Prof. Ray Cas

Supervisor(s): Ray Cas  
Field of Study: Palaeoenvironmental analysis, provenance studies
Support Offered: Project costs
Preferred Program: Honours

The Strzelecki Group represents the fill of the (failed) continental rift basin associated with the separation of Australia from Antarctica during the break-up of the Gondwana. Southeastern Australia was located in a circum-polar setting at the time, and thus may have been subject to cold climate. The provenance of the sediments appears to be in large part volcaniclastic, raising the question of the nature of the source and effects of climate on provenance. The project will involve field mapping, graphic logging, palaeocurrent analysis, and thin section provenance studies.
For further details contact: Ray Cas.
 

Supervisor/s: Ray Cas & Laurent Ailleres

Field of Study: Physical volcanology
Support Offered: Field support, analytical costs
Preferred Program: Honours or MSc

The Newer Volcanics Province of Victoria and South Australia is the youngest volcanic province in Australia, and is still active. Some volcanoes have experienced only phreatomagmatic activity, others have experienced magmatic activity (explosive and/or lava forming) throughout activity, and others both. The project will involve the reconstruction of the eruption styles, the factors controlling eruption styles, and history of a volcano based on studying the preserved deposits. Field mapping, section logging, sampling, sieving, petrography for textural studies and mineralogy, and geochemistry to characterize the types of magmas will be involved. In addition, for those interested, study of regional geophysical data sets to use aeromagnetics, radiometrics and gravity to assess the regional framework of the field area and as first order mapping tool for lavas and eruption centres (you don’t have to be a geophysical wiz kid for this!) can be used. And there’s more!! Gravity and magnetic surveys can be undertaken to model the subsurface structure of the vent system of some volcanoes. More than one project in the NVP may be available.
For further details contact: Ray Cas.
 

Supervisor/s: Ray Cas 

Field of study: Physical volcanology, petrology, geochemistry
Support Offered: Field support, analytical costs
Preferred Program: Honours or MSc

A succession of Eocene lavas and apparently some pyroclastics is very well exposed along the coastline around Flinders and Phillip Island. Although some petrological work was done on these many decades ago, little is known about their volcanological characteristics. This project provides an opportunity to undertake new research. It will involve field mapping, section logging, petrography and geochemistry, with a view to developing a better understanding of the relatively poorly known “Older Volcanics”. One or two projects.
For further details contact: Ray Cas.
 

Supervisor/s: Rick Squire & Ray Cas 

Field of study: Volcanology, sedimentology, geochemisty, tectonics
Support Offered: All travel, field, analytical and thesis-preparation costs
Vacation employment: at the Agnew Gold Mine (possible)
Collaborating organisation/s: Agnew Gold Mine (Gold Fields Australia)
Preferred Program:  Honours

The Agnew region of Western Australia contains several high-grade gold deposits hosted by the highly metalliferous Archaean volcanic-sedimentary and granitic rock successions, yet the controls on the distribution of these spectacularly enriched lodes remains unclear. This multidisciplinary project will investigate the three-dimensional stratigraphic and structural architecture of the rock succession, and assess the age and nature of the hydrothermal alteration associated with mineralisation. Results of this research will be used by exploration geologists at Agnew to target new high-grade ore shoots. Gold Fields is one of the largest gold producers in the world and the Agnew Gold Mine is among their most-profitable operations. Vacation employment may be offered as part of this project, enabling the student to familiarize themselves with the rocks and the region prior to commencement of the Honours year.
For further details contact: Rick Squire or Ray Cas.
 

Supervisor/s: Rick Squire & Ray Cas 

Field of study: Volcanology, sedimentology, structural geology and tectonics
Support Offered: All travel, field, analytical and thesis-preparation costs
Vacation employment: at the St Ives Gold Mine

Collaborating organisation/s: St Ives Gold Mine (Gold Fields Australia)
Preferred Program:  Honours

The Kambalda region is a world famous, highly mineralised part of the Eastern Goldfields Province, of the Archaean Yilgarn Craton. The submarine succession ranges from komatiites to basalts, intercalated hemi-pelagic sediments, the more felsic Black Flag Group, and the “Late Basin” Merougil Beds. Until recently, the uppermost part of the stratigraphy was considered barren of gold and thus one of the few unprospective parts of the Archaean successions. However, the recent discovery of several new deposits hosted by widespread volcaniclastic successions of the Black Falg Group in the St Ives District has triggered a dramatic escalation in exploration activity and research. This multidisciplinary project will investigate the volcanic, magmatic and stratigraphic architecture of the Kambalda stratigraphy, or parts thereof. The results of this work will be vital in assisting local exploration geologists to target new deposits in this world-class gold and nickel terrane. Vacation employment may be offered as part of this project, enabling the student to familiarize themselves with the rocks and the region prior to commencement of the Honours year.
For further details contact: Rick Squire or Ray Cas.