Previous Events: 2008

Workshops and short courses

Noel White “SEG Thayer Lindsley Travelling Lecturer”: The CODES SEG Student chapter took full advantage of the “SEG Thayer Lindsley Travelling Lecturer” Noel White,who made 2 trips to Hobart to visit our group. On June 3rd, Noel White presented “Exploration in China: The Good, the Bad and the Incredible” which was well attended and followed by a Wine Tasting event.Noel White also led a public speaking workshop for CODES postgraduates on the 12th of December.

Adobe CS3 training workshops: CODES and the SEG sponsored a 4 week Adobe Illustrator training course from the 9th of April to the 21st of May. Due to the success of this course and demand for software training for the compilation of the ominous thesis, CODES and the SEG again sponsored a 4 week Adobe InDesign training course from the 1st to 22nd of October. Thank you to Heidi Pass for organising this training session.

Social programs
Ice Hockey: Two successful ice hockey evenings were arranged by Adam Bath and held at the Glenorchy Ice Rink. These were touted as serious grudge matches between Team Canada and Team Russia, with teams led by Professor Dima Kamenetsky and Professor Bruce Gemmell. The “Killer Canucks” defeated “2nd Chance” 9:4 in the first match, and after that we lost track. This turned out to be quite a popular event and will continue in the forthcoming year.

Professor Dima Kamenetsky and Professor Bruce Gemmell face off, leading Team Canada vs. Russia at the SEG ice hockey evening. Dr. Gary Davidson is poised for the puck.

Movie Night: The “Usual Suspects” played on the big screen in the CODES conference room on the 15th of November 2008 and got a few diligent postgraduates out of their offices for a few hours of light entertainment and popcorn.

Awards
The SEG Student Chapter would like to acknowledge the following students for receiving the following prestigious awards in 2008:
Abhisit Salam, PhD – Hugh E. McKinstry Student Research Award, $5000
Jacqueline Blackwell, PhD – Newmont Student Research Grant, $3000, and SEG Canada Foundation award, $2000
Heidi Pass, PhD – SEG Canada Foundation Awards, $2000
Nick Jansen, PhD – Graduate Student Research Fellowship Award, $15,000
Anita Parbhakar, PhD - Graduate Student Research Fellowship Award, $12,500

Fundraising
Cadbury chocolate sales: CODES continues to have a chocolate addiction and the SEG typically raises
between $50-100 per week in profits!
Wine and gardening sales: The SEG student chapter has very graciously been testing wine varieties and has compiled a selection that suites our palate. We have the bottles custom labelled for use at SEG functions and for sale. Seeds, bulbs and gardening supplies from catalogues have been available to order, and these combined fundraisers have raised $210.00.
Icebreakers: The SEG student chapter was commissioned to cater the Icebreakers for the CODES Masters of Economic Geology Brownfields short course on the 9th of June. The Exploration on the Edge Icebreaker, Wine tasting evening featuring Tassie wines and outdoor sausage sizzle and barrel were organised by the student chapter on the 26th, 27th and 29th of October. This gives the chapter an opportunity not only to raise funds but to meet the masters and industry participants on these courses.

Previous Events: 2007

  Regular meetings were held monthly, with attendance from the executive committee and chapter members, to discuss forthcoming events and short courses, planning of field excursions (meeting minutes available).

March – Viticulture, Terroir and Wine Tasting: Departmental lecture, given by previous CODES SEG Student Chapter treasurer Joe Moye, regarding the influence of geology on viticulture, both in Australia and globally. This lecture was followed by a wine tasting evening, part of the Student Chapter fundraising initiative.

L-R: Information posters and wine-labels designed by members of the Student Chapter.Previous SEG Student Chapter Treasurer Joe Moye with one of six Australian wines discussed in the presentation.

