (E) and Distribution Coefficientsand Normalis<strong>in</strong>g Factors (F). These are thenfollowed by a short glossary of rock namesand fairly comprehensive <strong>in</strong>dex.The somewhat haunt<strong>in</strong>g black and whiteimage on the front cover is of columnarjo<strong>in</strong>tedbasalt from Frenchman Hills, Qu<strong>in</strong>cy,Wash<strong>in</strong>gton State, USA. The <strong>in</strong>side frontcover conta<strong>in</strong>s a list of Units and ConversionFactors while the back <strong>in</strong>side cover conta<strong>in</strong>sa table of symbols and physical constants,and a table of abbreviations of <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong>.Each chapter ends with a short (1-6) list ofselected references which are ma<strong>in</strong>ly otherbooks or compilations of research papers.These are generally up-to-date with the mostTAG 145, pages 19-20: IGCP 512. All references to the Wirara Siltstone should havebeen the McAlly Shale.TAG 145, page 24 announced Scott R Taylor as a GSA Fellow. We apologise for thiserror to Stuart Ross (called Ross) Taylor for the confusion and any <strong>in</strong>conveniencecaused and reiterate the GSA is proud to have ‘Ross’ Taylor as a GSA Fellow andmember of the society.GeoCal 2009 mistakenly <strong>in</strong>cluded the JJ Frankel Memorial Lecture as a GSA AnnualLecture. The GSA NSW Division and the University of New South Wales, School ofGeology (now BEES) has run the JJ Frankel Memorial Lecture s<strong>in</strong>ce its <strong>in</strong>ception.The 2007, 27th lecture was given by Professor Col Ward:www.bees.unsw.edu.au/news/news190907.htmlTAG March 2008 | 45
ecent publications <strong>in</strong> the various fields covered(e.g. The Earth and its Magmatism hasreferences as recent as 2005, and OceanicMagmatism and Flood Basalts as recent as2006). What I really like is that ‘classicworks’ <strong>in</strong> the field of igneous petrology suchas Bowen’s 1928 ‘Evolution of igneous rocks’are also listed as selected references. Suchclassics are still relevant today and it is vitallyimportant for students to understand notjust the most modern techniques and ideas,but also how and why techniques and ideas<strong>in</strong> igneous petrology have developed andchanged over time.There is an excellent treatment of phase diagrams<strong>in</strong> igneous systems <strong>in</strong> Chapter 3:Crystal-Liquid Reactions. As expected, theSkaergaard Intrusion is described <strong>in</strong> somedetail <strong>in</strong> Chapter 6: MagmaticDifferentiation: Basic Intrusions as this isprobably the most-studied s<strong>in</strong>gle igneous<strong>in</strong>trusion on Earth. Results aris<strong>in</strong>g from thesevarious studies have been fundamental <strong>in</strong>forg<strong>in</strong>g our ideas on magmatic differentiation,layer<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> igneous <strong>in</strong>trusions andmechanisms of emplacement of igneous<strong>in</strong>trusions.Throughout the book there are tables of representativewhole-rock analyses from theliterature (with the source <strong>in</strong>dicated <strong>in</strong> afootnote) which are a most useful reference<strong>in</strong> themselves. Where appropriate, there arealso well-drawn geological maps, sections,illustrations of igneous rock textures andvarious other diagrams. Overall, these areclear, uncluttered and easy to follow. Keyterms for students such as adiabatic andfugacity are marked <strong>in</strong> italics. All images anddiagrams are <strong>in</strong> black and white and <strong>in</strong> aneasy-to-read format. Most are excellent clearand large (full or half-page) reproductions.The black-and-white images of igneous rocktextures have dual (cm and <strong>in</strong>ches) scale barswhich is an excellent idea, and are excellentreproductions and highly <strong>in</strong>formative for students.The size of this book (23.5 x 18 cm) isvery convenient and will easily fit on anybook shelve. The font size and style is veryeasy to read, even <strong>in</strong> bad light.There are only a few obvious errors. On p 15,‘western <strong>Australia</strong>’ should be ‘Western<strong>Australia</strong>’. Table 2-1 covers two pages (34and 35). The head<strong>in</strong>gs are clear for theanalyses on p 34, but there are no correspond<strong>in</strong>ghead<strong>in</strong>gs for the analyses on p 35. Inthe figure caption for Figs 3-1 (p 73-75),colour is mentioned although the figuresappear <strong>in</strong> black and white. Also for thisfigure, it is