Biogeochemistry has been utilized successfully in Australia as a regional or fellow-up
geochemical exploration techniques in the arid terranes of Australia. This Master's
study is based on the biogeochemistry approach, which relies on the chemical analysis
of plant tissues to obtain information on the geology and geochemistry of the
underlying rocks. The project involved the systematic sampling and chemical analysis
of plant materials and the supporting soils to establish the suitability of using
particular tree species for environmental monitoring and their potential as a sample
medium in geochemical exploration in the vicinity of the Temora Gold Mine, NSW,
Australia.
Working on 168 plant tissues (leaves, twigs and bark) in 54 plants species from 8
families at the three sites of background area, mineralized area and tailings area, and
54 supporting soil samples from three strata of 0-5 cm, 20-30 cm, and 30-40 cm,
found that there was a good agreement between soil geochemistry and plant
geochemistry on the result of a strong geochemical association between Au and As.
The As-Au pattern was suggestive of the presence of the Au-As mineralization.
Black cypress pine (Callitris endlicheri) LEAVES show a higher ratio of Asminjn/Aumin
in the mineralized area than ASbkg/Aubkg in the background area, up to 7 times. The
research finding suggests that the LEAVES of Black cypress pine (Callitris
endlicheri) have a potential to be a biogeochemical sample medium as better
indicators for Au. Golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha) BARK and Yellow box (E.
melliodora) BARK appear to be better indicators for Au but more research is required.
The most occurrence of anomalies of As, Au, Sb, Cu and Fe were found in Red box
(E. polyanthemos) BARK. Red box (E. polyanthemos) BARK may have the potential
to be an Au indicator in the area when Red box (E. polyanthemos) is present.
Results on test-tolerant plants show that Eucalyptus species: Red box (E.
polyanthemos), Coral gum (E. torquata), and Yellow box (E. melliodora) have a
higher rate of uptake trace elements from the tailings soils. Therefore, Eucalyptus
family generally adapted to metal-rich soils and can be used as cleaning-up indicators
and environmental monitors for the tailings area of metal contaminated soils in the
Temora Gold Mine.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/219034 |
| Date | January 1998 |
| Creators | Huang, Xiaoyan, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. School of Resource, Environmental & Heritage Sciences |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Xiaoyan Huang |
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