March – Introduction to Tasmanian Geology Lecture Series: Departmental lectures given by Professor Ross Large (World Class Ore Deposits of Western Tasmania) and Dr. Andrew McNeill (Exploration for Cambrian VHMS deposits in Western Tasmania) to CODES Students and also to the University of Nevada SEG Student Chapter led by Professor Tommy Thompson.

(L-R) Dr. Andrew McNeill lecturing on exploration methods used in Western Tasmania, and the SEG Student Chapters of Nevada and Tasmania enjoying the Tasmanian Summer.

International field excursion: 21 – 26 July 2007, Kyushu, Southern Japan .

field trip leaders: Professor Eiji Izawa (Kyushu University), Professor Sachihiro Taguchi (Fukuoka University), and Associate Professor Tetsuya Nakanishi (Kyushu Univesity Museum).

Sponsors: Newcrest Mining Ltd., Teck Cominco, Rio Tinto, Newmont, AngloGold Ashanti , CODES, Society of Economic Geologists Australasian Division &

the Society of Economic Geologists.  

Left to right, from top:

 Professor Taguchi ( Fukuoka University ) measuring fumarole temperatures, Kuju Fumaroles;

Mt. Kaimondake ;

Sang Q Dinh with backdrop of Sakurajima Volcano;

Group photograph Kuju Fumaroles;

Keisen Vein No. 3 Hishikari LS Epithermal Gold Mine;

Group picture Hatchobaru geothermal field (L-R: Associate Professor Nakanishi,

Anita Parbhakar, Nathan Fox ,Jackie Hobbins, Janice Li ,Wojtek Zukowski,Yuki Tohma, Corrie Chamberlain,

Natalee Bonnici, Heidi Pass , Mark Menzies, Professor Izawa);

Associate Professor Nakanishi, Wojtek Zukowski, Sang Q. Dinh, Heidi Pass & Natalee Bonnici before going underground at Hishikari;

Gold ore- silicified zone, Akeshi HS epithermal gold deposit;

Open pit Kasuga HS epithermal gold deposit, Nansatsu District;

Sulphur , Kuju Fumaroles;

Anita Parbhakar underground, Hishikari Gold Mine;

Wojtek Zukowski, Kuju Volcano;

Crater Lake of Nake-Dake, Aso Volcano, reaching pH <0.5;

Kuju Iwo-yama;

Silica scale in pipeline (Hatchobaru Geothermal Power Plant);

Sakurajima Volcano

July – Geochemistry of hydrothermal ore solutions: Dr. Jamie Wilkinson ( Imperial College London )

September – Mesothermal Gold Mineralisation and Acid Mine Drainage: Associate Professor David Craw ( University of Otago )

30 participants: A series of lectures regarding the structural and geochemical controls on gold mineralisation in mesothermal terrains, and the environmental geochemistry of mine wastes, frequently leading to acid mine/rock drainage within these districts. The lectures topics included the tracing of fluids and metal sources in mesothermal gold forming environments using geochemical and isotopic techniques; structural controls on mesothermal Au-mineralisation in active and ancient terrains; acid mine drainage and the chemical mobility of Hg, As and Sb in mine wastes associated with mesothermal gold mineralisation and emerging techniques in ARD diagnosis. This was an important lecture series to highlight the relationships between mineral deposits and the geochemical response of their associated mine wastes in the surface environment.

October – Exploration Management and Risks and Industrial Minerals: Bill Pennell (former Exploration Director: Rio Tinto Exploration)

20 staff, post-graduate students, honours students and 3^rd year geology students: These lectures covered the topic of economics within the minerals industry, what makes, and what breaks a mineral deposit. Industrial minerals talks included the identification of these, the practical uses, and the business case for exploration of these deposits. An in-depth presentation on the exploration of trona deposits in Kazan was also given.  This series of talks and workshops were extremely informative to CODES students and staff given that the exploration of the minerals discussed was outside the general research areas typically undertaken at the department. This was of great benefit to students and post-graduates, exemplifying the economics behind mineral exploration and mine development.

