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Geology in Practice. Presidential Address Section 3, Geology, ANZAAS Meeting

Not only has it revealed the nickel potential of a vast area and stimulated unprecedented exploration activity in the search for nickel, but also, by confirming one point of similarity between the Western Australian and Canadian Archaean rocks, it has directed attention to other Archaean environments common to both, such as the acid volcanic environment with its potential for copper-zinc deposits.

In a different setting, the discovery of the first large deposits of phosphate in Australia by Broken Hill South Ltd., in 1966, near Duchess, northwest Queensland was the result of a systematic search of sedimentary basins guided by knowledge of the sedimentary, tectonic and palaeogeographic environments in which phosphate occurs elsewhere (Russell, 1967 ). When once the initial discovery confirmed the correctness of the approach and defined the locally favourable conditions more closely, several other discoveries in similar geological settings quickly followed over a wide area. Several features of the conduct of this model exploration program illustrate the valuable role that Government organizations, in this case the Bureau of Mineral Resources, and the Geological Survey of Queensland, are playing in supporting the mineral exploration activities of private companies.

The Bureau of Mineral Resources wisely maintains a reference library of drill cores and cuttings from Government-subsidized wells drilled in the search for oil and gas.

A crucial step in the investigations was the decision to examine these samples for phosphate, which subsequently was recognized. Thus, samples originally taken for one purpose proved to be of great value for an entirely different one. Having by this means identified formations with phosphate potential, the four-mile geological maps of the region were used to select specific areas where these formations outcropped. Field reconnaissance resulted in the almost immediate discovery of outcropping phosphate —a remarkable tribute both to the accuracy of the mapping of the formations and to the value of regional mapping in general.

Research Mining companies in Australia are showing increased interest in applied geological research groups to support the operating exploration teams. The principal objectives of a United States based group, but also applicable here, are neatly stated by Mitcham (1969) as:

  1. Improved or new conceptual models for various types of ore bodies and their settings.
  2. Definition of better places for deployment of exploration efforts.
  3. Improved or new data gathering techniques.
  4. Improved or new interpretive techniques.
  5. Up-grading performance of exploration personnel through educational publications, seminars and workshops.

Details for this article:

Geology in Practice

X

Author: Moye, D.G. (1970)

Article Title: Geology in Practice. Presidential Address Section 3, Geology, ANZAAS Meeting

From: Australian Journal of Science 32(12)

Other Available Articles

Engineering geology for the Snowy Mountains Scheme

Moye, D.G. (1955)

Engineering geology for the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

J.I.E.Aust., Vol. 27 No.10 pp287–298

Rock Mechanics in the Investigation and Construction of T.1 Underground Power Station, Snowy Mountains, Australia

Moye, D.G. (1958)

Rock Mechanics in the Investigation and Construction of T.1 Underground Power Station, Snowy Mountains, Australia

In Engineering Geology Case Histories No.3 123–54 Geological Society of America 69 (12) p.1617

Existence of high horizontal rock stresses in rock masses.

Moye, D.G. (1962)

Existence of high horizontal rock stresses in rock masses.

Proc. Third Australia-New Zealand Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. pp 19–22

Seismic Activity in the Snowy Mountains Region and its Relationship to Geological Structures

J. R. Cleary, H. A. Doyle, D. G. Moye (1964)

SEISMIC ACTIVITY IN THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS REGION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES

Journal of the Geological Society of Australia

Unstable rock and its treatment in the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

Moye, D.G. (1965)

Unstable rock and its treatment in the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

Proc. 8th Commonwealth Mining and Metallurgical Congress, Australia & New Zealand. Vol. 6, p. 423–441.

Diamond drilling for foundation exploration

Moye, D.G. (1967)

Diamond drilling for foundation exploration.

Paper 2150 presented at I.E.Aust. Site Investigation Symposium, September 1966. In Civil Engineering Transactions, with Discussion, April 1967.

Geology in Practice

Moye, D.G. (1970)

Geology in Practice. Presidential Address Section 3, Geology, ANZAAS Meeting.

Australian Journal of Science, 32 (12) June, p454–461.

* This paper was presented when Dan had been Director of Exploration of BHP for 3 years.

Field and Laboratory Tests in Rock Mechanics

Alexander, L. G (1960)

Field and Laboratory Tests in Rock Mechanics

Proceedings, 3rd Australian-New Zealand Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Sydney Australia, 1960, pp. 161–168.

Discussion at Technical Session No. 9—Rock Mechanics

Alexander, L. G. Moye, D. G. (1960)

Discussion at Technical Session No. 9—Rock Mechanics

Proceedings, 3rd Australian-New Zealand Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Sydney Australia, 1960, pp. 254–250