regolith
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No abstract available
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Catchment outlet sediments (0-10 cm depth, sieved to <2 mm) collected at a very low density over most of the Australian continent have been analysed using the Mobile Metal Ion (MMI®) partial extraction technique. Of the 54 elements analysed, eight are generally regarded as essential nutrients for plant growth: Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P and Zn. For these, 'bioavailability', defined here as the ratio of the partial digest concentration to the total concentration, has been investigated. This estimation of 'bioavailability' gives results comparable with standard agricultural measurements. Average 'bioavailability' ranges from 15.0% for Ca to 0.1% for Fe. Smoothed (kriged) colour contour maps for continental Australia have been produced for these eight nutrients and interpreted in terms of lithology (e.g., presence of carbonates in the MMI® Ca map), mineralization (e.g., well known and possibly less known mineral districts in the Cu, P and Zn maps), environmental processes (e.g., salinity in K map, weathering and acid generation in Fe map) and agricultural practices (e.g., application of fertilizers in P and Zn maps). This first application of a partial extraction technique at the scale of a continent has yielded meaningful, coherent and interpretable results.
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Plans for the National Geochemical Survey of Australia were presented to the geoscience agencies of all States and the Northern Territory in early 2007. The presentation entitled National Geochemical Survey of Australia: outline of a new proposal was given to: Primary Industries and Resources South Australia in Adelaide on 20 February 2007 Geological Survey of Western Australia in Perth on 21 February 2007 New South Wales Department of Primary Industries in Maitland on 29 March 2007 Geological Survey of Queensland in Brisbane on 2 May 2007 Northern Territory Geological Survey in Darwin on 3 May 2007 Minerals Resources Tasmania in Hobart on 16 May 2007 GeoScience Victoria in Melbourne on 17 May 2007
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National Geochemical Survey of Australia field training for the geoscience agencies of all States and the Northern Territory took place during 2007 and early 2008. The knowledge transfer mechanisms comprise a detailed National Geochemical Survey of Australia: Field Manual (GA Record 2007/08), this training presentation and several days of in-field sample collection under the guidance of NGSA staff.
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Poster for the Australian Earth Sciences Convention 2010.
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Map(s) of Be (beryllium) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)
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Map(s) of Hf (hafnium) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)
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Map(s) of Hg (mercury) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)
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Map(s) of In (indium) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)
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The National Geochemical Survey of Australia aims to provide pre-competitive data and knowledge to support exploration for energy resources in Australia by documenting the chemical composition of Australia's regolith. It is a collaborative project between Geoscience Australia and all State and Northern Territory geological surveys, which commenced in 2007 and is due to conclude in mid-2011. A number of products, including a geochemical atlas of Australia, will be published. Over a two-year period, nearly 6000 samples from 1315 sites covering ~80% of Australia were analysed in the Geoscience Australia laboratories by XRF, ICP-MS and other associated techniques for major and trace elements. An analytical methodology was developed and tested through work on several pilot projects and trials during the development phase of the project. Samples were analysed by XRF using lithium metaborate fused beads at a dilution rate of 1:8. After XRF analysis of major elements and selected trace elements, a 200 mg sub-sample of this bead was acid-digested and analysed by reaction cell ICP-MS for trace elements. Quality was monitored by Certified Reference Materials, secondary standards, blind sampling duplicates, laboratory duplicates and analysis of some elements (Rb, Sr, Cu, Ni, Zr) by both instruments. This presentation will give an outline of the sampling and analytical methods used by the Geoscience Australia laboratories to ensure that results produced by the laboratory were accurate, consistent and traceable for the duration of the project.