Sedimentology & Structural Geology

Part A: (90 marks)

You are a graduate geoscientist about to undertake your first core-logging assignment with your new employer, a major mining company. Describe how you would:

• undertake the lithological descriptions of clastic and non-clastic sedimentary rocks in cores i.e. what are the core logging procedures and techniques you would use to describe your cores;
• utilize stratigraphic principles and techniques to describe the stratigraphic succession (show diagrams where appropriate);
• recognize and assess some of the more common sedimentary structures that you are likely to find in these cores (show diagrams where appropriate);
• recognize specific types of sedimentary structures that could have engineering geology implications for mining activities e.g. geohazards. 

Your answer should include a flow diagram (figure) outlining the logical sequencing of tasks you will undertake to complete this. Illustrate your answers, where appropriate with diagrams and tables.  Ensure that you adequately describe each task performed and adequately define the geological terms you use e.g. sorting, texture, maturity, anticline etc. All tables and figures utilized from the literature are to be suitably referenced using the Harvard System.

Part B: (10 marks)

From Part A extract tables and figures to produce:

• a check-list and
• a geological field wallet

that you could take out into the field with you to assess these sedimentary sequences. Ensure that you reference the source/s of this information adequately. You will require this field wallet during your Residential School.

You will need to look beyond the reading material provided for answers. Please ensure that you only use reputable sites, for example, Government websites and professional bodies. Do cite the source/s of all external information utilized using the Harvard referencing system. Please upload your file/s in Word (.doc or .docx) format so that we can readily open and mark the file/s with our online marking tools.

Note: Further support on writing style and referencing is provided on the Moodle site for this unit and will be discussed during weekly Zoom Tutorials.

• Presentation and layout i.e. the general appearance and style of the report, attention to detail and quality to provide a legible, professional looking report
• Effective written communication skills i.e. are clear, coherent and succinct that demonstrate an understanding of content
• Content. This includes the accuracy and relevance of answer, application of knowledge, language and grammar used in answering questions
• Evidence of sourcing and referencing relevant material beyond that provided in the study material
• Showing the requisite equations and using the appropriate SI units and symbols
• All steps and workings to calculations, if required, to be submitted to show how an answer was derived
• Use of “in-text citations", appropriately cited figures and tables, a complete reference or bibliographic list at the end of the assignment. All referencing is to be undertaken using the Harvard System.

Class members will be assigned to groups during the 3 day Residential School in Week 6 (24 to 26 August). Groups will utilize a range of specialist sedimentological and structural geology equipment and software to undertake laboratory and field based tasks. These tasks, along with equipment and software training, will be undertaken during the Residential School. A group submission will be required once the field and equipment derived data has been analyzed, interpreted and discussed after the laboratory and field sessions. Further details about the group-based assessment items will be provided during the start of the Residential School and placed on Moodle. Some resources, access to drill cores, equipment and field sites are still to be finalized with outside organizations and providers and is subject to availability and access during the Residential School. If for some unforeseen reason this were to become unavailable during the Residential School, the lecturer will source alternative equipment and resources.

As group members you need to be able to allocate tasks to others within your group, to share and pool information and for the group to submit a cohesive, professional report.

Please upload your file/s in Word (.doc or .docx) format so that we can readily open and mark the file/s with our online marking tools.

No Assessment Criteria

This assessment item tests your knowledge of structural geology and rock deformation. This will take the form of a series of short answers to questions, stereoscopic projections and calculations and some structural geology mapping exercises. The structural maps, stereoscopic diagrams and software can be accessed from the Moodle site.

Training in the use of stereoscopic projections, calculations and software use will be undertaken during the Residential School (Week 6) and during associated lectures and tutorials. Data for some exercises will be collected during the Residential School's field mapping exercises in structural geology. Data interpretation will be undertaken during weekly Zoom Tutorial sessions.

You will need to look beyond the study material provided for some answers. Please ensure that you only use reputable sites, for example Government web sites and professional bodies. Do cite the source of all external information utilized using the Harvard referencing system.

Please upload your file/s in Word (.doc or .docx) format so that we can readily open and mark the file/s with our online marking tools.

The assessment criteria will be based on:

• Presentation and layout i.e. the general appearance and style of the document, attention to detail and quality to provide a legible, professional looking document
• Effective written communication skills i.e. are clear, coherent and succinct that demonstrate an understanding of content
• Content. This includes the accuracy and relevance of answer, application of knowledge, language and grammar used in answering questions
• Evidence of sourcing and referencing relevant material beyond that provided in the Study Guide and Residential School material
• Use of “in text” referencing, appropriately cited figures and tables, a complete reference or bibliographic list at the end of the assignment. All referencing is to be undertaken using the Harvard System.

Data collection for this assessment item will be undertaken during the 3-day Residential School as a combination of practical and theoretical tasks based on field and laboratory measurements, observations and mapping. After data manipulation and interpretation, some aspects of which will require customized software, a formal report will need to be submitted for assessment. Details will be provided during the Residential School as well as being placed on the unit's Moodle site. This assessment item requires access to equipment and resources from external parties and is subject to availability and access during the Residential School. If for some unforeseen reason this were to become unavailable during the Residential School, the lecturer will source alternative equipment and resources. 

• Presentation and layout i.e. the general appearance and style of the report, attention to detail and quality to provide a legible, professional looking report
• Effective written communication skills i.e. are clear, coherent and succinct that demonstrate an understanding of content
• Content. This includes the accuracy and relevance of answer, application of knowledge, language and grammar used in answering questions
• Evidence of sourcing and referencing relevant material beyond that provided in the study material
• Showing the requisite equations and using the appropriate SI units and symbology
• All steps and workings to calculations to be submitted to show how an answer was derived
• Use of “in-text citations", appropriately cited figures and tables, a complete reference or bibliographic list at the end of the assignment. All referencing is to be undertaken using the Harvard System.