difficult to see some of thefeatures alluded to <strong>in</strong> the figure caption andFigs (c) and (d) appear to be around thewrong way. In Figure 7-8 on p 281, ‘kearsutite’should be ‘kaersutite and <strong>in</strong> Table 7-5 onp. 292, ‘Berberton’ should be ‘Barberton’. InFigure 8-6 on p 323, ‘chromite pod’ shouldbe ‘chromitite pod’. However, there is a fundamentalerror regard<strong>in</strong>g the BushveldComplex on p 221. In the text it states thatthe Bushveld granites had <strong>in</strong>truded throughthe mafic-ultramafic series 50-100 Ma afterthey had crystallized. However, a number ofpublished studies have clearly shown thatthe Bushveld Granites are essentially coevalwith the mafic-ultramafic layered series.Perhaps this can be fixed <strong>in</strong> a 4th Edition.This book is an excellent overview of the fieldof igneous petrology. As such it is essentialfor all university libraries and should be onthe recommended read<strong>in</strong>g list for all undergraduatecourses that cover any aspects ofthis field. It can also be used by lecturers asa key reference guide to help develop theirown course on igneous petrology. At $US106for 550p with a hardcover, it is good valuefor money and around the average price forsuch publications these days.IAN GRAHAMSchool of Biological, Earth andEnvironmental SciencesUNSWComplexity Expla<strong>in</strong>edPeter Erdi397 pages2008Spr<strong>in</strong>ger VerlagISBN-13 978-3-540-35777-3EU 53.45Complexity is one of numerous theorieswhich have found wide application <strong>in</strong> justabout all scientific and technological, andnumerous humanity-type, discipl<strong>in</strong>es. ManyEarth Science publications deal with thesenewer concepts, like fractals, chaos,order/disorder, emergence, catastrophism,data m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, pattern recognition, causalitycha<strong>in</strong>s and chance, stability, synchronocity,entropy, randomness, networks, cyclicity,hierarchy, feedback, self-organisation, andmuch more – often <strong>in</strong> association with complexity.Space restrictions will allow only afew words here – but every geoscientist,whichever problems he/she is <strong>in</strong>vestigat<strong>in</strong>g,will do well to <strong>in</strong>vest <strong>in</strong> this book as it refersto earthquake and volcanism predictions,among much more.In so far as this book deals only partly withone philosophy of science topic, of whichcomplexity and all other above-listed conceptsare an <strong>in</strong>tricate part, the reader isreferred to two additional recent books:Brown, HI, 2007. Conceptual Systems.Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, London,New York; and Vargas-Quesada, B and Moya-Anegón, F, 2007. Visualiz<strong>in</strong>g the Structure ofScience. Spr<strong>in</strong>ger Verlag, Heidelberg.The latter book is of general <strong>in</strong>terest to thosedeal<strong>in</strong>g with the complexity of <strong>in</strong>ter-discipl<strong>in</strong>ary<strong>in</strong>tegration (or systems analysis,cybernetics, holism, synergetics).KARL H. WOLF46 | TAG March 2008
Books for reviewIn the Heart of the DesertM Quent<strong>in</strong> Mortonwww.greenmounta<strong>in</strong>press.co.uk/" www.greenmounta<strong>in</strong>press.co.ukThe Evolution of Clastic SedimentologyH Okada and AJ Kenyon-Smithwww.<strong>in</strong>books.com.auThe follow<strong>in</strong>g books are available from the Geological Society ofLondon, www.geolsoc.org.uk/bookshop:The Geology of ChileT Moreno and W GibbonsThe Neoproterozoic Timanide Orogen ofEastern BalticaDG Gee and V PeaseWhatever is Under the EarthGL Herries DaviesEGSP21 – Clay Materials used <strong>in</strong> ConstructionGM Reeves, I Sims and JC CrippsSP244 – Submar<strong>in</strong>e Slope Systems: Processesand ProductsDM Hodgson and SS Fl<strong>in</strong>tSP253 – Analogue and Numerical Modell<strong>in</strong>g ofCrustal-Scale ProcessesSJH Buiter and G SchreursSP255 – Cool-Water CarbonatesHM Pedley and G CarannanteSP257 – Geomaterials <strong>in</strong> Cultural HeritageM Maggetti and B MessigaSP261 – Fractal Analysis for Natural HazardsG Cello and BD MalamudSP263 – Fluid Flow and Solute Movement <strong>in</strong>SandstonesRD Barker and JH TellamSP264 – Compositional Data Analysis <strong>in</strong> theGeosciencesA Buccianti, G Mateu-Figueras and V Pawlowsky-GlahnSP265 – Non-Mar<strong>in</strong>e Permian Biostratigraphyand BiochronologySG Lucas, G Cass<strong>in</strong>is and JW SchneiderSP269 – Mechanisms of Activity and Unrest atLarge CalderasC