Structural Geology
Monash University has the largest Structural geology group in Australia. The group focuses on a broad range of activities from applied structural controls of mineral systems; experimental structural geology; regional terrane architecture; orogenic processes, basin systems, microstructural analysis, crustal scale shear zones, and glaciology.
Researchers
 | Professor Sandy Cruden
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 | Emeritus Professor Chris Wilson
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 | Professor Peter Betts
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| Professor Roberto Weinberg
I run a website where I explore a wide range of geological features and regions, with a wide selection of photographs. It currently consists of over 130 pages that provide the geological context for more than 3000 high-quality photographs (see here) |
 | Associate Professor Steven Micklethwaite
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 | Dr Laurent Ailleres
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 | Dr Robin Armit
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Graduate Students
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 | Martin Schwindinger (PhD)My project focusses on the different aspects of generation and evolution of granitic magmas in a near source environment by studying migmatites and related intrusive granites in the southern Adelaide fold belt (Kangaroo Island). My goal is to contribute to the ongoing debate about the significance of water-fluxed melting, magma mixing and entrainment of source material in the formation of granitic magmas. T: +61 (0)3 99054382 |
 | Sam Thiele (PhD)“Geomechanical Effects of Shallow Intrusions on Ocean-Island Volcanoes” Nearly 700 million people are affected by volcanic risk, yet our capacity to predict volcanic events is limited. We are using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based mapping technologies to characterise the distributions of intrusions in otherwise inaccessible terrain, allowing us to better understand the effect of intrusions on volcano dynamics and stability and contributing to our ability to mitigate volcanic risk. T: +61 (0)3 9904 4214 |
 | Pablo Farias (PhD)"Understanding the complex structured architecture of a long-lived HT-LP continental back-arc and its relation with the magmatic arc". I am studying the structural and magmatic evolution of an ancient orogen that formed part of the West Gondwana supercontinent and is now located near the Argentinian Andes. This study will help geoscientists to better understand the tectonic frame of mountain belts and how they evolve in time. Room 245 pablo.farias@monash.edu |
Recent Publications
2017
Semenov, I., and Weinberg, R.F., in press, A major mid-crustal decollement of the Paleozoic convergent margin of Western Gondwana: the Guacha Corral shear zone, Argentina. J. Stuct. Geol. Click here to download from JSG
- Sola, A.M.; Hasalov�, P.; Weinberg, R.F.; Suza�o, N.O.; Becchio, R.A.; Hongn, F.D.; Botelho, N., in press Water-fluxed melting in low-pressure metapelitic rocks: insights from phase equilibria modelling. J. Metam. Geol. (Download not available).
- Semenov, I., and Weinberg, R.F., in press, A major mid-crustal decollement of the Paleozoic convergent margin of Western Gondwana: the Guacha Corral shear zone, Argentina. J. Stuct. Geol. Click here to download from JSG
- Zibra, I., Clos, F., Weinberg, R.F., and Peternell, M., in press, The c. 2730 Ma onset of the Neoarchean orogeny in the Yilgarn Craton. Tectonics.
- Zibra, I., Korhonen, F.K., Peternell, M., Weinberg, R.F., in press, On thrusting, regional unconformities and exhumation of high-grade greenstones in Neoarchean orogens. The case of the Waroonga Shear Zone, Yilgarn Craton, Tectonophysics.
- Finch, M., Roberto F. Weinberg et al., in press, Tectono-metamorphic evolution of the Famatinian Orogen in Sierra de Quilmes, Sierras Pampeanas, NW Argentina. GSAB (Download not available).
- Schwindinger, M. and Weinberg, R.F., 2017, A felsic MASH zone of crustal magmas - feedback between granite magma intrusion and in-situ crustal anatexis. Lithos, 284-285, 109-121. (Download 16MB).
- Hou, Z., Zhou, Y.,Wang, R., Zheng, Y., He, W., Zhao, M., Evans, N., and Weinberg, R.F., 2017, Recycling of metal-fertilized lower continental crust: origin of non-arc Au-rich porphyry deposits at cratonic edges. Geology. (Download 0.6MB).
