Critical resources form when geological processes concentrate useful elements and Earth materials to levels that can be identified, assessed and responsibly managed. Understanding how this happens requires connecting source regions, transport pathways, depositional environments, chemical reactions and preservation processes within a resource-system framework.
This course examines how elements are sourced, mobilised, transported, focused, deposited and preserved to form natural resources. Students will investigate the physical and chemical processes that control element mobility and enrichment, including magmatic differentiation, fluid exsolution, hydrothermal circulation, groundwater flow, weathering, sedimentary sorting, diagenesis, redox reactions and structural trapping.
The course develops a process-based understanding of how source regions, transport pathways, depositional traps, energetic drivers and preservation processes combine to produce viable resource systems. Students will learn to interpret resource-forming systems from first principles, evaluate the geological conditions that favour or inhibit concentration, and apply this understanding to resource assessment and exploration targeting.
This course is relevant to students interested in critical minerals, resource systems, geochemistry, mineral exploration, environmental geoscience, government geoscience, research and responsible resource development.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Explain how geological and geochemical processes concentrate elements into natural resources.
- Apply a resource-system framework to analyse source regions, transport pathways, depositional traps, energetic drivers and preservation processes.
- Analyse the physical and chemical controls on element mobility, enrichment and deposition in magmatic, hydrothermal, sedimentary, groundwater and weathering systems.
- Interpret geological, geochemical, geophysical and spatial datasets relevant to resource formation, assessment and targeting.
- Evaluate how geological setting, fluid flow, redox state, structural architecture, weathering and preservation influence resource grade, geometry and extent.
- Critically assess uncertainty, evidence quality and competing interpretations in resource-system analysis.
- Communicate interpretations of source-to-resource systems and their implications for critical resources clearly.
Other Information
This course is suitable for students interested in critical minerals, resource systems, geochemistry, mineral exploration, environmental geoscience, government geoscience and applied Earth science. The course emphasises the processes that concentrate elements into resources and the interpretation of geological, geochemical and geophysical evidence from source to resource.
Indicative Assessment
- Literature review or critical essay (25) [LO 1,2,3,6]
- Worksheets (25) [LO 3,4,5,6]
- Case study report (30) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
- Oral presentation (20) [LO 2,5,6,7]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
The expected workload for this 6-unit course is approximately 130 hours over the semester. This includes scheduled in-person teaching activities, independent study, reading, data interpretation, assessment preparation and revision.
Indicative workload:
- 36 hours scheduled in-person classes, comprising lectures, seminars, workshops and/or practical classes;
- 40 hours reading and independent study;
- 30 hours data interpretation, worksheets and case study work;
- 24 hours assessment preparation, writing and oral presentation preparation.
Inherent Requirements
No specific inherent requirements have been identified for this course.
Prescribed Texts
There are no prescribed texts. Recommended readings and reference texts will be provided through Canvas and the class summary.
Preliminary Reading
Indicative readings will be drawn from the contemporary research literature in geochemistry, mineral systems, resource geology, hydrothermal systems, sedimentary systems, weathering, groundwater processes, critical minerals and responsible resource assessment. Readings may include papers on source-to-resource frameworks, element mobility, magmatic and hydrothermal ore-forming processes, sediment-hosted resources, supergene enrichment, geochemical baselines and resource targeting.
Assumed Knowledge
Students are expected to have a background in Earth science, geology, geochemistry, geophysics, environmental geoscience or a cognate discipline. Familiarity with basic chemistry, mineral systems, geological maps and introductory quantitative or spatial data interpretation will be helpful. Students without this background should seek advice from the course convener before enrolling.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2027 | $5040 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2027 | $7200 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.