Troise, G de Natale and CRJ KilburnSP270 – Fractured ReservoirsL Lonergen, RJH Jolly, K Rawnsley and DJ SandersonSP271 – Build<strong>in</strong>g Stone DecayR Prikryl and BJ SmithSP272 – Deformation of the Cont<strong>in</strong>ental Crust:The Legacy of Mike CowardAC Ries, RWH Butler and R. H GrahamSP273 – Myth and GeologyL Piccardi and WB MasseSP274 – Coastal and Shelf Sediment TransportPS Balsom and MB Coll<strong>in</strong>sSP275 – Palaeozoic Reefs and BioaccumulationsJJ Alvaro, M Aretz, F Boulva<strong>in</strong>, A Munnecke, D Vachard and E Venn<strong>in</strong>SP276 – Economic and PalaeoceanographicSignificance of Contourite DepositsAR Viana and M RebescoSP277 – Seismic GeomorphologyRJ Davies, H W Posamentier, LJ Wood and JA CartwrightSP278 – Denonian Events and CorrelationsRT Becker and WT KirchgasserSP279 – Natural and Anthropogenic Hazards <strong>in</strong>Karst AreasM Parise and J GunnSP280 – Mesozoic Sub-Cont<strong>in</strong>ental LithosphericTh<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g under Eastern AsiaMG Zhai, BF W<strong>in</strong>dley, TM Kusky and QR MengSP281 – The Role of Women <strong>in</strong> the Historyof GeologyCV Burek and B HiggsSP282 – Imag<strong>in</strong>g and Modell<strong>in</strong>g Cont<strong>in</strong>entalLithosphere Extension and BreakupGD Karner, G Manatschal and LM P<strong>in</strong>heiroSP283 – Mapp<strong>in</strong>g Hazardous Terra<strong>in</strong> us<strong>in</strong>gRemote Sens<strong>in</strong>gRM TeeuwSP284 – Rock Physics and Geomechanics <strong>in</strong> theStudy of Reservoirs and RepositoriesC David and M Le Ravalec-Dup<strong>in</strong>SP285 – Evaporites through Space and TimeBC Schreiber, S Lugli and M BabelSP286 – The Rise and Fall of Ediacaran BiotaP Vickers-Rich and P KomarowerSP288 – Four Centuries of Geological TravelPN Wyse JacksonTAG March 2008 | 47
O B I T U A R I E SDr Norman <strong>Henry</strong> Fisher AOOne of the found<strong>in</strong>g members ofthe leadership team of Geoscience<strong>Australia</strong>’s predecessor, the Bureauof M<strong>in</strong>eral Resources (BMR) hasbeen honoured <strong>in</strong> Geoscience<strong>Australia</strong>’s Symonston headquarters.Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong>’s library hasbeen named The NH (Doc) FisherGeoscience Library after Dr NormanFisher, AO, who died on 23September 2007 aged 98.’Doc‘ Fisher, as he was affectionately known, wasappo<strong>in</strong>ted as Chief Geologist <strong>in</strong> 1946 and was at the helm ofthe BMR from its <strong>in</strong>ception until he retired <strong>in</strong> 1974.The geological understand<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>Australia</strong> generatedthrough a visionary and bold plan which Doc Fisher implementedto map the geology of <strong>Australia</strong>, underp<strong>in</strong>ned thephenomenal development and growth of <strong>Australia</strong>'s m<strong>in</strong>eraland petroleum <strong>in</strong>dustries.In 1996 he participated <strong>in</strong> the ’turn<strong>in</strong>g of the sod‘ ceremonyto mark the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of construction of Geoscience<strong>Australia</strong>’s current headquarters <strong>in</strong> Canberra and attended thebuild<strong>in</strong>g’s open<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> January 1998.In 2006 he attended the <strong>in</strong>formal 60th anniversary celebrationsmark<strong>in</strong>g the foundation of the BMR.Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong>’s Chief Executive, Dr Neil Williams,described Dr Fisher as a great <strong>Australia</strong>n geologist whobecame a legend <strong>in</strong> his own lifetime.“He lived long enough to see the tremendous resultswhich came from the first systematic regional-scale geologicalmapp<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>Australia</strong> – an effort he drove with passionfrom 1946 until 1974,” Dr Williams said.The Doc Fisher Geoscience Library is a national resourceprovid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formation services to Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong> staff,the <strong>Australia</strong>n public and researchers across the globe.Dr Fisher’s widow, Molly, and Dr Williams officiated at theceremony, cutt<strong>in</strong>g a ribbon and unveil<strong>in</strong>g a plaque whichmarks the Library’s new name.ADDITIONAL NOTES:Founded the Rabaul Vulcanology Observatory <strong>in</strong> Papua NewGu<strong>in</strong>ea <strong>in</strong> 