b'Education matters Education mattersASEG Research Foundation supports four new projectsfurther four student projects wereManchester (UK), plus software training being supported this year. ASEG RFin Paris. PhD candidate Michael Curtis at Secretary Doug Roberts said that thethe University of Adelaide while working projects at Curtin University, Universityon the Carnarvon Basin (north-west WA) ofMelbourne, Monash Universityhas scheduled complementary field-and theUniversity of Adelaide arework in analogous rocks of north-west supportingtwo multi-year PhD projectsScotland. We wish all our students on and two BSc (honours) projects inASEG RF projects great success; may they 2019. These are in addition to supportrepay our ASEG RF donors with a lifetime Michael Asten commenced in past years for twoof new insights into our exploration Associate Editor for Education continuing PhD projects at Curtin andtechnology.michael.asten@monash.edu Adelaide. Applications for ASEG Research Students working on ASEG RF fundedFoundation grants for 2020 projects open The Research Foundation of theprojects tend to be global scientists;in December 2019, with a deadline for ASEG (ASEG RF) reported at theCurtin PhD student Snezana Petrovicsubmission at end February. Details of AEGCconference last month that ahas already scheduled conferencethe application process are on the ASEGs presentations in Perth (WA) andwebsite.ASEG Research Foundation mid-year project reportsMid-year reports for four current projectsWe presented a poster paper at thecover of the Murray Basin, as well as a give an insight into the type of projectsAEGCconference in September 2019,poorly understood, variable distribution being supported. titled MCNP modelling of a neutronof Permian tillite. It is estimated that RF19M01 Elemental analysis via promptgenerator and its shielding for PGNAAa further 75 Moz of gold is potentially gamma neutron activation for diamondinmineral exploration, and haveuntapped below these cover units, which drilling. PhD candidate Snezanasubmitted a further abstract for the are difficult to penetrate with traditional Petrovic at Curtin University writes of herNSS/MIC2019 IEEE Conferencegeophysical methods, especially in the first six months since starting the project: (Manchester UK). case of the Permian tillite. This research aims to determine depth to basement I obtained the licence for the MCNP6.2RF19M02 Characterising the depth toin the northern Bendigo Zone using CLOUD software and registered forbasement using HVSR passive seismic inthe HVSR passive seismic method and the software training programmethe Murray Basin: Implications for golddrillhole calibration provided by Chalice scheduled for 711 October in Paris,exploration undercover. BSc (honours)Gold Mines Limited.France. With my supervisors I completedstudent Matthew Luke Sultani at the shielding design for a neutron generatorUniversity of Melbourne writes: A passive seismic survey was undertaken laboratory, and ordered additionalin Serpentine, Victoria in June 2019. shielding material needed. We obtainedMany geophysical methods haveMeasurements at 153 stations were four quarter-core samples from the Perthbeenemployed to characterise thetaken using three Tromino seismometers core library which will be used for ourdepth to basement in Victoria, includingalong three roadside traverses totalling initial laboratory experiments with theNaudy depth to magnetic source, and11 km in length. A nominal spacing of neutron generator. 2.5D modelling of gravity and magnetic100 m across the traverses was obtained, data. The Horizontal-to-Vertical- reducing down to 25 m spacing in areas At a later stage of our research, weSpectral Ratio (HVSR) passive seismicof interest. A total of 42 drillholes were will order more samples from the coremethod employs ambient seismic noiseused not only to calibrate the HVSR data, library. In accordance with the researchgenerated passively in the environment,but also to assess the effectiveness of agreement with the Geological Surveyby things such as wind and ocean wavesthe methods ability to image observed of Western Australia, we are required toto highlight regions of high acousticbasement depths.provide results of a full suite of analysesimpedance contrasts in the subsurface. (major and trace element suites) onIn the Bendigo Zone, acoustic impedanceIn the study area, prominent and laterally these samples, hence we have obtainedcontrasts could represent the transitionconsistent stratigraphic horizons can be a quote from an analytical laboratory tofrom the Murray Basin to the Ordovicianinterpreted from the HVSR data, due to perform these assays. Finally, we haveCastlemaine Group basement whichsignificant acoustic impedance contrasts in purchased an Amptek DP5G digital pulseis prospective for orogenic gold. Thethe subsurface. Preliminary results suggest processor designed for use in scintillationCastlemaine Group however, is obscuredthat these contrasts are caused by the spectroscopy systems. beneath the Cainozoic sedimentarytransition from Murray Basin cover either OCTOBER 2019 PREVIEW 36'