TAG – December 1975 – Issue 8

Newsletter Editor:

Assistant Secretary

D. F. Branagan, Department of Geology & Geophysics, The University of Sydney, N.S.W. 2006.

Miss L. Tuckwell, Suite 9, 6th Floor, Perpetual Trustee Building, 39 Hunter St., Sy dney, 2000. 'phone : Sydney 231 4696.

INFLATION HITS THE SOCIETY! John N. Cramsie, Honorary Federal Treasurer.

Along wi t h mos t oth er organi s a tion s in Australia, t he Geological So c iety of Austr ali a is b ei ng seriously affected by cost inflation.

Essenti al costs r e lating to publication and administration continue to rise proportionally , or worse, with general inflation.

On the other hand income, which comes mainly from membership fees and journal subscriptions, is increasing only marginally.

In view of this situation, the Society 's Council reluctantly recommended a 20 per cent fee rise (from $15 to $18) at its meeting in May. This rise uas approved by t h e Annual General Meeting of the Society at t h e Adel a i d e Conve n tion and will come into effect for t h e coming y ear of 1 9 76.

It i s understood that a number of divisions have already advi sed members of this fee rise in their Divisional Notices.

Mr. R. J. Paten, the retiring Honorary Federal Treasurer, reporting to the Society in May 1975, predicted a loss for 1975 of about $8,600, compared with a profit for 1974 of $3,657.

It now appears certain that this loss will be exceeded, due to such unforeseen factors as the recent very heavy postage increases, and an increase of nearly 50 per cent in printing and distribution costs for the Journal in the past year.

Rental costs for the Society's Central Office have increased following the move to more appropriate, but certainly not extravagant accommodation.

These increased costs for office accommodation have been offset in a small way in that the regular services of a vermin exterminator are no longer req uired, as \'.TaS the case in the previous rather run down offices.

Members can be assured that the Federal Executive is investigating all avenues of increasing income and cutting costs in an effort to postpone any further fee rises for as long as possible.

The most effective way of increasing income is by increasing 1membership, and a number of recruitment initiatives have been taken.

Con t i nued bottom of Page 3 .

Cover Photo : San d y Sto ne and famil y sorne hwere in the wilds of Sydn ey .

2.

Newsletter of the Geological Society of Australia Incorporated No.

8.

December 1975.

EDITORIAL Is

it

neso ssary?

The last editorial , dealing with proposed changes in Commonwealth (that naughty word) organizations provoked a mild response which is indicated by several letters published in this issue.

In particular it brought to my attention the activities of POA (Professional Officers' Association for the uninstructed) members within the BMR who have produced a series of documents on their ideas about the future organization of Australian geoscience.

The most recent has been published and fa irly widely distributed and will be interesting to many members, part icularly in their role as taxpayers.

It is entitled A National Approach to the earth sciences and the future role of the Bureau of Mineral Resources.

This paper advocated the formation of two new bodies - an advisor y National Geoscience Council and an Operational National Earth Science Organization.

The Council is envisaged as representing 'a broad spectrum of Australian geoscientific organizations, and having advisory, co-ordinating and liaison roles'.

The National Earth Science Organization (NESO, if you please) would be a new statutory authority 'governed by an executive council directly responsible to the Minister for Minerals and Energy.

The present BMR should form its core, and appropriate elements of CSIRO would be incorporated.

It should have an assured bulk budget'.

Members who have not seen this paper should be able to get copies from the BMR Group of P.O.A . through the Bureau.

It is well worth examination and discussion.

Some of my more academic associates would argue that organizational aspects of geology have little to do with the real progress of science - that the growth of ideas shows little parallel development with government support.

This argument may well be true, but there is no doubt that the applications of geology touch many aspects of general living.

In this area the provision of geological information, such as geological maps, is certainly a function of government and it is the concern of the profession that such information be made available as efficiently as possible.

The efficient organization of geology in Australia is a matter that we , as a Society, must concern ourselves with.

In concluding this editorial it is my pleasant duty to thank the many members who have helped me by kindl y comment, critical corrections, information and letters during the past two years.

Without these members there would be no Newsletter .

I look forward to their help in the coming year .

Continued from page 2 .

Member s can save the Society money by forwarding their 1976 subscriptions early in t he year, and at least prior to the end of March .

This ensures that members receive their copies of the Journal 'hot off the press'!

When members do not pay their subscriptions on time, their copie s of the Journal have to be packed and posted individually at the grossly excessive postal charge of 40 cents per copy (together with wages for package and posting) rathe r than the bulk mailing rate of 15 cents (including packing) when the Journal is mailed direct by the printer.

The Society is still in a good financial position as the assets of the Society were about $54,000 at the end of 1975, including cash reserves of about $23,000.

However there is no room for complacency as the operating budget for the Society is about $60,000.

There is a real need for cash reserves to be mainta ined so that the ability of the Society to undertake new initiatives is not diminished.

3.

Letter to the Editor.

