I plunged headfirst into a commitment to post a picture from my research once a day for 100 days, beginning on the first day of semester two, 2021.

Melanie Finch

The career of an academic is filled with peaks and troughs. We have periods where we're rolling in grant funds, and then many years of no funding. We have high impact papers accepted with minor revisions, and then a string of rejections.

100 days of geoscience

The transition to a low-carbon / below-zero-emissions future presents many challenges for the industries "behind the scenes" that provide the raw materials for the innovative technical solutions that will become a part of our everyday lives.

Louis Moresi

There is a rapidly growing demand for the \"**critical metals\"** that
are needed electronics  and ultra-strong magnets but there is also a
huge demand for the bronze-age staple, **copper**, which we need for all
the transmission wires, motor windings and transformers of our
electrified, low-carbon economy.

Dietmar Müller, Jo Condon, Julian Diaz, and Rohitash Chandra explain how
the [EarthByte](https://www.earthbyte.org/?ref=geo-down-under.org.au)
research group\'s virtual Earth lets us look deep below the surface and
travel back in time. One of its many applications is to understand where
copper deposits have formed along mountain belts.

<figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card">
<a
href="https://theconversation.com/travelling-through-deep-time-to-find-copper-for-a-clean-energy-future-163822?ref=geo-down-under.org.au"
class="kg-bookmark-container"></a>
<div class="kg-bookmark-content">
<div class="kg-bookmark-title">
Travelling through deep time to find copper for a clean energy future
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-description">
Using geology and AI, a virtual model of how the Earth’s tectonic plates
have evolved can help reveal deposits of copper.
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-metadata">
<img
src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static/tc/@theconversation/ui/dist/esm/logos/web-app-logo-192x192-e99834e3a7a551050e9debe6cc925617.png"
class="kg-bookmark-icon" /><span class="kg-bookmark-author">The
Conversation</span><span class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Dietmar
Müller</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail">
<img
src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/410519/original/file-20210709-27-mocuom.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C10%2C3445%2C1722&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1356&amp;h=668&amp;fit=crop" />
</div>
</figure>

The peer-reviewed, research paper behind this article can be found here:

<figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card">
<a
href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169136821003267?ref=geo-down-under.org.au"
class="kg-bookmark-container"></a>
<div class="kg-bookmark-content">
<div class="kg-bookmark-title">
Predicting the emplacement of Cordilleran porphyry copper systems using
a spatio-temporal machine learning model
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-description">
Porphyry copper (Cu) systems occur along magmatic belts derived in
subduction zones. Our current understanding of their formation is
restricted to obs…
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-metadata">
<img
src="https://sdfestaticassets-eu-west-1.sciencedirectassets.com/shared-assets/13/images/favSD.ico"
class="kg-bookmark-icon" /><span class="kg-bookmark-author">The Qinglong
antimony deposit is located in the Nanpanjiang (Youjiang) basin, South
China. The role of organic matter in antimony mineralisation is often
discussed due to hydrocarbon gases within inclusions of antimony
deposits, which have been detected since the 1990s. However, as no
macroscopic or mass organic material has been discovered, the origin of
such hydrocarbon gases and their potential relation to mineralisation
remain unclear. The discovery of the Qinglong palaeo-oil reservoir has
provided a new opportunity for further study of the relationship between
organic matter and antimony mineralisation. Five samples of bitumen from
the palaeo-oil reservoir and seven samples of Devonian source rocks from
the northern part of an antimony mine were analysed for organic
elements, total organic carbon, chloroform bitumen ‘A’ and its group
compositions, bitumen/vitrinite reflectance (Rb/Ro), biomarkers, carbon
isotopes, and Rock-Eval pyrolysis. Kerogen microscopy and rare earth
elements (REEs) analysis were also performed on the Devonian source
rocks samples. Finally, seven samples of pyrite coexisting with bitumen
in the palaeo-oil reservoir were analysed using stable sulphur isotope
analysis.Results show that the Devonian source rocks are rich in organic
matter, yet it is well known that few residual organic matters are
capable of continuing hydrocarbon generation after strong thermal
evolution. Both the palaeo-oil reservoir and source rocks are found to
have the same source of parent material and belong to the same mixed
type of kerogen, and have reached the over-mature stage. The ratio of
pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) and the gammacerane index (Ga/C30H) indicate
that the source rocks were formed in a reductive brackish water
sedimentary environment, with a parameter nearly the same as that of the
palaeo-oil reservoir. The palaeo-oil reservoir samples are highly
consistent with the source rocks in terms of the source and type of
organic matter, as well as the sedimentary environment, thermal
maturity, normal alkanes, key fingerprint parameters, and grey relevancy
degree of REEs. In addition, the carbon isotopes (δ13C) of bitumen range
from − 28.75‰ to − 30.23‰, with an average of − 29.45‰, while those of
the source rocks vary from − 25.20‰ to − 28.56‰, with an average
of − 27.06‰, which are consistent with each other in the range of carbon
isotope fractionation generated by the thermal evolution of organic
matter. Therefore, it is determined that the palaeo-oil reservoir was
derived from the Devonian oil-source rocks.The sulphur isotopes (δ34S)
of pyrite associated with bitumen in the palaeo-oil reservoir have a
relatively narrow range (−1.9‰ to 3.1‰, average 0.97‰), which are very
close to those of sulphides in the mineralisation period of the gold and
antimony deposits. We believe that the sulphur needed for mineralisation
was mainly derived from hydrocarbon fluids in the basin and speculate
that the palaeo-oil and hydrocarbon gases formed by thermal cracking and
then served as a reducing agent to convert SO42− in the oilfield brine
into reduced sulphur (S2−/HS−) through the thermochemical sulphate
reduction (TSR) reaction. It is found that although the Qinglong
palaeo-oil reservoir did not contribute Sb to the deposit (existing Sb
was instead found to be from the Dachang member and its overlying
basalt), it did, however, provided a reductive metallogenic environment
and contributed a relatively large amount of reduced sulphur (S2−/HS−)
to participate the mineralisation.Deep learning (DL) algorithms have a
strong ability to recognize high-level features in geochemical
exploration data and have been widely employed for the recognition of
multivariate geochemical anomalies linked to mineralization. In this
study, the adversarially learned anomaly detection (ALAD) algorithm, an
improved generative adversarial network (GAN), was employed to detect
multivariate geochemical anomalies related to mineralization. Compared
with other unsupervised deep learning algorithms, ALAD significantly
improves anomaly detection performance by combining the advantages of
deep variational autoencoder and generative adversarial network. Various
experiments were performed to construct a well-designed network
structure to process high-dimensional geochemical data to identify
geochemical anomalies linked to tungsten (W) polymetallic mineralization
in the south of Jiangxi Province of China. The extracted geochemical
anomalies have a high spatial distribution correction with the locations
of the discovered W polymetallic mineralization. Both the area under the
receiver operating characteristic curve and the prediction-area plot
indicate a good performance of the ALAD model. Furthermore, the
extracted geochemical anomalies are spatially correlated with granites
which control the spatial distribution of W polymetallic mineralization.
These observations indicate that, as an unsupervised deep learning
algorithm, ALAD is useful for detecting geochemical anomalies associated
with mineralization.A till geochemistry and indicator mineral (IM) study
was carried out in the South Range of the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC)
to develop surficial mineral exploration techniques that are suitable
for low sulfide, high precious metal (LSHPM) and massive sulfide
Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization. Surficial exploration in this region is
problematic because of heterogeneous till deposits overlain by
glaciolacustrine sediments, a naturally high surficial geochemical
background, and a paucity of undisturbed till for geochemical sampling
due to mining-related operations. The Vermilion and Crean Hill deposits
were selected for this case study because their geology and mineralogy
have been extensively studied. Pathfinder elements that show a strong,
positive (r2 &gt; 0.6, n = 120) correlation with ore elements Ni, Cu, Au
and PGEs (Pt, Pd, Ru, Rh, and Ir), which are derived from mineralization
and present in elevated concentrations in till samples overlying
mineralization are As, Bi, Co, Cr, Pb, Sb and Te. Ore minerals that
survive glacial transport and post-glacial weathering and are the best