- Yang, L., Dilek, Y., Wang, Z.L., Weinberg, R.F., Liu, Y., 2017, Late Jurassic, high Ba-Sr Linglong granites in the Jiaodong Peninsula, East China: lower crustal melting products in the eastern North China Craton. Geological Magazine, v.72, p. 1-23. (Download 3.9MB).
- Zhang, L., Wang, Y., Weinberg, R.F., An, P., Chen, B-Y, 2017, Thermochronologic constrains on the processes of formation and exhumation of the Xinli orogenic gold deposit, Jiaodong Peninsula, eastern China, Ore Geology Reviews, v. 81, p. 140-153. (Download 4.2MB).
- Rui Wang, William J. Collins, Roberto F. Weinberg, Jin-xiang Li, Qiu-yun Li, Wen-yan He, Jeremy P. Richards, Zengqian Hou, Li-min Zhou, Richard A. Stern, 2017, Reply to the comments on "Xenoliths in ultrapotassic volcanic rocks in the Lhasa block: direct evidence for crust-mantle mixing and metamorphism in the deep crust. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology. (Download 2MB).
2016
- Hunter, N.J., Hasalova, P., Weinberg, R.F., and Wilson, C.J., 2016, Fabric controls on strain accommodation in naturally deformed mylonites: the influence of interconnected micaceous layers, Journal of Structural Geology, vol. 83, pp. 180-193.
- Ganade de Araujo, Cordani, U.G., Agbossoumounde, Y., Caby, R., Basei, MA.S., Weinberg, R.F., and Sato, K, 2016, Tightening-up NE Brazil and NW Africa connections: new U-Pb/Lu-Hf zircon data of a complete plate tectonic cycle in the Dahomey belt of the West Gondwana Orogen in Togo and Benin, Precambrian Research, vol. 276, pp. 24–42.
- Clemens,J. D., Regmi, K., Nicholls, I. A., Weinberg, R. F., and Maas, R. (in press). The Tynong pluton, its mafic synplutonic sheets and igneous microgranular enclaves: the nature of the mantle connection in I-type granitic magmas,Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology.
- Regmi, K.R., Weinberg, R.F. and Nicholls, I., 2016, Testing the chemical signature of chaotic magma mixing, Himalayan Geology, vol. 37, pp. 8-16.
- Riel, N., Mercier, J., and Weinberg, R.F., 2016, Convection in a partially molten metasedimentary crust: Insights from the El Oro Complex (Ecuador). Geology. doi:10.1130/G37208.1
2015
- Cohalan, L., Weinberg, R.F., Squire, R., and Allen, C., 2015, Early deformation in the Eastern Goldfields, Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia, Precambrian Research, v. 266, p. 212–226.
- Regenauer-Lieb, K., et al., 2015, Multiscale, multiphysics geomechanics for geodynamics applied to buckling instabilities in the middle of the Australian Craton. Philosophical Magazine, v. 95 (28-30), p. 3055-3077.
- Finch, M., Weinberg, R.F., Fuentes, G., Hasalova, P., and Becchio, R., 2015, One kilometre-thick ultramylonite, Sierra de Quilmes, Sierras Pampeanas, NW Argentina. Journal of Structural Geology, v. 72, p. 33-54.
- Finch, M.A., Weinberg, R.F., Fuentes, M.G., Hasalova, P., and Becchio, R., 2015, Reply to comment by S.H. Buttner on: "One kilometre-thick ultramylonite, Sierra de Quilmes, Sierras Pampeanas, NW Argentina. Journal of Structural Geology, v. 76, p. 84-85.
Awards
2017
The Specialist Group in Tectonics and Structural Geology conference (SGTSG) Denmark, WA Nicolas Molnar won the prestigious Chris Powell medal for the best publication by a postgraduate student. The paper titled “Interactions between propagating rotational rifts and linear rheological heterogeneities: Insights from three-dimensional laboratory experiments”, Authors Nicolas Molnar, Sandy Cruden, Peter Betts was recently published in Tectonics. Nicolas also took home the best student presentation award.