Sir, I refer to your editorial in the Society's Newsletter No. 7 (Sept. 1975) which raises three points which are interrelated in a fundamental sense but not in an obvious or superficial sense.

These are

* The future of the 'geological' part of the CSIRO * The future of the B.M.R.

* The recognition of the value of geology in Australia.

To an outsider the future affiliations of the B.M.R. and part of the CSIRO seem to be of little significance provided the functioning of those bodies is not materially affected; in particular as affecting the services given to nongovernmental organisations and pe rsons.

I include in these services such matters as the provision of low-cost geological maps of the 1:250,000 series, regional records of geophysical surveys, publications concerning mineral economics and studies concerning the origin of orebodies.

There are many others.

To the insider, i.e. senior officers of the CSIRO and B.M.R., the affiliation of the respective bodies may be far more important and I should think that such officers are presently concerned with evaluating projec ted moves.

It is to these officers, who best know the circumstances, that we must look for an assessment of the position and of any projected moves.

There may be legal or personal restraints on public statements by members of the CSIRO and B.M.R., and, in the present state of ignorance of the public, I am not certain that such statements would really help.

Nevertheless I am certain of two points: it would be a disaster if the position of Director of the B.M.R. were given to anyone other than a technical man (geologist, geophysicist etc.) with the obv ious proviso that he be a capable administrator.

The second princ iple seems, to me, to be essential, viz. the retention of the 'service function' which exists between the CSIRO/B.M.R. and the public.

For example it wou ld be a retrograde step if the B.M.R. 'clammed up' and adopted the role of a feeder service to the P.M.A., or whatever the body be designated in the future.

I quite agree with your third point, "Geologists surely believe their work is important.

Why not tell the community that it is?"

I expressed at some length my v iews on this in a talk, later pub lished in the Society's Journal (Vol. 15, pt. 2, pp. 163-174).

To quote myself "It is my firm belief that we, as geologists, are far too retiring and self-effacing".

However this is to merel y support your view; the problem is what to do about it.

I have given this much thought without corning up with any clear or specific proposal.

In a vague, and therefore unsatisfactory way the answer seems to lie in deliberate education of the public.

But how?

Does it li e in the teaching of geology, and of its economic impact, at the primary and secondary school levels?

F. Canavan.

VERCO

MEDAL

AWARD

The Royal Society of South Australia (Inc.) has awarded the Verco Meda l for 1975 to Mr. B. P. Thomson for his significant role in research and leadership in the understanding of the regional and stratigraphic geology of South Australia! and for his contribution to Australian Geology as a whole.

Bren Thomson has been with the South Australian Department of Mines since 1959 and is at present Supervising Geologist, Regional Geology Division of the Geological Survey Branch, where he has personally undertaken a major part of the State geological mapping programme, and has been responsible through his staff for much o f the remainder.

Correction The secretary of the New South Wales Division is R. A. CREELMAN of Macquarie University.

Apo l ogies are tendered for the incorrect information which appeared in earlier Newsletters.

4.

THE 25th INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGICAL CONGRESS The end of September marked the nominal deadline for two important aspects of Congress organization: the first allocation of places on excursions; and the closing date for receipt of synopses of papers.

Some latitude has, inevitably, had to be allowed owing to circumstances such as postal strikes or delays, and the Secretariat has been as sympathetic as the constraints under which it labours will allow.

On 15 October the Organizing Committee held its tenth meeting.

The summary figures which it then had before it were: Applications for Membership " Accompanying Membership Student Membership Non-attending Membership Junior Congress Places on "A" and "C" Excursions Number of synopses of papers offered

634 184 9

53 19 784 586

Of the applications for places on "A" and "C" excursions, 108 were from Australian residents.

The degree of support for different excursions, and even for different runs of the same excursion, varied widely.

Regrettably, the support for some was insufficient to justify any hope that they could be run other than at a substantial loss, and a total of 15 runs had to be cancelled by the Committee.

Those involved in any way with the organization of the IGC excursions will know the tremendous amount of work which the leaders of these cancelled e x cursions must have done by this stage.

The Organizing Committee very much appreciates the effort which enabled Australia to offer such a wide range of excursions and to extend to oversea geologists an opportunity of seeing the best it has in every field.

Final costing details on the "A" and "C" excursions are now being supplied, and places will soon be offered to those whose applications were received before the end of September.

The numerous sub-committees of the Sydney Committee are becoming increasingly busy, and plans for various functions and activities are well advanced.

In December, work will start on compiling the Third and final Circular for the Congress.

This will be sent, in March, to everyone on the Second Circular mailing list; a total of about 8,000 people.

One symposium has been added to the program, making a total of thirty eight.

This means that if each lasted for only one afternoon session there would be at least six meeting concurrently each day.

As most occupy at least two sessions, and some last for six, there will inevitably be an overlap of interest which no amount of skilful programming can avoid.

Authors of synopses should hear by about the end of November whether their offerings have been accepted or not.

This allows three months for the preparation of an abstract (SOO to 750 words), which must be submitted by 29 February, 1976.

That is also the last day on which Membership can be had for $60-00.