indicators of Ni-Cu-PGE-Au mineralization are grains of gold,
chalcopyrite, and sperrylite, predominantly recovered from the &lt;
0.25 mm pan concentrate fraction of till. Despite challenges, this study
has identified new exploration targets that warrant further
investigation and demonstrates that till geochemistry and IM methods can
be used to explore for Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization in established mining
camps.Carbonaceous debris (i.e., CD), dispersed organic matter (i.e.,
DOM) within sandstones, has been studied in the Shuanglong uranium
deposit of the southern Ordos Basin, northern China. Relations of
uranium enrichment and organic matter (i.e., OM) were investigated
through maceral analyses, proximate analysis, vitrinite reflectance
measurements, and morphology analyses of uranium minerals. The results
show that CD widely distributed in sandstones, is associated with pyrite
and uranium minerals. Macerals are mostly composed of telinite,
collotelinite, collodetrinite, semifusinite, and inertodetrinite,
including that collotelinite is dominant (contents more than 60%). The
CD is at the stage of medium coalification, and is of low moisture, high
ash, high volatile matter, medium fixed carbon, and high sulfur. Uranium
occurs in uranium minerals (i.e., pitchblende and coffinite) and
amorphous uranium. Moreover, uranium minerals partly or completely
replace macerals. Statistical analyses show that porous inertinite and
higher organic matter maturity is more advantageous to uranium
enrichment. Additionally, uranium is unevenly distributed in macerals
along certain directions, which is related to the physicochemical
properties of macerals. Porous inertinite could provide channel for
uranium-bearing fluid migration and space for uranium preconcentration.
The CD at the stage of gas coal is of reducibility to be favorable for
the forming of uranium minerals. Moreover, the relative atomic content
of uranium (IV) increases with the increasing organic matter maturity.
Uranium-bearing fluid could permeate into macerals under certain
physical and chemical conditions, and react, i.e., adsorption followed
by reduction. It is beneficial to comprehend the mechanism of uranium
mineralization, providing certain guides for prospection.The
Hegenshan-Heihe Suture (HHS) is regarded as the collision boundary
between the Erguna-Xing’an and Songnen Blocks at the eastern segment of
the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). However, the convergent
processes associated with these two blocks are still controversial due
to the lack of definitive geological evidence (i.e., ophiolites,
accretionary prisms), which leads to a poor understanding of the
relevant metallogenic setting. This paper provides new geophysical
constraints on the lithospheric structures of the northern HHS from
Dashizhai to Heihe. By the comprehensive interpretation of two parallel
deep seismic profiles, the Qiqihaer-Chaihe profile and the newly
acquired Duobaoshan profile, the configuration of the
subduction-trench-arc-back-arc systems are studied. The subducted
continental margin of the Songnen Block is recognized by a set of
westward dipping reflections with an apparent dip angle of 20 to 25°,
while the accretion complex with a lateral extension of more than 70 km
is inferred as an area of short reflections with a westward tendency.
The magmatic arc belts and the back-arc area have a quite different
seismic reflection patterns. The former are recognized by inverted
triangular-shaped transparent reflections, while the latter is featured
by arched reflections as clusters. They are bounded by a set of
remarkable inclined reflections from the topmost crust to the bottom of
the middle crust. It is inferred that the final subduction relict of the
northern HHS went through Qiqihaer to the west of Sunwu. Magmatic arc
belts forming over two stages are recognized to be located to the west
of the subduction relict, and they have a consistent distribution with
the magnetic anomaly. A detailed model of the formation of the northern
HHS is proposed, which includes two stages of westward oceanic
subduction and the final collision.The Hongtaiping Cu polymetallic
deposit in Yanbian area (NE China) is located in the tectonic junction
between the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt and the North China
Craton. Two mineralization types are identified at the Hongtaiping
deposit, i.e., stratiform mineralization hosted in the pyroclastic rocks
of the Middle Permian Miaoling Formation (Fm.) and the quartz-sulfide
vein-type mineralization controlled by fractures. To determine temporal
and genetic relations between the two mineralization types, sulfide
Rb–Sr dating and in-situ LA–ICP–MS trace element analysis were
conducted. Seven sulfide samples from stratiform orebodies yielded a
Rb–Sr isochron age of 268.3 ± 2.6 Ma, which is similar to the reported
zircon U–Pb age of ore-hosting pyroclastic rocks of the Miaoling Fm.,
suggesting that the stratiform mineralization was syngenetic. The
initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of these sulfide samples show value of
0.7102–0.7103 (average of 0.7103), implying a major crustal origin, with
certain mantle-derived input, for the ore-forming materials of the
stratiform mineralization. Sulfides from the stratiform and vein-type
ores have distinct trace elemental features. High Co/Ni ratio and low Se
content in pyrite, and high Sn content and low Zn content in
chalcopyrite reflect high temperature and vice versa. In the pyrite from
stratiform and vein-type ores, average Se contents are 19.72 ppm and
9.70 ppm, and average Co/Ni ratios are 0.20 and 2.46, respectively.
Whilst in the chalcopyrite from stratiform and vein-type ores, average
Sn contents are 2.49 ppm and 60.31 ppm and average Zn contents are
346.55 ppm and 236.17 ppm, respectively, indicating that the temperature
of the stratiform mineralization is lower than that of the vein-type
mineralization. Integrating the geological and geochronological features
of the two types of mineralization and wall rocks, as well as trace
element compositions of the sulfides, we inferred that the stratiform
mineralization at the Hongtaiping deposit can be classified as
volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS)-type, associated with the Middle
Permian submarine volcanism caused by the subduction of the Paleo-Asian
Ocean. The vein-type mineralization was likely related to the Late
Triassic felsic magmatism. In a word, two-phase mineralization implies
the VMS-hydrothermal reworking-type for the Hongtaiping
deposit.</span><span class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Author links open
overlay panelJulianDiaz-RodriguezaR.
DietmarMülleraRohitashChandrabc</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail">
<img
src="https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0169136821003267-ga1.jpg" />
</div>
</figure>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

