Intro: An exciting part of being a PhD student is being surrounded by new ideas and technology that pushes forward your field of study. On an undergraduate geology field trip to Freycinet National Park, Tasmania, I was part of a team in conjunction with our new TMVC hub (i.e. ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub, Transforming
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Intro: Sometimes it is hard to believe certain rock formations are natural… and this is definitely the case with a place in Tasmania called the Tessellated Pavement. It is named this due to the tessellated (i.e. tiled-like) appearance of the rocks along the water. This little tourist spot is near Eaglehawk Neck, on the way
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Intro: There are some people, known as mineral collectors, that hunt for the most unique and beautiful mineral specimens in the world… and Tasmania has two of these world renowned and highly sought-after minerals in our own backyard; crocoite and stichtite. Minerals are naturally occurring substances that make up rocks. Geologists (specifically mineralogists) study and
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Intro: Tasmania sure does pack-a-punch when it comes to geological oddities. One of the strangest I would argue is the bizarre spotted granites on the west coast. Clustered within certain areas of the granite are orbs containing tourmaline, quartz and other minerals. The sight of them is spectacular, and their formation is still enigmatic! We
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Intro: When in Peru, do what the tourists do, right? Well, most tourists aren’t on the tail end of a several week intensive geology short course on ore deposits and mines of Chile and Peru I guess… but I still had to do it. Machu Picchu is considered one of the 7 Wonders of the
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Intro: While Chile may be well-endowed in giant copper mines, Peru has a more golden-flavour to its country-side. After my travels in Chile we flew to the northern Peruvian region of Cajamarca. The main town is also called Cajamarca (which is the place where they killed the last Inca). From here it was off to the
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Intro: Chile is one of the best countries in the world for geology and metal deposits. It’s elongated western margin is bounded by an earthquake-inducing, mountain-building and ore deposit-forming subduction zone! I recently took part in a field course run by our university that explored the northern-region of the country where the Atacama desert and some
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Intro: There is something special about mountains when you are a geologist (i.e. a person who spends a good chunk of the time thinking about rocks). Their prominent peaks seem to allure and beg to be reached. Growing up in Canada I’m used to being surrounded by gorgeous glacier-caped mountain. Sadly, these are missing in Australia. However,
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Intro: Unsuspectingly lurking next to the massive metropolis of Melbourne, Australia, is a region of young and active volcanoes! This volcanic province covers an area >23,000 km in the southern state of Victoria. The volcanoes here are dormant, but still active, with the last eruption ~5000 years ago at Mt. Gambier. The landscape is flat
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Intro: An island off an island off an island; welcome to Maria! I recently jumped aboard the opportunity to go on a weekend field excursion run by Geological Association of Australia (GSA) and the university to this wonderful little island off the east coast of Tasmania, Australia. The whole island is a protected national park,
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