On and after 1 March it will cost $75-00.

The Commission for the Revision of the IGC Statutes held its final meeting in mid-August in Vancouver.

Its recommendations will be published in the Third Circular as well as in No. 4 of the 1975 volume of the Geological Newsletter (IUGS).

Broadly, the new "Regulations", which it is r eromme n cled s hould replace the old 5.

"Statutes", take note of changed circumstances such as the growth of I UGS and the increased size of the geological community over recent years.

The Secretary-General of IUGS has written to say that this year ' s seasonal greeting will depict an Australian scene in recognition of this country's hosting of the 25th IGC. Many members of the Geological Society of Australia, Inc., have shown a considerable interest in the congress organization.

This interest is greatly appreciated and highly regarded by the Secretariat.

A. Renwick Secretary-General

IUGS Commission on Systematics in Petrology The IUGS Subcommission on the Systematics of Igneous Rocks and its working group on effusive and pyroc lastic rocks held a meeting in connection with the IUGG Congress, Grenoble, September 2-4, 1975.

The participants were: F. Chayes, (USA), A. Dudek (CSSR), J. Honnorez (USA), R. Ivanov (Bulgaria), M. J. Le Bas (UK), R. W. Le Maitre (Australia), N. P. Mikhailov (USSR), H. de la Roche (France), P. A. Sabine (UK), R. Schmid (Switzerland), A. Streckeisen (Switzerland), P. M. Vincent (France), B. Zanettin (Italy).

After discussing the principles of the classification of volcanic rocks, the participants unanimously approved the following recommendations and suggestions.

1.

The classification of volcanic rocks should be consistent with the classification of plutonic rocks.

Consequently, it should be based in the first instance on mineral parameters, either modal or normative.

2.

Further subdivision of any major group (e.g., basalt, andesite, rhyolite, etc.) can be achieved by using supplementary criteria.

Suggestions as to suitable criteria would be very welcome.

3.

We also feel the need to investigate classifications based on oxides or functions of oxides; these ideally should correspond as closely as poss ible to classifications by mineral parameters.

4.

To test the relationships between modal mineral contents and the various classification methods that are suggested, it is proposed to circulate to interested colleagues sets of chemical and modal data of selected rocks.

5.

To further test the viability of any normative calculation or any system of classification based on oxides or functions of oxides, it is proposed to circulate the suggested methods to various centres where volcanic data files exist, to determine their consistency with existing usage of nomenclature.

6.

We feel that agreement should be sought to standardize the usage of chemical qualifiers such as, e.g., low-K, high-K, low-Si, etc.

Suggestions from colleagues commonly using such terms would be very welcome.

Suggestions may be sent to the chairman, Prof. A. Streckeisen, Mineralog. Petrograph. Institut, Sahlistrasse 6, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland.

A special working group on pyroclastic rocks has been formed in order to discuss their classification and nomenclature and to prepare suitable recommendations.

Interested colleagues may address themselves to the chairman, Dr. R. Schmid, Institut fur Kr istallographie und Petrographie ETH, Sonneggstrasse 5, CH-8006, ZUrich, Switzerland.

6.

SEMINAR ON ARCHAEAN GEOLOGY About 80 geologists from exploration companies and other geological organisations attended an excellent seminar on "Recent research on the Archaean Terrains" by the graduate group at the University of Western Australia on August 22nd 1975.

It was convened by Dr. David Groves and Dr. Rod Marston.

In his opening remarks Dr. Groves stated that the object of the research effort was integrated geological, petrological, and geochemical study of certain key areas in the Archaean of W.A. Leigh Bettenay opened with a 4-fold classification of the granitoids between Southern Cross and Coolgardie.

Class I include migmatite and banded tonalite gneiss that occur in linear belts.

Class II are syntectonic dome-like granodiorite.

Class III are late tectonic porphyritic biotite adamellite with obvious magmatic features.

Class IV are p ost-tectonic composite batholiths of leucocratic adamellite.

Nie Archibald outlined the structural and plutonic history of the Widgiemooltha area, concentrating on the evidence for a remobilised sialic basement.

This evidence, which relates to Bettenay's Class I is manifest by periods of penetrative deformation in the Pioneer Dome that pre-date the earliest structural event in the enveloping greenstones.The idea that some of the gneiss is paragneiss is supported by limited geochemistry (high Na/K, K/Rb, low Rb/Sr) which bears comparison with alleged ancient gneiss in southern Africa.

Whilst not conclusive, the arguments of Bettenay and Archibald that these represent pre -greenstone sialic crust are attractive, and also important as they are based upon geological evidence rather than conceptual models.

Lars Anderson presented examples of polyphase deformation at the mesoscopic scale in BIF in the Diemal area.

This subject is contentious because the presence of the related rnegascopic folds, which incidentally have not yet been substantiated, would hit hard at attempts at regional stratigraphy.

Mike Gorton presented some surprising Sr/Rb isotopic dates for the Jackson area.

Most of the granites give younger isotopic homogenisation dates, and higher initial ratios, than the granites in the Eastern Goldfields.

