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Environmental Geochemistry (ERTH90029)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 6.25Not available in 2020
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
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This course will cover a variety of aspects of environmental geochemistry, including equilibrium processes (thermodynamics, solubility, mineral precipitation, redox reactions), kinetics and rates of reactions, application of geochemical and isotopic tracers to understanding environmental processes, and environmental mineralogy. Applications will include hydrology and hydrogeology, contaminants, weathering and CO2 sequestration, and acid-mine drainage. The course will develop the geochemical tools required to understand processes in these environments.
Intended learning outcomes
- This subject aims to equip students with discipline-specific knowledge and expertise appropriate for post-graduate research in the field;
- equip students with discipline-specific knowledge and expertise enabling them to take their place as professional geologists in industry or government organisations;
- to understand the links between chemical and environmental processes in aqueous geochemistry;
- identify processes operating in natural aqueous systems using natural chemical tracers;
- describe ways in which contamination can occur and be detected.
Generic skills
- Exercise critical judgement;
- undertake rigorous and independent thinking;
- adopt a problem-solving approach to new and unfamiliar tasks;
- develop high-level written report and/or oral presentation skills; interrogate, synthesise and interpret the published literature;
- work as part of a team.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Third year hydrogeology or geochemistry recommended
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Three quizzes
| During the teaching period | 50% |
An oral presentation
| During the teaching period | 35% |
A summary of the oral presentation
| During the teaching period | 15% |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
Not available in 2020
Time commitment details
85 hours
Additional delivery details
This subject is taught through the Victorian Institute of Earth and Planetary Sciences: https://vieps.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/.
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NOTE - This intensive subject is hosted by Monash University
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Reading expected to be completed in the pre-teaching period.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Geoscience Course Master of Science (Earth Sciences) Informal specialisation Earth Sciences - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022