(L-R) Associate Professor Dave Craw giving the one of six presentations which formed the mesothermal deposits and environmental impacts workshop; Bill Pennell giving a seminar on the formation and location of Trona deposits.

Participation in Conferences, Workshops and Short-courses

Several international conferences and workshops were attended by several CODES SEG Student Chapter Members, with the highlights summarised below. A number of Master of Economic Geology courses (offered as part of the National Masters Program in Mineral Exploration and Mining Geology) were also attended by CODES members of the CODES SEG Student Chapter.

March: Porphyry Copper Deposits of South America (MSc course, CODES, University of Tasmania) led by Associate Professor David Cooke.

This 2-week trip was a field based tour through the porphyry Cu-Au, Iron Oxide Copper Gold, Low and High Sulfidation Epithermals and MVT Zn-Pb deposits in the Cordillera of South America. Participation of three members of the CODES SEG Student Chapter in this course was of great benefit to their individual research projects. Trip highlights included visits to Manto Verde and Candelaria Fe-Oxide Cu-Au deposits, Chuquicamata, El Teniente giant porphyries, El Penon – Low Sulphidation Au-Ag Epithermal deposit and Breccia Hosted Cu-Mo deposit of Sierra Gorda and Rio Blanco in Chile . Peruvian part of the field trip included visits to: San Vicente MVT Zn-Pb deposit, Colquijirca – High Sulphidation Au (Ag) Epithermal and the Cerro de Pasco Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag deposit.

(L-R): Chuquicamata, Open Pit; Orbicular Granite, Caldera, Chile;  San Vicente MVT Zn-Pb deposit, Peru.

 

March: Field Mapping of Ore Deposits- Anatomy of a Tilted Porphyry Cu Batholith and its Hydrothermal Alteration Features, Yerington, Nevada, US; led by Dr. Dick Tosdal. This 8-day course provided the opportunity to improve geological map techniques on a fully exposed zoned magmatic-hydrothermal system associated with the Yerrington batholith. Mapping was also undertaken in the MacArthur and Ann-Mason porphyry Cu-deposits and in the skarn Casting Cu-deposits.

 

June: Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Hydrology and Geochronology (MSc course, CODES, University of Tasmania). This course included practical exercises in stable isotope geochemistry, geochemistry of ore fluids and hydrothermal alteration, applications of fluid inclusions to ore deposits, and geochronological techniques in ore deposit studies. External key-speakers at this course included Professor Greg Dipple (UBC), Professor Nick Oliver (JCU), Dr. Jamie Wilkinson (Imperial College, University of London) , and Professor Jim Mortensen (UBC).

 

July: The Breccia Symposium was held at the James Cook University, Townsville, Australia . Keynote speakers were Michel Jebrak, Wayne Barnett, and David Cooke. Following the symposium was a two-day field trip to the Mount Leyshon, Matthews Pinnacle, Mount Wright, and Kidston breccia complexes. Several CODES students and postdoctoral researchers participated in this course and made valid contributions to ensuing discussions and debates.

 

August: The 9th Biennial Meeting of the Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits (SGA) “Digging Deeper” – Dublin, Ireland. Three members of the CODES SEG Student Chapter were sponsored by CODES to attend, and gave oral presentations:

 

Heidi Pass : “Infill paragenesis and hydrothermal alteration in the North East Zone of the Mt. Polley magmatic-hydrothermal breccia complex, British Columbia ”;

Bronto Sutopo: “Characteristics of the Sub-Microscopic Gold and Trace Elements Geochemistry of Enargite/Luzonite in the Martabe High-Sulphidation Epithermal Deposits, North Sumatra" ;

Wojciech Zukowski: “Alkalic epithermal or porphyry? Hydrothermal alteration and vein paragenesis at the E41 gold deposit Cowal district, New South Wales, Australia"

 

Among many offered SGA conference field trips, CODES students participated at the tour of the Irish Zn-Pb Province and the trip to the Iberian Pyrite Belt /Ossa Morena.