This is surprising as the general feeling is that the granites should get older coming west across the Yilgarn Block.

Howeve r Gorton pointed out that the dates probably record a period of thermal metamorphism.

The implication of heterogeneous deformation in the notorious Jones Creek Conglomerate was discussed by Rod Marston.

He concludes that stratigraphic relationships are obscured by discrete linear zones of penetrative deformation.

Marston showed that the Jones Creek Conglomerate could easily be stratigraphically high.

So the conglomerate, which sits unconformably over a large batholith of granite may have gone from low to high!

Perhaps the answer lies somewhere between.

Ken McQueen demonstrated a complex metamorphic and structural later history for the Redross nickel deposit.

At the contact between the host ultramafic and the footwall rnetabasalts, the following sequence occurs: thrusting of acute slices of nickeliferous ultramafic into basalts, metamorphism and alteration producing tremolite and talc-carbonate rocks, ductile deformation of the talccarlx:indte, brittle fracture forming shears that control the final location of the ore, and finally late stage faulting.

Archaean BIF's* are in vogue at present with a number of exploration companies, and this was reflected in the interest in Martin Gale's outline of the metamorphism of Yilgarn BIF. An * Banded iron formation.

7.

indication of the original nature o f these rocks is given by as s emblages containing greenalite, minnesotaite, stilpnomelane The classical division into oxide, sulphide and an d magnetite. si licate f ~c ies received little support.

T~e Seminar finished with two papers outlining preliminary GYaham Sylvester presented an studies of P ilbara mineralisation. elegant reconstruction of the enigmatic felsic volcanic complex at Charter Mathison puzzled the audience with him colMons Cupri. lapsed mushroom shapes of the Mt. Scholl Cu/Ni-bearing pyroxenite.

A great deal of new information and new ideas on many topical questions were brought to light at this successful seminar and the We hope it is the fore-runner of conveners can be complimented.

Incidentally many people had the pleasure of further meetings. meeting, for the first time, the new Professor of Geology of W.A., Peter Harris, formerly of Leeds.

Dennis Gee. NEWS FROM A.C.T. DIVISION C.T. Division's Field Trip to the South Coast of N.S.W. During the October long week-end, the chairman of the Commonwealth Territories Division, Mike Rickard, assisted by Ian Smith, led a field excursion to the far south coast of New South Wales.

Braving the threatened petrol shortage and armed with wellcompiled eighteen page guide books, a fair sized group of members together with their families cong regated at Narooma Surf Beach at 10 a.m. on the 4th October to commence a three day examination of the Ordovician cherts, pillow lavas, and deformed flysch, Devonian fluviatile and paralic sediments, and associated igneous rocks and mineralisation of the area between Narooma and Eden.

Hig h points of the trip included the hunt for Ordovician grap tolites near Cobargo, examination of the interrelationships of primary and deformational features in the Ordovician, discovery of fossil fish near Eden, a visit to the Dromedary Hotel, Central Tilba, and an inspection of the Dromedary igneous complex, which we learn was formed either during the first stages of continental riftin g or during the last stages in the stabilisation of the continental margin.

At the Nullica River Bridge the group was augmented by a passing pa rty of Perth-bound Hell' s Angels who enthusiastically joined the search for way-up structures in the Ordovician.

Although the last stop, on Monday afternoon, at the Pambula pyrophyllite mine, managed to attract only the more stalwart members of the party, the varied and we l l organised excursion was enjoyed by all, and particularly by those participants who lead a deskFor sorrethis was the first encounter with bound existence in BMR. rocks in their natural state for over two year s.

Member s· wi shi ng to retrace our steps might like to contact Mike Rickard, who still has a few guide boo ks left.

R.V.B.

Ken Mosher long time Hon. Administrative Officer of the Society and general do-gooder in the cause of geology has retired from his employment with Kernbla Coal & Coke Company.

To fill in the time he is undertakinq a Law deg r ee at Sydney University.

8.

GOOD FISHING ON SOUTH COAST EXCURSION It is amazing what turns up on geological excursions - new interpretations of exposures, new outcrops and fossil discoveries.

During an informal excursion to the south coast of N.S.W. by the A.C.T. Division of the Geological Society, ably led by Mike Rickard (A.N.U.), a new exposure of the Twofold Bay Formation was examined Recent excavations in on the Nethercote Road, southwest of Eden. the course of road widening have exposed a good section through the Bellbird Creek Formation and show the contact with the underlying In the road cut, the boundary between the Twofold Bay Formation. two units is clearly discernible - the white and green coloured supposedly shallow marine deposits of the Bellbird Creek Formation overlying the red bed sequence of the Twofold Bay Formation.

While most of the party went off to examine monoclinal folding in the Bellbird Creek Formation, some of the younger members of the The outcrop in party and myself examined the red bed sequence. the cliff face was not examined but rubble left by bulldozing along the roadside was looked over and, the first fossil, a small fragment of a phyllolepid (?) fish plate was found by Ms Perry, daughter of In the same area I unearthed a larger plate John Perry (BMR). (unfortunately now in several pieces) of probable antiarchon affinThe fossil The bone is well preserved in this specimen. ities. convinced most of the doubters and spurred other members of the party into a further search, and several small finds were made.

