Student research projects

PhD projects: The formation of gold deposits in ductile shear zones

These two PhD projects are supported by two West Australian gold mining companies who are offering a scholarship top-up of $12,000/year (on top of the University of Melbourne scholarship of ~$39,000/year) and additional money for research costs. This project seeks to understand how the processes that occur in shear zones form gold deposits with a focus on a gold deposit in the Yilgarn Craton. This is predominantly a structural geology project and the methods will include field work, structural observations and measurements in drill core, 3D computed tomography, and microstructural analysis. There will also be petrography, geochronology and possibly some advanced analytical work, such as numerical modelling or detailed work at the Australian Synchrotron. Training will be provided in all necessary techniques, but a basic understanding of structural geology is needed

Masters project: Gold distribution in the Youanmi gold deposit, Yilgarn Craton 

This project is supported by Rox Resources who are offering a scholarship of $10,000/year and will cover all research costs. This project will determine where gold occurs within the Youanmi gold deposit both in terms of the where gold occurs within minerals (e.g., as inclusions, in fractures, on boundaries) as well as understanding the micro/structural sites that host high gold grade. To determine this the student will use a range of methods including microprobe, scanning electron microscopy, 3D Xray computed tomography and microscopy. Field work at the mine site is optional, but a short visit would be advantageous; the mine is in a beautiful outback location with excellent facilities. Training will be provided in all necessary techniques.