### Worried about the side-effects of mining for copper ? {#worried-about-the-side-effects-of-mining-for-copper}

<figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card">
<a
href="https://theconversation.com/clean-energy-the-worlds-demand-for-copper-could-be-catastrophic-for-communities-and-environments-157872?ref=geo-down-under.org.au"
class="kg-bookmark-container"></a>
<div class="kg-bookmark-content">
<div class="kg-bookmark-title">
Clean energy? The world’s demand for copper could be catastrophic for
communities and environments
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-description">
Unless mining is done differently, rushing to bring copper mines into
production could unleash unacceptable, catastrophic impacts.
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-metadata">
<img
src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static/tc/@theconversation/ui/dist/esm/logos/web-app-logo-192x192-e99834e3a7a551050e9debe6cc925617.png"
class="kg-bookmark-icon" /><span class="kg-bookmark-author">The
Conversation</span><span class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Deanna
Kemp</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail">
<img
src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393711/original/file-20210407-17-p4pcgb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=50%2C613%2C5615%2C2808&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1356&amp;h=668&amp;fit=crop" />
</div>
</figure>

<figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card kg-card-hascaption">
<a
href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02222-1?ref=geo-down-under.org.au"
class="kg-bookmark-container"></a>
<div class="kg-bookmark-content">
<div class="kg-bookmark-title">
Electric cars and batteries: how will the world produce enough?
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-description">
Reducing the use of scarce metals — and recycling them — will be key to
the world’s transition to electric vehicles.
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-metadata">
<img
src="https://www.nature.com/static/images/favicons/nature/apple-touch-icon.f39cb19454.png"
class="kg-bookmark-icon" /><span
class="kg-bookmark-author">Nature</span><span
class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Davide Castelvecchi</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail">
<img
src="https://media.nature.com/lw1024/magazine-assets/d41586-021-02222-1/d41586-021-02222-1_19561192.jpg" />
</div>
<figcaption>-</figcaption>
</figure>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Editor**: [Louis
Moresi](https://www.geo-down-under.org.au/author/louis)


There is a rapidly growing demand for the "
<strong>
 critical metals"
</strong>
that are needed electronics  and ultra-strong magnets but there is also a huge demand for the bronze-age staple,
<strong>
 copper
</strong>
, which we need for all the transmission wires, motor windings and transformers of our electrified, low-carbon economy.

Metals for an Electrifying Future

This isn’t a painting or a stained-glass window — it’s a microscope image of light shining through the Earth’s mantle (image from the author, Heather Handley)

Heather Handley

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Volcanic activity is a constant global threat. It’s estimated over 1 billion people live within the potential, direct impact range of volcanic eruptions. Just recently, lava flows from the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, a volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo, killed 32 people, with many more missing.

Photos from the field: the stunning crystals revealing deep secrets about Australian volcanoes

Rare Earth Elements are critical for low-carbon transport and energy generation. What are they, how do we find them and extract them ?

Geo ★ Down Under Contributors

On a quest for critical metal resources that are required for our
electric, low carbon future, what are the challenges we face ?  In two
recent talks, economic geologists Simon Jowitt (UNLV) and John
Mavrogenes (ANU) gave their perspectives on what we need to do to find
the *Rare Earth Elements* that we are going to need.