By far the best discovery was that of a well preserved ?ventral plate from the trunk armour of Bothriolepis sp. by Mike Owen (BMR).

The specimen is a case of the external surface of the original plate, One other small fragno bone is present, and occurred as float. ment showing characteristic bothriolepid ornamentation was found.

Both specimens of Bothriolepis sp. occurred in coarse sandstone.

In the finer grained sandstone and siltstone are impressions of plates and fin spines, very tentatively assigned to Phyllolepis sp. because of their characteristic striated ornamentation.

This fauna is significant because it suggests that the upper part of the Twofold Bay Formation is Frasnian in age - previously the determination of the plant Protolepidodendron sp. had only Young (1974) found that in Australia given a late Devonian age.

Bothriololepis ranges from possibly Givetian to early Fammenian and this raises the possibility that the Twofold Bay Formation may be The unit can not be Famas old as Givetian (Middle Devonian). menian since it is overlain by the Frasnian Bellbird Creek Formation (Steiner, 1975).

A further week-end collecting trip is projected later in the An attempt to establish the exact position of the fossiliyear. ferous bed in the Twofold Bay Formation and the relationship of the The specimens unit to the Bellbird Creek Formation will be made. already collected will be prepared and described at a later date probably with some detailed work on the enclosing sediments.

This occurrence of Devonian fish seems to be the first faunal record from the Twofold Bay Formation and probably is the first discovery of fossil fish in the Eden area.

John Carter.

References: The Merrimbula Group of the Eden-Merrimbula 37-51.

J.Proc.Roy.Soc.N.S.W., 108: Stratigraphic occurrence of some placoderm Young, G. C., 1974.

Bur.Miner.Resour. fishes in the Middle and Late Devonian.

Record 1974/32.

Steiner, J., 1975. area, N.S.W.

9.

Letter to the Editor.

Sir: It is high time professional geologists had a body to speak for them in the same way architects, engineers and doctors have.

The function of such a body would be to make representations to the Australian Government or other bodies on employment, salary relativity in relation to other professions, and to deal with ethics and other matters, such as restriction of the term geologist to properly qualified people.

In 19 68 when appointed Chief Geologist of We are losing out badly.

Alliance Oil Development Australia N.L. , my salary was the same as that of the By 1972 although getting substantial annual City Engineer, City of Heidelberg. increments I was getting $5,000 less.

As everyone knows the employment opportunities for geologists are most At times of high metal and mineral prices mining companies hire irregular. geologists and start sacking them when prices drop.

If there is a slump in exploration elsewhere in the world we are flooded by overseas geologists, but we are deprived of employment by reason of our nationality in many of these same overseas countries.

During the Rae Senate enquiry the term geologist received a thorough blackening yet we as a body supplied no comment to that enquiry nor did we attempt to enquire into the conduct of those of our members accused.

A professional body would also emphasise the fact that environmental science I see in Victoria that despite the expansion in is really a geological matter. they environmental science positions, virtually none are going to geologists: foresters, agricultural scientists and are going to zoologists, botanists, geographers.

Would the Geological Society circulate a q uestionnaire to all members asking: (a)

If they believe such an association of institute is necessary, i.e. an Australian Institute of Geologists, or Australian Assoc. of Professional Geologists.

(b)

If the constitution of the G.S.A. should be altered to give it the powers of such a body.

(cl

If they believe the term geologist should be legally registered and protected by the G.S.A., or such a body in the same way a s 'architect', 'engineer' or 'dentist' is?

A. C. M. Laing.

The NEWCASTLE SYMPOSIUM is NOT ON The Department of Geology, University of Newcastle, 2308, advises that because of the forthcoming International Geological Congress to be held in Australia in August, 1976, and the amount of preparatory work for it, it has been decided not to hold the Eleventh Newcastle Symposium in 1976.

The Eleventh Newcastle Symposium will be held as usual in 1977.

The Convener of this Symposium will be Dr. K. H. R. Moelle so if you have any suggestions or enquiries to make please do not hesitate to write to him.

10.

W. R. BROWNE Geology William Rowan Browne (W.R.B. or 'Buster' to all who went through the He was in his ninetyDepartment of Sydney University) died on September 1st.

He was born December 11, 1884, in Lisl ea, Co. Derry, the son of second year. school teacher parents.

B.A. W.R.B. came to Australia for the sake of his health after beginning a Several years later, after working course at Trinity College Dublin in 1902. he came in country areas of New South Wales, he entered the University where Then followed under the influence of Edgeworth David, graduating B.Sc. in 1910. the Sydney a brief period working at Adelaide Observatory before he returned to In 1912 he was back in Adelaide again, filling-in Geology Department in 1911.