1939.Assessed <strong>Australia</strong>’s strategic m<strong>in</strong>eral resources dur<strong>in</strong>gWorld War II and then, as Chief Geologist, oversaw thesystematic geological mapp<strong>in</strong>g of Australasia.Served as the fourth Director of the BMR from 1969 to1974.In retirement, ’Doc‘ Fisher ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed an active <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong>all th<strong>in</strong>gs geological. He was President General of the 25thInternational Geological Congress (IGC) held <strong>in</strong> Sydney <strong>in</strong>1976, the first IGC to ever been held <strong>in</strong> the SouthernHemisphere.Participated <strong>in</strong> BMR's formal 50th AnniversaryCelebrations <strong>in</strong> 1996 and their <strong>in</strong>formal 60th anniversarycelebrations <strong>in</strong> 2006.Image and text courtesy Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong>.Dr Norman <strong>Henry</strong> Fisher was a Foundation Member of theGeological Society of <strong>Australia</strong> and an Honorary Member.His biography can be viewed on the GSA website:www.gsa.org.au/recognition/biographies.html#FisherNIan Robert Williams28 August 1938 – 22 November 2007Ian Robert Williams, the Geological Survey of Western<strong>Australia</strong>’s (GS<strong>WA</strong>) longest-serv<strong>in</strong>g geologist on record, diedon 22 November 2007, after a short illness.Ian jo<strong>in</strong>ed GS<strong>WA</strong> on 3 February 1964, and dur<strong>in</strong>g his 42years and 4 months of cont<strong>in</strong>uous service he personallymapped an area equivalent to ten per cent of the State,14 of his 31 maps, be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the Pilbara, where Ian commencedand completed his highly illustrious GS<strong>WA</strong> career. Hisregional geological mapp<strong>in</strong>g extended from the far north ofthe Kimberley southward to the eastern goldfields. Many ofthe areas were mapped for both 1:250 000- and 1:100 000-scale maps.Long before Ian’s retirement on 30 June 2006, he hadestablished himself as unquestionably our most experiencedand respected field geologist. At his retirement function,which was attended by over 80 colleagues past and present,several of his closest friends spoke of his achievements, hisdedication, and the major contribution he made to the successof GS<strong>WA</strong>. When it came to his turn to reply, Ian was asmodest as ever, simply thank<strong>in</strong>g those who had spoken fortheir tributes, and <strong>in</strong>form<strong>in</strong>g everyone that he was now look<strong>in</strong>gforward to a long and healthy retirement with his family.It was so well deserved, but regrettably it was not to be.Ian’s <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> geology was first sparked when, as a n<strong>in</strong>eyear old, he was given a collection of <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> by a familyfriend, which led to him to accompany his father onprospect<strong>in</strong>g trips around New South Wales. Fasc<strong>in</strong>ated by the<strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> and rocks he found he never looked back. Abouthalf-a-century-of-collect<strong>in</strong>g later, he had established an48 | TAG March 2008
impressive m<strong>in</strong>eral and rock collection that took up a largepart of his Gooseberry Hill home and garden.After ga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g a First Class Honours degree at theUniversity of Sydney <strong>in</strong> 1961, Ian accepted a position of FieldGeologist with New Consolidated Gold Fields (<strong>Australia</strong>) PtyLtd, and commenced his professional career <strong>in</strong> New SouthWales and Queensland. He jo<strong>in</strong>ed the Survey <strong>in</strong> 1964, hisgeological mapp<strong>in</strong>g with GS<strong>WA</strong> tak<strong>in</strong>g him to all parts ofWestern <strong>Australia</strong>, with the exception of the southwest andthe Eucla–Warburton regions. Apart from his extensive firsthandknowledge of the geology of many of these areas, hismemory for the people and events of these areas was trulyprodigious.Ian made a major contribution to the success of GS<strong>WA</strong>.He contributed to over 60 of our publications, led numerousGS<strong>WA</strong> field excursions, and also published externally. Notonly did he map a large number of areas, he laid claim to anumber of important ‘firsts’. For example, <strong>in</strong> 1968 he organisedand led