Special Commendation SGTSG 2017- for oral presentation" “Who’s your daddy? The influence of inheritance on fracture patterns”- Anindita Samsu
2016
Royal Society of Victoria Young Scientist Research Prize for the Earth Sciences. “Iron oxide nanocrystals – Tiny minerals building huge iron ore deposits”-Mathias Egglseder
IDR seed funding to identify and characterise subsurface pipes to improve predictions of pipe failures in urban areas. (Armit, Wong, Micklethwaite).
OLT Citation Nomination (teaching team of ESC3180)- Laurent Ailleres, Robin Armit, Peter Betts, Andy Tomkins
Faculty of Science Award for Excellence in Postgraduate- Supervision Laurent Ailleres
Moore, Betts, Hall - Stillwell medal for best paper in AJES in 2015.
2015
Royal Society of Victoria Young Scientist Research Prize for the Earth Sciences-Stefan Vollgger
GSA Bruce Hobbs Medal for excellent contributions to structural geology and tectonics- Peter Betts
Vice Chancellor Excellence in Teaching Special Commendation awarded to the teaching team of ESC3180 – Field Geology (Betts, Tomkins, Ailleres, Armit).
Faculty of Science Dean’s Excellence in Teaching award – Awarded to the teaching team of ESC3180 – Field Geology- (Betts, Tomkins, Ailleres, Armit).
Letter of Commendation for Excellence in Teaching from the Pro-Vice Chancellor for the teaching team of ESC3180 - Field Geology (Betts, Tomkins, Ailleres, Armit).
Letter of Commendation for Excellence in Teaching from the Pro-Vice Chancellor, for ESC3180 Field Geology(Betts, Tomkins, Ailleres, Armit).
2014
Letter of Commendation for Excellence in Teaching from the Pro-Vice Chancellor, for ESC3180 Field Geology(Betts, Tomkins, Ailleres, Armit).
2013
Letter of Commendation for Excellence in Teaching from the Pro-Vice Chancellor, for ESC3180 Field Geology (Betts, Tomkins, Ailleres, Armit).
2012
Letter of Commendation for Excellence in Teaching from the Pro-Vice Chancellor, for ESC3180 Field Geology (Betts, Tomkins, Ailleres, Armit).
Collier Grant for the introduction of petrophysical measurements in field activities (Ci’s Betts and Ailleres)
2011
Letter of Commendation for Excellence in Teaching from the Pro-Vice Chancellor, for ESC3180 Field Geology
2010
Letter of Commendation for Excellence in Teaching from the Pro-Vice Chancellor, for ESC3180 Field Geology
Collier Grant to introduce digital teaching into field courses. (CI’s Betts, Tomkins and Ailleres)
Recent Graduates/Projects
Nicholas Hunter (PhD) | |
Ms Helen McFarlane (PhD) Mathias Egglseder (PhD) | |
| David Willis (PhD) My PhD project aims to reconstruct the location of the North and South Islands of New Zealand over the last ~23 million years. In conjunction field work we are also using numerical models in an attempt to recreate some of the measurements we take from rocks in the field. These models provide an amazing opportunity to visualise the possible movement of the tectonic plates and the processes which drive changes along the plate boundary. In combining both field studies and numerical modelling we hope to provide new insights into the processes that control the motion of tectonic plates, and how this plate boundary in turn controls the distribution of mountain ranges, earthquakes and volcanoes. | |
Lauren Wolfram (PhD) My PhD research looks at high-temperature metamorphic rocks (migmatites) and granites in northwest Argentina, and the processes contributing to elemental differentiation of the earth during melting of the continental crust. I have implemented a multidisciplinary approach integrating detailed field observations, metamorphic and igneous petrography, whole rock and mineral geochemistry, and zircon and monazite geochronology. I hope to contribute to further understanding the evolution and compositional diversity of crustal-derived magmas, and assess the broader implications for differentiation and thermal stability of the continental crust. Frediano Clos (PhD) The aim of my project is to provide new structural, geochemical and metamorphic constraints on the evolution of the Archean Yalgoo Dome, a broad elliptical dome (50x100 km) in the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia. |