Antarctic. as lecturer in mineralogy and petro logy for Mawson while he was in the of In 1913 he rejoined the Sydney departmeri:.w here he remained for the rest In 192 2 he was awarded the D.Sc. for his work on the geology his working life. departAlthough he retired in 1 950 he continued to work in the of Broken Hill. death. ment for many years and was completing another paper at the time of his His life wi ll be Space does not permit me to write fully of Dr. Browne.

Science, a more fully written about in the Records of the Australian Academy of other body of which he became a fellow in 1954, and in the journals of n umerous He was elected an Honorary Life societies which he served so generously.

Member of the Geological Society of Australia in 1957. y and Author of more than 80 papers in the fields of petrology, geomorpholog monumental tectonics, he is probably best known to most members as editor of the David's Geology of the Commonwealt h of Australia which was left incomp lete by death in 1934.

Those who were privileged to know W.R.B. at close quarters were delighted world by his Irish wit, impressed by his tenacity, and honoured by his old He has earned an enduring place in the history of courtesy and charm.

Australian Geology.

D.F.B.

KATHLEEN SHERRARD Kate Sherrard (nee Mcinerny) died suddenly at her home in Sydney on New South Wales Division members will remember her as a devoted 21st August.

Her supporter of the monthly divisional me etings from their inception. in disgeological interests were wide and her deep alto voice was often heard cussion periods. first Kate Sherrard graduated B.Sc. from Melbourne University in 1918, the years woman to graduate B.Sc. with Geology as a major subject, and spent some stones. there in lecturing and research , mainly petrologica l, related to building She gained the M.Sc. in 1921.

In later years her attention was attracted to palaeontolog y and despite many years, commitments to her family she carried out research in this field for She published fifteen scientific dealing particularly with the g raptolites. papers (2 of them as joint author).

She is survived by her husband Howard, and two sons, Max and Owen. remembered by many friends.

D.F.B.

11.

She is

GEORGE BAKER Dr. George Baker, a foundation member of this Society, and one of its precursors, the Melbourne Geological Club, grew up in Leominster, Herefordshire.

He came to Australia in May 1925, aged 17, and became a technical assistant He studied part time and in the Geology School under Prof. E. w. Skeats. graduated B.Sc. in 1933.

His first paper on the mineralogy and petrology of the You Yangs was pubFor this lished in 1936 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Vi ctoria.

He soon became interested in the australwork he was awarded an M.Sc. in 1937. ites of the Port Campbell Moonlight Head area and published extensively on these In later years he became a world authority on australites; fascinating objects. indeed the N.A.S.A. organisation in America used George's ideas for their researct His unique collection of into re- entry conditions for their space vehicles. australites was bequeathed to the National Museum of Victoria despite many lucrawas George's devotion Such tive overseas offers to purchase these treasures. to scientific interests in his adopted country.

In 1936 he became a demonstrator and in 1941 began the first evening lectures He collaborated extensively with the late Austin in Geology Part 1 as a Tutor.

In 1948 he resigned Edwards and in 1944 shared the David Syme Research Prize. as lecturer and joined the Mineragraphic Section of C.S.I.R.O. which was then attached to the Geology School at Melbourne University.

He rose to the rank of Senior Principal Research Scientist before his Shortly after, he went to live official retirement at the age of 60 in 1968. at Mt. Eliza to continue doing the things he liked doing.

To George Baker must go the credit of recognising the Eocene (non Palaeocene) sediments of Pebble Point and the recognition of marine Upper Cretaceous sediments in the Nelson bore.

George was a friendly person always willing to discuss geological problems Like the inveterate gold prospector he always carried a near with anyone. perfect specimen of an australite with him and urged others to look out for He published widely in Australian and overseas these items in the field. scientific journals and was an active member of the Royal Society of Victoria and the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

J.L. K. BINNERT HAITES Dr. Binnert Haites died in Brisbane on 22nd October, 1975 after a short Dr. Haites was born in the Netherlands and studied geology at the illness.

He came to Brisbane in 1962 after working for several University o f Amsterdam. years in Canada, where he was widely known for his studies of coal petrology in In Brisbane he held positions as a consulting the Nova Scotia coalfields. geologist with Bullock and Associates from 1962 to 1964, exploration manager for Amalgamated Petroleum from 1964 to 1966, and acted as a consulting geologist from In 1972 he was appointed Netherlands Consul for 1966 to the time of his death.

Queens land.

Dr. Haites joined the Geological Society of Australia on his arrival in It was as a result of Brisbane, and was a keen supporte~ of Society functions. suggestions by him and Mr. Carl Olsen that the first field conference of the Queensland Division was held in 1964, and he served on the Field Conference Committee from 1964 to 1966.

Qld. Division Newslette r.

12 .

The Mineral Deposits of New South Wales edited N. L. Markham & H. Basden.

Geological Survey of New South Wales:

$20

This 700 page well- presented volume was prepared in honour of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the N.S.W . Department of Mines in September 1974.

It takes the place long held by E. C. Andre¼~ • The Mineral Industry of New South Wales which appeared in 1928.