the first <strong>in</strong> a series of popular GS<strong>WA</strong> safari-stylepublic field excursions to describe and expla<strong>in</strong> our 1:250000-scale geological mapp<strong>in</strong>g. Although well attended, thisfirst excursion over the KURNALPI 1:250 000 sheet was welland truly eclipsed when he led the 1971 EDJUDINA 1:250000 sheet excursion which, held dur<strong>in</strong>g the height of thenickel boom, attracted a convoy of 92 vehicles and more than200 people! Draw<strong>in</strong>g on his experience with helicopter surveysthat were undertaken jo<strong>in</strong>tly with the Bureau of M<strong>in</strong>eralResources (now Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong>), <strong>in</strong> 1975 Ian also ledGS<strong>WA</strong>’s first <strong>in</strong>dependent helicopter mapp<strong>in</strong>g program. Injust one month, this resulted <strong>in</strong> the successful mapp<strong>in</strong>g ofextensive tracts of remote country across six 1:250 000 sheets<strong>in</strong> the Rudall–Nabberu region.Some of the most excit<strong>in</strong>g discoveries made by GS<strong>WA</strong><strong>in</strong>volved Ian. For example, <strong>in</strong> 1969 he found the Edjud<strong>in</strong>aMeteorite, a bronzite chrondrite, about 30 cm across, now <strong>in</strong>the Western <strong>Australia</strong>n Museum. Later, his mapp<strong>in</strong>g of theMount Narryer area contributed to the discovery of Western<strong>Australia</strong>’s oldest rocks, and some of the oldest <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> (zircons)found on Earth. On subsequent mapp<strong>in</strong>g projects, hiskeen powers of observation resulted <strong>in</strong> the discovery of the‘str<strong>in</strong>g of beads’ (some of the earliest evidence of fossil seaweeds)<strong>in</strong> the Precambrian Stag Arrow Formation, and evidenceof Proterozoic glaciation <strong>in</strong> what was formerly referredto as the Savory Bas<strong>in</strong>. His ongo<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> <strong>m<strong>in</strong>erals</strong> led tohis 1977 discovery of the new copper m<strong>in</strong>eral moolooite, onMooloo Downs Station <strong>in</strong> the Gascoyne region, and later to thediscovery of the first <strong>Australia</strong>n occurrence of jianshuiite(Mg,Mn)Mn 3 0 7 x3H 2 O.Ian loved his work, especially the field mapp<strong>in</strong>g he wascalled upon to undertake across vast tracts of some ofWestern <strong>Australia</strong>’s remotest regions. He was ideally suited tothe task, with <strong>in</strong>nate bush-sense, endurance, <strong>in</strong>exhaustibleenthusiasm and <strong>in</strong>quisitiveness. He was a keen observer, too.Ian was fortunate to have that relatively rare comb<strong>in</strong>ationof a happy family life and work that he thoroughly enjoyed.Quite apart from his geological <strong>in</strong>terests, Ian was a very activemember (and former State Secretary of the Western<strong>Australia</strong>n Branch) of the Anthroposophical Society andfollowed many of their precepts <strong>in</strong> his daily life.Ian will be greatly missed by all who knew him, and especiallythose who worked most closely with him. He will beremembered as a good friend, a gentleman, very considerate,and always ready to help others. He leaves his wife Anne, hischildren Chris and Sarah, and five grandchildren.Obituary submitted by Jean Johnston, Geological Surveyof Western <strong>Australia</strong>.LEFT: IRW collect<strong>in</strong>g samples for geochronology, 1983.Photo courtesy Geological Survey of Western <strong>Australia</strong>.MIDDLE: IRW (right). Ian led GS<strong>WA</strong>’s first use of helicopters for regional mapp<strong>in</strong>g, Rudall,1975. Photo courtesy Geological Survey of Western <strong>Australia</strong>.RIGHT: RW lead<strong>in</strong>g the Muccan excursion, Pilbara, 1999.Photo courtesy Geological Survey of Western <strong>Australia</strong>.TAG March 2008 | 49
