The Tenth International Mining Geology Conference, being presented jointly by AusIMM and AIG, will be held in Hobart from 20-22 September.
The conference includes a number of pre-and post-conference excursions and workshops, details of which are available from the conference web site.
With just two months to go, please consider registering now. AIG members have access to a dedicated registration link (hosted by AusIMM).
Full details are available from the conference web site.
Keynote Speakers Announced
The AIG Council is working to better communicate AIG’s purpose to both members and the broader community. The images are to be used in electronic and print communications, and at conferences and seminars.
What do you think? Is there anything that needs to be added? Let us know by adding a comment to this page or by email.
The Society of Exploration Geophysicists is bringing its 2017 Distinguished Short Course (DISC) programme to Australia.
Traveling worldwide, the SEG Distinguished Instructor Short Course (DISC) is an eight hour, one-day short course on a topic of current and wide-spread interest.
The 2017 DISC course covers Fundamentals and Applications of Electromagnetic Geophysics. Local case histories pertaining to problems in resource exploration, including oil and gas, minerals, water, environmental, and geotechnical areas will be used as motivation for investigating fundamentals of electromagnetics. The aim of this course is to equip participants with sufficient fundamental understanding and resources about EM geophysics so that they can decide if an EM technique can help solve their problem, select which type of survey to employ, and set realistic expectations for what information can be gleaned.
Perth: 28 July
Adelaide: August 3
Brisbane: August 8
A webinar session will also be presented.
All past DISC courses can also be listed to on-line. Click here for more information.
AIG commends SEG on this great initiative.
Applications for 2017 AIG Student Bursaries are now open.
Third year, Honours and Postgraduate geoscience students are invited to apply for an AIG Student Bursary.
Applications for this year’s program close on Friday 4th August.
The South Australian branches of AIG, ASEG, AusIMM, GSA and SACOME, with principal supporters Department of the Premier and Cabinet and Paydirt, invite you to the 2017 South Australian Exploration and Mining Conference
This year’s conference will be held Friday, 8th December, 2017. Check the AIG Events Calendar for details and pre- and post-conference events.
The Geological Survey of New South Wales is seeking a Geoscience Data Administrator and a Geoscience Solutions Architect / Developer.
Geoscience Data Administrator
https://iworkfor.nsw.gov.au/job/geoscience-database-administrator-79004
Geoscience Solution Architect/Developer
https://iworkfor.nsw.gov.au/job/geoscience-solution-architect-78742
Interested? Apply now. Applications close 30th July, 2017
AIG regrets to inform members of the passing of Dr Phillip Playford AO.
Dr Playford passed away 12.07.2017, aged 85. He will be remembered as an enthusiastic geologist, historian and explorer. He was born and grew up in Western Australia and held a B.Sc.(Hons) in geology and an Honorary D.Sc. from the University of Western Australia, and a Ph.D. from Stanford University. He attended Stanford as a Fulbright Scholar.
Dr Playford had a career with both government and the oil exploration industry, wass a former Director of the Geological Survey of WA, and was well known through his many publications and lectures on the geology and history of the State. He was particularly renowned for his work on the Devonian reef complexes of the Canning Basin and geology of the Shark Bay area, and as a primary discoverer of the Zuytdorp wreck, the first Dutch wreck to be found and identified in Western Australia. His book “Carpet of Silver; The wreck of the Zuytdorp” received a Premier’s prize for literature, and another, “Voyage of discovery to Terra Australis by Willem de Vlamingh in 1696-97”, was short listed for a Premier’s award. In 2003 he set up the Cape Inscription Committee, to restore the Lighthouse Keepers’ Quarters at Cape Inscription and hold a major international event there in 2016 to mark the 400th anniversary of Dirk Hartog’s landing.
Phil was recognised as an Honorary Associate of the Geological Survey and the WA Museum, a Fellow of the Geological Society of Australia, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. Among the honours he has received are the Lewis G Weeks Gold Medal of The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, a Special Commendation Award of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Gibb Maitland Medal of the Geological Society of Australia, and the Medal of the Royal Society of WA.
In 1998 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his contributions to knowledge of the geology and history of Australia.
AIG respectfully extends condolences to Dr Playford’s family and many friends.
Dune having covered coastal access road just north of Green Head, Western Australia
A Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) report has identified that migrating sand dunes, up to 4 km wide and 20 m high, pose potential threats to roads, homes and infrastructure in the State’s Mid West.
While the report – Migration of Limesand Dunes in Western Australia and Their Impacts – has just been released, the information has already been presented to a number of State and Local Government agencies.
DMP Project Manager Mike Freeman, a key contributor to the report, has stressed that mobile dunes move very slowly over many years, but could cause serious problems if not monitored and kept in check.
DMP has presented the information and engaged with Local Government authorities in the Mid West, including the Shires of Gingin, Dandaragan, Coorow, Carnamah and Irwin, and the City of Greater Geraldton.
Find out more from the WA DMP web site.
Mineral enthusiasts can have their fill with the latest issue of the Australian Journal of Mineralogy (AJM).
The Journal is a joint publication of the State Mineralogical Societies in Australia, and is now under new management in WA. After a two-year hiatus, a new issue of the journal (Volume 18, Number 1) was released in June. It contains four featured articles on Australian localities, a summary of recent mineralogical discoveries in the land of Oz, as well as other items of mineralogical interest and news on upcoming events. With 72 pages of lavishly illustrated articles and colour photographs, it’s a must-have for all with an interest in Australian mineralogy!
In the first of four featured articles Bob Noble recounts part of the early prospecting history of the Kalgoorlie gold rush and the discovery of the fabulous Golden Mile deposit by Sam Pearce from the Adelaide Prospecting Syndicate. The Golden Mile is the world’s largest and richest known Archean gold lode system and contains the world’s largest endowment and diversity of telluride minerals. This is followed by a description, by Greg Jorgensen and colleagues, of a new locality for fine crystals of wulfenite (featured on the cover). These were recovered from the Penny West gold mine near Youanmi in the central Yilgarn Craton. The suite of secondary minerals from this mine also included the first occurrence of bushmakinite in Australia and Penny West is only the third locality in the world where it has been found. These specimens of wulfenite are possibly the finest found in the State after those from the Whim Creek mine in the Pilbara. The third featured article is a history of the Northampton mineral field that is situated near the coast approximately 450 km north of Perth. The discovery of galena there in October 1848 sparked WA’s first mining boom, and the mines of the region produced some excellent specimens of galena, pyromorphite and cerussite. Finally, Ben Grguric and John Toma write about the mineralogy of the Almanda mine, a short-lived but relatively rich 19th century silver mine in the Adelaide Hills.
AJM aims to publish one to two issues per year. Contributions on all aspects of mineralogy are welcome. Please contact the Editor at peter.downes@museum.wa.gov.au. To subscribe or order your copy, please email ajm.secretary.treasurer@gmail.com.
AJM Publications Inc. team
AIG regrets to inform members of the passing of Robin Vigar.
Robin launched the iconic Brisbane Mining Club at Tattersalls alongside her husband Andrew in 2003. She took up the challenge of running the Mining Club after a distinguished career in the resources sector including working for Minproc and as a founding member of the Queensland Exploration Council.
Robin’s determination and popularity ensured the Mining Club could ride through the tumultuous ups and downs of the sector. Robin was widely respected for her willingness to promote the resource sector in Queensland during difficult times and her advice was greatly valued by all.
We extend condolences to Robin’s family for their sad loss.
Andrew Waltho