However , the approach in the present volume is very different from that t aken by Andrews.

Metalliferous and non- me t alliferous deposits are both discussed, although the emphasis is on the former.

Three important materials not treated are limestone, groundwater and construction materials.

The first is the subject of a separate volume prepared by the Survey, whi le the second has now become the province of the N. S.W. Water Conservation & Irrigation Commission which has issued recent reports .

Construction material studies were fel t to be inadequate for inclµsion at pre sent.

The grouping of deposits is on a r egional basis, the regional subdivision being based on structural units as defined by Dr . Erwin Scheibner of the Survey .

Dr. Scheibner contributes an important introductory chapter on the tectonic development of the state , and its relation to mineralization .

Each region is then discussed by various authors (more than twenty) who have worked in the various areas.

Inf ormation from scattered sources (occasionally not attributed correctly) has been gathered to give a very good picture of the stratigraphic and tecton ic environment of each region, and more detailed geological data about the main mining fields and operating mines .

There are more than 1000 references (grouped at the back of the volume) , many of them unpublished Survey reports which will prove invaluable to present and future workers.

The work is copiously illustrated with line drawings and photos, of which only a few could be cons i dered irrelevant or inadequate , and the layout design is very good.

This book is a fitting anniversary presentation .

It brings the mining geology of the state up-to- date, and presents a framework for exploration geologists which will guide them to yet undiscovered ore-bodies.

Students and libraries will delight to have such a useful source book on our natural resources.

D.F .

Garry Speight (CSIRO, Canberra) contributed the following which he 'concocted with the best of intentions while drafting a paper' .

"It has, in the area studied, proved possible with some confidence to abstract from the geological report for all rock units, whether igneous, metamorphic , or sedimentary, crude values, classes or states of the following attributes : ....... " Unscrambled versions (neatest & shortest) will be gratefully received .

Peter Collins (Tas. Division) suggests that the cover of issue No . 7 was printed upside down.

This was not meant to indicate an 'overturned Permian succession' in the Hunter Valley .

Worried stratigraphers should invert their copies of No . 7.

13 .

Letters to the Editor.

Sir, Phillip Black's letter published in Newsletter No. 7 raises the question as to whether a Specialist Group in Geological Education should be considered.

Such a group could assist and encourage in various ways, geology teachers (and students) at both secondary and tertiary level, not to mention those teachers in primary schools who are attempting to teach aspects of earth science.

I believe that geologists are made, not born, and that early and not so early influences in an individual's educational environment lead to creation of interests and ultimately to selection of career.

Skilled and dedicated geo l ogy teachers at all levels of the educational scene can only lead to better geologists in both industry and research.

I would envisage the special objectives of a Specialist Group in Geological Education as follows: 1.

The communication of ideas and philosophy relating to all levels of education in the geological sciences.

2.

The exchange of methods and techniques involved in geological education.

3.

The development of a system of exchange of materials.

4.

The establishment of communication between industry, research and education in gological matters.

5.

The formulation of an Annual Conference (either separately or in association with other specialist groups, depending on circumstances) which would allow dissemination of material, both geological and educational, on a more personal level.

I believe, like Phillip Black., there is considerable interest in educational aspects of geology in every State in this country.

Now is the time for the G.S.A. to act positively to encourage this interest.

D. Davidson, Western Australian Institute of Technology.

Sir: I would like to make two comments in relation to your editorial in the September edition of 'The Australian Geologist'.

Towards the end of the editorial you suggest that individual geologists should speak for themselves and that the society can't have a voice - is this a case where an 'Australian Institution of Professional Geologists' would have been useful?

In the U.K. as in Australia we have a learned society for geologists and we also suffer from the lack of an Institution.

Moves are now afoot to set up an Institution of Professional Geologists in the U.K. for the main purposes of giving geology a professional face in line with those of the Civil Engineers, Chemists, etc., and speaking in the political and public arenas on behalf of the science.

Perhaps the setting up of an Australian Institution should be given some thought - I hasten to add that such a body should be expected to live beside, and not to replace, existing bodies such as the Geological Society.

My second point is really one of correction.

Although the British economy is not, perhaps, thriving we have not yet been bought - or taken \ in fief - by the Americans.

I take it that your reference to 'the British Institute of the U.S. Geological Survey' is an overconsolidated reference to the two bodies The Institute of Geological Sciences and the U.S. GeologicaJ Survey (God's frozen people).

J. B. Joseph, Reading , U.K. (in the sentence referred to, replace 'of' by 'or'.

14.

Ed.)

The News in briefs Below will be found more than 100 abbreviations of various organizations It is by no means complete - new and terms which geologists may encounter. ciphers appear weekly and old ones hang on for a long time.

I am grateful to Ian McLeod of BMR (yes, it is listed) for giving me a Ommissions etc . will be gratefully starting list of the more esoteric titles. received for future issues.