Calendar2008The International Year ofPlanet Earthwww.esfs.org31 March–3 April2nd International Sal<strong>in</strong>ityForum: Sal<strong>in</strong>ity, Water andSociety – Global issues, localactionAdelaide, South <strong>Australia</strong>www.waterdownunder2008.com7–11 AprilOre Deposit Models for M<strong>in</strong>eralExplorationMelbourne, Victoria14–18 AprilWater Down Under 2008 <strong>in</strong>corporat<strong>in</strong>g31st Hydrology and WaterResources Symposium and the 4thInternational Conference onWater Resources and EnvironmentResearchAdelaide, South <strong>Australia</strong>www.waterdownunder2008.com17–20 MayInaugural Global GeotourismConferenceEsplanade Hotel, Fremantle,Western <strong>Australia</strong>www.promaco.com.au/2008/geotm20–23 MayMyres III : Dynamic Interactionsof Life and its LandscapesNew Orleans, USAwww.myres.org/myres313–18 JulyGoldschmidt 2008Vancouver, Canadawww.goldschmidt2008.org20–24 July19th AGC, The <strong>Australia</strong>n EarthSciences Convention 2008Perth, Western <strong>Australia</strong>www.iceaustralia.com/aesc2008aesc2008@iceaustralia.com5–14 August33rd International GeologicalCongress – Earth System Science:Foundation for Susta<strong>in</strong>ableDevelopmentOslo, Norway10–15 August9th International KimberliteConferenceFrankfurt, Germanywww.9ikc.uni-frankfurt.de17–20 AugustInaugural Global GeotourismConferenceEsplanade Hotel, Fremantle,Western <strong>Australia</strong>www.promaco.com.au/2008/geotm14–17 SeptemberPESA 3rd Eastern <strong>Australia</strong>nBas<strong>in</strong>s SymposiumSydney Convention andExhibition Centre, New SouthWaleswww.pesa.com.au15–20 SeptemberAEG 51st Annual Meet<strong>in</strong>gNew Orleans, Louisiana, USAwww.aegweb.org21–25 September3rd International ProfessionalGeologic Conference AIPG AnnualMeet<strong>in</strong>gFlagstaff, Arizona, USAwww.aipg.org/scriptcontent/<strong>in</strong>dex.cfm17 OctoberTerry Leach Symposium 2008: TheApplication of Petrology toGeology Models <strong>in</strong> M<strong>in</strong>eralsExploration, Milsons Po<strong>in</strong>t,SydneySMEDG and AIG:www.smedg.org.auGSA MEMBER OFFER: DISCOUNT ON GSA LONDON PUBLICATIONSGEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SPECIAL BOOK OFFERTo: Alison Tucker, Market<strong>in</strong>g Executive, Unit 7, Brassmill Lane, Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Lane, Bath BAI 3JN UKTel: +44 1 225 445 046. Fax: +44 1 225 442 836. Email: alison.tucker@geolsoc.org.ukNO. ITEM LIST PRICE GS MEMBER PRICESP268SP265Channel Flow, Ductile Extrusion and Exhumation <strong>in</strong> Cont<strong>in</strong>ental Collision ZonesEdited by RD Law, MP Searle and L God<strong>in</strong> £125.00 $US250.00 £75.00 $US150.00Non-Mar<strong>in</strong>e Permian Biostratigraphy and BiochronologyEdited by SG Lucas, G Cass<strong>in</strong>is and JW Schneider £85.00 $US170.00 £51.00 $US102.00SUBTOTAL:To UK address +5% of the full price (£4 m<strong>in</strong>imum), to Europe address +15% of the full price(£8 m<strong>in</strong>imum), to Rest of World +15% of the full price (£12.50 m<strong>in</strong>imum)Please tick■ VIsa ■ AmEx ■ D<strong>in</strong>er’s Club ■ MasterCard – for the full amount above.POSTAGE:TOTAL $CARD NUMBER:| | | | | SECURITY CODE EXPIRY DATE |NAME:GSA MEMBER NUMBER:DELIVERY ADDRESS:PHONE NO:EMAIL ADDRESS:Orders can be faxed or posted. members may use VISA, American Express, D<strong>in</strong>ers Club or MasterCard or post a cheque for the full amount, payable toTHE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. Note: Orders at the GS London member rate must be made on this form (or a photocopy/fax copy of it).Prepayment is required on all orders. Please allow up to 28 days for delivery of <strong>in</strong> stock items <strong>in</strong> the UK. Parcels to Europe and Rest of the World are sent surfacemail and can take 6 to 12 weeks to arrive. Air or courier rates are available on request.50 | TAG March 2008
Geological Society of <strong>Australia</strong> Inc. Office Bearers 2008/2009MEMBERS OF COUNCILAND EXECUTIVEPresidentAndy Gleadow,University of MelbourneVice PresidentPeter Cawood,University of Western <strong>Australia</strong>SecretaryMarilyn MooreTreasurerFons VandenBerg,GeoScience VictoriaPast PresidentTony Crawford,University of TasmaniaHon Editor,<strong>Australia</strong>n Journal of Earth SciencesTony Cockba<strong>in</strong>COUNCILLORS OF THEEXECUTIVE DIVISIONCouncillorStephen Gallagher,University of MelbourneHonorary Promotions OfficerBill Birch, Museum VictoriaAdm<strong>in</strong>istration OfficerSimon Turner, Macquarie UniversityCo-opted MembersMike Sandiford,University of MelbourneBradley Opdyke,<strong>Australia</strong>n National UniversitySTANDING COMMITTEESGeological HeritageNational ConvenorSusan White<strong>Australia</strong>n StratigraphyCommissionNational Convenor, andExternal Territories ConvenorAlbert BrakelSTATE CONVENORSACTAlbert BrakelNew South WalesLawrence Sherw<strong>in</strong>Geological Survey of New South WalesNorthern TerritoryPierre KruseNorthern Territory Geological SurveyQueenslandIan WithnallGeological Survey of QueenslandSouth <strong>Australia</strong>Wayne CowleyPrimary Industries & ResourcesSouth <strong>Australia</strong>TasmaniaStephen ForsythM<strong>in</strong>eral Resources TasmaniaVictoriaFons VandenBergGeoScience VictoriaWestern <strong>Australia</strong>Roger Hock<strong>in</strong>gGeological Survey of Western <strong>Australia</strong>DIVISIONS ANDBRANCHES<strong>Australia</strong>n Capital TerritoryChair: Brad PilansThe <strong>Australia</strong>n National UniversitySecretary: Craig O’NeillMacquarie UniversityNew South Waleswww.nsw.gsa.org.auChair: Ron Vernon,Macquarie UniversitySecretary: Craig O’Neill,Dept of Earth & Planetary Science,Macquarie UniversityNorthern TerritoryChair: Christ<strong>in</strong>e Edgoose,Northern Territory Geological SurveyQueenslandwww.qld.gsa.org.auChair: Greg Webb,Queensland University of TechnologySecretary: Stephanie HamiltonGeological Survey of QueenslandSouth <strong>Australia</strong>www.sa.gsa.org.auChair: Nick DireenUniversity of AdelaideSecretary: Jim Jago,University of South <strong>Australia</strong>TasmaniaChair: Andrew McNeillSecretary: John Everard,M<strong>in</strong>eral Resources TasmaniaVictoriawww.vic.gsa.org.auChair: Stephen Gallagher,University of MelbourneSecretary: Dee N<strong>in</strong>isSeismology Research CentreWestern <strong>Australia</strong>www.wa.gsa.org.auChair: Chris YeatsCSIRO Exploration & M<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gSecretary: Cather<strong>in</strong>e SpaggiariGeological Survey of Western <strong>Australia</strong>Broken Hill BranchChair: Barney Stevens,Geological Survey of New South WalesSecretary: K<strong>in</strong>gsley MillsHunter Valley BranchChair: Valerie SmithSecretary: Phil Seccombe,University of NewcastleSPECIALIST GROUPSApplied Geochemistry SpecialistGroup (SGAG)www.sgag.gsa.org.auChair: Louisa LawranceSecretary: Craig RuglessAssociation of AustralasianPalaeontologists (AAP)www.es.mq.edu.au/mucep/aap/<strong>in</strong>dex.htmChair: Glenn Brock,Macquarie UniversitySecretary: John Paterson,Macquarie University<strong>Australia</strong>n Sedimentology Group(ASG)Chair: Bradley Opdyke,<strong>Australia</strong>n National UniversitySecretary: Sarah Tynan<strong>Australia</strong>n National UniversityCoal Geology (CGG)www.cgg.gsa.org.auChair: Wes NicholsSecretary: Mark BiggsEarth Sciences History Group (ESHG)www.vic.gsa.org.au/eshg.htmChair: Bernie Joycethe University of MelbourneSecretary: Guy Holdgatethe University of MelbourneSecretary: Guy Holdgate,University of MelbourneEconomic Geology Specialist Groupsgeg.gsa.org.auChair: Frank Bierle<strong>in</strong>University of Western <strong>Australia</strong>Secretary: Oliver KreuzerUniversity of Western <strong>Australia</strong>Environmental Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g &Hydrogeology Specialist Group(EEHSG)Chair: Ken LawrieGeoscience <strong>Australia</strong>Secretary: Leharne Founta<strong>in</strong>Geoscience <strong>Australia</strong>Geochemistry, M<strong>in</strong>eralogy &Petrology Specialist Group(SGGMP)www.sggmp.gsa.org.auChair: Ralph BotrillM<strong>in</strong>eral Resources TasmaniaSecretary: Ian GrahamUniversity of New South WalesGeological Education (SGE)Chair: Greg McNamaraGeoscience Education & OutreachServicesPlanetary Geoscience SpecialistGroup (SGPG)Chair: Marc Norman<strong>Australia</strong>n National UniversitySolid Earth Geophysics SpecialistGroup (SGSEG)www.sgseg.gsa.org.auChair: Brian Kennett<strong>Australia</strong>n National UniversitySecretary: Bruce GolebyGeoscience <strong>Australia</strong>Tectonics & Structural GeologySpecialist Group (SGTSG)www.sgtsg.gsa.org.auChair: Alan Coll<strong>in</strong>sAdelaide UniversitySecretary: Nicholas DireenFrogTechVolcanology (LAVA)www.es.mq.edu.au/geology/volcan/hmpg.htmChair: Rick Squire,Monash UniversitySecretary: Kar<strong>in</strong> Orth,Monash UniversityKnow your Geologist . . .Did you know them? (page 8)Left to right: John McAndrew (former CSIRO),Ian Plimer and Bill Birch.Please send your ‘Know your Geologist’ totag@gsa.org.au for the June issue.TAG March 2008 | 51