### Simon Jowitt: Mining will save the world

*\"Climate change mitigation will require a significant decrease in the
CO2 emissions associated with transport and energy generation. However,
the material requirements for this transition are often neglected when
developing plans and policy around combating climate change. In reality,
moving to a low-CO2 future will require significant (in some cases
\>500%) increases in production of key minerals and metals beyond the
record levels of production the mining industry has already achieved,
even if we can also increase the recycling of these commodities. This
presentation will outline the mineral requirements for a low CO2 future,
why meaningful climate change mitigation will necessarily rely on the
raw materials supplied by the minerals industry, and what implications
this might have for the future of mining.\"*

<figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card kg-card-hascaption">
<div class="iframe">
<div id="player">

</div>
<div class="player-unavailable">
<h1 id="ein-fehler-ist-aufgetreten." class="message">Ein Fehler ist
aufgetreten.</h1>
<div class="submessage">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-f1Du9oBWY"
target="_blank">Sieh dir dieses Video auf www.youtube.com an</a> oder
aktiviere JavaScript, falls es in deinem Browser deaktiviert sein
sollte.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<figcaption>Simon Jowitt of UNLV tells us why mining will save the
world`</figcaption>
</figure>

<figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card kg-card-hascaption">
<blockquote>
<p>Nice visualisation of some inherent issues involved in understanding
where we get our metals from and the material flows involved in the
minerals industry by my postdoc Brian McNulty <a
href="https://twitter.com/UNLVGeoscience?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&amp;ref=geo-down-under.org.au">@UNLVGeoscience</a>.
Some interesting differences in Cu and Ni mine vs smelter/refined metal…
<a
href="https://t.co/Z91J0c4PO8?ref=geo-down-under.org.au">pic.twitter.com/Z91J0c4PO8</a></p>
<p>— Dr. Simon Jowitt (@The_Jow) <a
href="https://twitter.com/The_Jow/status/1404498952288751619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&amp;ref=geo-down-under.org.au">June
14, 2021</a></p>
</blockquote>
<figcaption>Some more background information </figcaption>
</figure>

### John Mavrogenes: How are Rare Earth Element Deposits made ? {#john-mavrogenes-how-are-rare-earth-element-deposits-made}

*\"The Rare Earth Elements (REE) are much more than geochemical tracers.
Increasing industrial demands make them important drivers of green
technologies. Of their many uses, high temperature magnets and batteries
will insure demand increases rapidly over coming decades. The western
economies dependent on REE are seeking to diversify source deposits and
countries, thus exploration is ramping up. I will review the existing
REE deposits and explain their link to peralkaline and carbonatite
complexes. I will then discuss features that appear to be hydrothermal
and review what we know about REE solubilities in solution and how
hydrothermal REE might form. Finally, I will discuss the possibilities
of purely hydrothermal REE deposits, review existing models suggest how
they may be improved.\"*

<figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card kg-card-hascaption">
<div class="iframe">
<div id="player">

</div>
<div class="player-unavailable">
<h1 id="ein-fehler-ist-aufgetreten." class="message">Ein Fehler ist
aufgetreten.</h1>
<div class="submessage">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcDhiCyW_Cw"
target="_blank">Sieh dir dieses Video auf www.youtube.com an</a> oder
aktiviere JavaScript, falls es in deinem Browser deaktiviert sein
sollte.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<figcaption>John Mavrogenes of ANU explains "How to Make a Rare Earth
Element Deposit"`</figcaption>
</figure>

### Background on Rare Earth Elements

<figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card">
<a href="https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/ree?ref=geo-down-under.org.au"
class="kg-bookmark-container"></a>
<div class="kg-bookmark-content">
<div class="kg-bookmark-title">
The Geological Society of London - Rare Earth Elements
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-description">
The Rare Earth Elements (REE) are a group of seventeen metallic
elements. Their use in high-tech applications such as plasma screens,
electronics, medical imaging and low carbon technologies including wind
turbines and hybrid vehicles has led global demand to increase by more
than 50% in the la…
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-metadata">
<img src="https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/favicon.ico"
class="kg-bookmark-icon" />
</div>
</div>
<div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail">
<img
src="https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/~/media/09A18501AB86430B9251EE4D22F41407.ashx" />
</div>
</figure>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

### Edited by

Louis Moresi (Updated June 15, 2021)


On a quest for critical metal resources that are required for our electric, low carbon future, what are the challenges we face ?  In two recent talks, economic geologists Simon Jowitt (UNLV) and John Mavrogenes (ANU) gave their perspectives on what we need to do to find the
<em>
 Rare Earth Elements
</em>
that we are going to need.

Messaggi di Rogue Scholar

100 days of geoscience

Metals for an Electrifying Future

Photos from the field: the stunning crystals revealing deep secrets about Australian volcanoes

Earth science on a quest for critical metals