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Balancing resource security and development with proper stewardship of the environment are key societal challenges, for which cutting-edge research at Trinity is helping to frame national policies and management strategies. It is imperative to understand earth system processes responsible for the accumulation of resources and the societal impacts from their extraction and utilization.
Our research focuses on investigating hydrocarbon, mineral and groundwater resources using state-of-the-art facilities to further understand the origin, economics and management of important earth resources. The growing need for both petroleum and elements makes the characterisation of existing reserves and future prospects critical to addressing current supply restrictions and future demand. Similarly, the future adequacy of freshwater resources is difficult but essential to assess, owing to a complex and rapidly changing geography of water supply, increasing demand and pollution.
- We integrate field-based structural, sedimentological and thermal history studies to explore hydrocarbon potential and reservoir provenance within sedimentary basins around the world.
- We investigate the residence of precious metals and energy-critical elements within ore deposits using bulk geochemical, isotopic and advanced micro-analytical techniques.
- We use geochemical tracers to evaluate groundwater quality in rural areas, nutrient transfers in wetland ecosystems, and delivery pathways within limestone catchments.
Our department has strong links with industry, government and environmental agencies as we aim to discover new reserves, shape public policy essential for sustainable practices, and promote environmental awareness.
Researchers
| Sean McClenaghan | ore deposits, energy critical elements, geochemical vectoring |
| Chris Nicholas | petroleum exploration, hydrocarbons in East Africa |
| Catherine Coxon | groundwater quality, integrated catchment studies, karst water resources |
| Geoff Clayton | hydrocarbon source rocks, shale gas, thermal maturity |
| Balz Kamber | energy, critical elements |
| David Chew | thermal history studies, geochronology, sedimentary provenance |
| Quentin Crowley | geochronology, geochemistry, porphyry deposits, gold mineralisation |
| George Sevastopulo | metal deposits, building materials |
| Juan Diego Rodriguez-Blanco | Critical elements; carbonate, sulphate and phosphate mineralisation processes |
| Katie Tedd | groundwater quality, water resources |