 

(L-R) Trinity College, Dublin the venue of the SGA conference; Wojtek Zukowski and Heidi Pass enjoying Dublin-brewed Guinness which was well earned after giving their oral presentations.

September: Ores and Orogenesis: “Circum Pacific Tectonics, Geologic Evolution, and Ore Deposits” Tucson, Arizona. Eight PhD students from CODES were promoting their work in Tuscon through oral and poster presentation. Oral presentations included:

 

Jacqueline Blackwell: “Alkalic epithermal and porphyry style mineralization, Ladolam, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea ”

Bronto Sutopo: “The Martabe high sulfidation Au-Ag deposits, Sumatra, Indonesia ”  

Ben Jones: “Antapaccay Porphyry Cu-Au deposit: A product of Andean tectonism and evolving magmatism, late Eocene-early Oligocene Abancay Batholith, Altiplano, southern Peru ”

Poster presentations were given by Adam Bath, Ana Liza Cuison, Heidi Pass , Abhisit Salam and Wojciech Zukowski. 

Pre- and post conference field trips which attracted CODES students included:  ‘Roots of a pluton and porphyry copper system, Pima District, Arizona’ and ‘Laramide porphyry copper systems and superimposed Tertiary extension: A life-cycle approach to the Globe-Superior-Ray Area’.

(L-R) Oral presenters were given by CODES postgraduate students Bronto Sutopo and Jacqueline Blackwell; Ore & Orogenesis field trip to the Ray- porphyry system, Laramide District.

Geochemistry of Mine Wastes: Given by leading Australian environmental geochemist Associate Professor Bernd Lottermoser, and Dr. Niels Munksgaard of James Cook University, Cairns. This two-day course included a review of key concepts in the field of environmental geochemistry, and an examination of key remedial techniques and management options, as well as a review of current ANZECC legislation.

 

 

Fund-raising programmes

The student chapter has organized a number of fund-raising events, both to raise money for field excursions and organization of shortcourses, but also as social events to promote and sustain a sense of community within CODES outside of the working environment.

March – Bowling Evening: 40 participants of staff members, students and their families. This event was hosted locally, with prizes for best (and worst) performances on the night, as well as prizes for the highest scoring junior player.

 

(L-R) Dr. Julie Hunt and Nathan Fox aiming for strikes; Joe Moye, Wojtek Zukowski and Heidi Pass all bowled out towards the end of the evening.

Geology and Wine Evening: Following on from the Student Chapter Lecture “Viticulture, Terroir and Wine Tasting” a range of Australian wines were available for tasting with a local wine expert on-hand to provide guidance on the correct wine-tasting etiquette. All wines (with exclusively designed CODES SEG Student Chapter 2007 labels) were available for purchase, raising significant funds for the CODES SEG Student Chapter.

(L-R) Anita Parbhakar and Nathan Fox with local wine expert Joe Giedl deciding on the correct amount to pour for a ‘taster’; Professor Ross Large donating CODES wines to the evening and giving an accompanying address.

June – Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Hydrology and Geochronology Icebreaker: 20 participants attended this event which included a wine tasting competition, which was won by visiting SEG Thayer Lindsley Lecturer Dr. Jamie Wilkinson.  Additional catering (including a BBQ) and soirees were organized for this master’s course. 

 

(L-R) Several CODES postgraduate participants on the Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Hydrology and Geochronology masters course coordinated by Dr. Tony Webster; The wine-tasting ice-breaker held at the start of this course.

August – Quiz Night: Hosted by Professor Tony Crawford, >50 participants from the department formed 10 teams, competing in this general knowledge quiz event. Questions ranged from sport, general knowledge, staff identification to foreign music. A new range of SEG wines were unveiled, with substantial funds raised.