Publish<strong>in</strong>g DetailsThe <strong>Australia</strong>n Geologist52 | TAG March 2008 Background InformationGENERAL NOTEThe <strong>Australia</strong>n Geologist (TAG) a quarterly member magaz<strong>in</strong>e which <strong>in</strong>cludes society news,conference details, special reports, feature articles, book reviews and other items of <strong>in</strong>terest to EarthScientists. 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Please note that an additional 10% GST applies to all advertis<strong>in</strong>g.DETAILS 1 ISSUE 2 ISSUES TYPESETTINGFull Page 250mm deep x 180mm wide (Type area)Full page Trim 210mm x 275mm plus 5mm BleedColour $1,350 $1,280 $57EDITORIAL MATTERSSpot colour Price on requestBlack and White $750 $703 $571/2 Page 125mm x 180mm (Horizontal) or 250mm x 88mm (Vertical)Black and White $375 $350 $471/3 Page (Banner) 80mm x 180mmBlack and White $180 $320 $421/4 Page 125mm x 88mm (vertical). 88mm x 125mm (horizontal)Black and White $180 $170 $352/3 Column 125mm x 119mm(3 Column Page) Black and White $92 $87 $171/3 Column 250mm x 57mm (Vertical)(3 Column Page) Black and White $92 $87 $17INSERTS (as supplied) PER ISSUE PER ISSUEA4 size $1,285 $1,180Colour Advertorials or <strong>Feature</strong> ArticlesThree to four page colour advertorials are accepted at a negotiable cost.It is requested however that these articles have a geological theme.Black and White Advertorials Cost negotiable.Contact Sue Fletcher, Executive Director Geological Society of <strong>Australia</strong> IncSuite 706, 301 George Street Sydney NSW 2000Tel: 02 9290 2194 Fax: (02) 9290 2198 Email: <strong>in</strong>fo@gsa.org.auThe <strong>Australia</strong>n Geologist is published by the Geological Society of<strong>Australia</strong> Inc four times a year, March, June, September and December.The Publication is copyright by the GSA Inc unless specifically statedotherwise. However, material <strong>in</strong> this issue may be photocopied by <strong>in</strong>dividualsfor research or classroom use. Permission is also granted to useshort articles, quotes, figures, tables, etc, for publication <strong>in</strong> scientificbooks and journals or <strong>in</strong> other scientific newsletters provided acknowledgementis made. For permission for any other use or publication oflonger articles please contact the Honorary Editor.Every effort has been made to trace and acknowledge copyrightholders of material <strong>in</strong> this publication. If any rights have been omitted,apologies are offered.The Geological Society of <strong>Australia</strong> Inc is a learned Society. The<strong>Australia</strong>n Geologist is published by the Geological Society of <strong>Australia</strong>Inc, to provide <strong>in</strong>formation for the members and a forum for theexpression of their professional <strong>in</strong>terests and op<strong>in</strong>ions. Observations,<strong>in</strong>terpretations and op<strong>in</strong>ions published here<strong>in</strong> are the responsibility ofthe contributors and are not necessarily supported by the GeologicalSociety of <strong>Australia</strong> Inc or the Hon Editor.While the Hon Editor and the Geological Society of <strong>Australia</strong> Inchave taken all reasonable precautions and made all reasonable effortsto ensure the accuracy of material conta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> this publication theaforesaid make no warranties, expressed or implied with respect to anyof the material conta<strong>in</strong>ed here<strong>in</strong>.BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCEAdvertis<strong>in</strong>g/Membership: All bus<strong>in</strong>ess enquiries and correspondencerelat<strong>in</strong>g to advertis<strong>in</strong>g space, <strong>in</strong>serts and/or subscription matters,should be addressed to the Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Manager of the Society.Contributions: All editorial enquiries or contributions should be sent totag@gsa.org.au or mailed to the GSA bus<strong>in</strong>ess office.Contributions are preferred as email. MS WORD documents for PC(or compatible) are the preferred file attachment. Photos, maps, etc,should be submitted as separate files and saved as either a .tif .pdf or.jpg at a resolution greater than 300 dpi. If contributors produce afile greater than 3MB it would be appreciated if they could be copiedto CD and forwarded to the Hon Editor. Short clearly typedcontributions (up to ~1000 words) are accepted, should a member beunable to send an email. The editor reserves the right to reject, reviseand change text editorially.Photographs: Cover photograph submissions should preferably bedigital taken at a resolution greater than 300dpi. Web resolutionimages and colour pr<strong>in</strong>ts (unless exceptional) are not of sufficientquality for full colour pr<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g.Colour transparencies are also acceptable. Photographs for articlesmay be pr<strong>in</strong>ts, slides or digital images; they may be black and whiteand colour.