AAAS

AAGS AAP ACAST ACMRR AGIA AGID AGS AIPEA Aust.I.M.M. AMC

AMDEL AMF

ANZAAS APEA APEE APW BMR CAE CDC

CGMW CIG CIOS CIUS CMG CODATA COGS COGEODATA COPUOS COSPAR COSTED COWAR CSIRO CSAGI CTS DSDP DVDP EAGS EDITERRA FAGS FGS GEBCO GIPME GSA

IAB IACOMS IAEA IAEE IAEG IAG IAGA IAGC IAGP IAH !AHR

IAGOD

American Association for the Advancement of Science Assn. of African Geological Surveys Association of Australasian Palaeontologists Advisory Committee on the Application of Science and Technology to Development Advisory Committee on Marine Resources Research ? - suggestions welcome Association of Geoscientists for International Development Australian Geomechanics Society Association Internationale pour l'Etude des Argiles Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Sometimes incorrectly shown as AIMM Australian Minerals Council Australian Mineral Development Laboratories (Adelaide) Australian Mineral Foundation (Adelaide) Australian (&) New Zealand Association (for the) Advancement of Science Australian Petroleum Exploration Association (see AGIA) apparen~ po lar wander Bureau (of) Mineral Resources, Dept. of Minerals & Energy .

College of Advanced Education (e.g. Canberra CAE, Melbourne Institute of Technology) (see AGIA) Commission for the Geological Map of the World Comite International de Geophysique Conseil International pour l'Organisation scientifique Conseil International des Union Scientifiques Commission on Marine Geology Committee on Data for Science and Technology Consortium for Ocean Geosciences of Australian Universities Committee on Storage, Automatic Proces sing & Retrieval of Geological Data U. N. Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Committee on Space Research Committee on Science and Technology in Developing Countries Committee on Water Research Commonwealth Scientific (&) Industrial Research Organisation Comite Special de l ' Annee Geophysique Internationale Committee on the Teaching of Science Deep Sea Drilling Project Dry Valley Drilling Project (Antarctica) European Assn . of Exploration Geophysicists European Assn. of Earth Science Editors.

Federation of Astronomical and Geophysical Services.

Fellow (of the) Geological Society (of London) General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans Global Invest. of Pollution in Marine Environment Geological Society (of) Australia (but overseas commonly refers to Geological Society of America) !CSU Abstracting Board In ternational Advisory Committee on Marine Sciences International Atomic Energy Agency International Association for Earthquake Engineering International Association for Engineering Geology International Association of Geodesy International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy International Association on Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry International Antarctic Glaciological Program International Association of Hydrogeologists International Association for Hydraulic Research International Association on the Genesis of Ore Deposits

IAPSO IAS IAS H IASPEI IAU IAVCEI IAWPR IBD ICA ICES ICG ICOHTEC ICID ICOLD ICSU IFS IGC IGCP IGOSS IGU IGY IHB IHD IMA

IMS INHIGEO INQUA IOC IPMS IPOD ISSS IUCr IUCN IUCSTP IUGG IUGS LEPOR MAMBO

NAGT NNR PESA PIOSA PMA

PSA SCAR SCOPE SCOR SEG SG(s) SGPB

SGTSG SGGM SGIGOD SGS SMEDG SSSI UAI UMC UNDP UNESCO UNIDO

WMS

Internationa l Association of Physical Sciences of the Ocean International. Association of Sedimentologists International Association of Scientific Hydrology International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior International Astronomical Union International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior International Association on Water Pollution Research (see AGIA) International Cartographic Association International Council for the Exploration of the Sea Inter-Union Commission on Geodynamics International Coopn. in History of Technology Committee International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage International Commission on Large Dams International Council of Scientific Unions International Foundation for Science International Geological Congress International Geological Correlation Project Integrated Global Ocean Station System International Geographical Union International Geophysical Year International Hydrographic Bureau International Hydrological Decade International Mineralogical Association (see AGIA) Committee on History of Geological Sciences Union International pour l'Etude du Quaternaire Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission International Polar Motion Service International Project for Ocean Drilling International Society of Soil Science International Union of Crystallography International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Inter-Union Commission on Solar Terrestri al Physics International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics International Union of Geological Sciences Long-term and Expanded Programme of Oceanic Exploration and Research Mediterranean Assn. for Marine Biology and Oceanography National Association (of) Geology Teachers (U.S.A.) National Nature Reserve (sea AGIA) Pan Indian Ocean Science Association Petroleum and Minerals Authority Pacific Science Association Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research Society of Economic Geologists Specialist Group(s) within the Geological Society of Australia Specialist Group (in) Palaeontology (&) Biostratigraphy a specialist group of the Geological Society of Australia now replaced by AAP Specialist Group (in) Tectonics (&) Structural Geology an SG of GSA Specialist Group (in) Geochemistry (&) Mineralogy (of GSA) Specialist Group in (the) Genesis of Ore Deposits (of GSA) Specialist Group (in) Sedimentology (of GSA) (see AGIA) Site of Special Scientific Interest Union of International Associations Upper Mantle Committee United Nations Development Programme United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization United Nations Industrial Development Organization World Magnetic Survey