Geoscience
Mineral systematics
This project involves investigations in many Australian mineral localities. It includes:
- visiting the localities to map the geology and document the mineral formation with photography and GPS coordinates.
- collecting a range of samples from each locality for good statistical results.
- using a binocular microscope to record the mineral's crystal forms, associations and relationship to hostrocks.
- analysing separated mineral grains with a scanning electron microscope and/or electron microprobe, and using X-ray diffraction to identify the mineral species.
- This project includes work on potential new minerals.
Principal investigators: Dr Ian Graham, Ross Pogson and David Colchester (Australian Museum), Dr Dioni Cendon (University of Wollongong), Professor Peter Williams (University of Western Sydney).
Smoky Quartz. Blue Hill, near Oberon, New South Wales. Photo: S Humphreys © Australian Museum.
Smoky Quartz. Blue Hill, near Oberon, New South Wales. Photo: S Humphreys © Australian Museum.
Molybdenite. Blue Hill, near Oberon, New South Wales. Photo: S Humphreys © Australian Museum.
Ferrimolybdite. Blue Hill, near Oberon, New South Wales. Photo: S Humphreys © Australian Museum.
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