The Largest Single Gold Deposit Ever Discovered: Muruntau

Muruntau is the largest single gold deposit ever discovered on Earth, hidden beneath the Kyzylkum Desert of Uzbekistan. This article explores how a unique combination of tectonic collisions, deep crustal faults, high-temperature hydrothermal fluids, sulfur chemistry, and immense geological time focused more gold into one place than anywhere else on the planet. From its discovery through arsenic geochemical anomalies to its position within the South Tien Shan mountain belt, Muruntau stands as a once-in-Earth-history convergence of geological processes that pushed gold concentration to its natural limit.

An Ancient Volcanic Arc in Australia: The Pine Creek Orogen

Beneath the landscapes of the Northern Territory lies the eroded core of an ancient volcanic arc that once shaped the edge of Australia nearly two billion years ago. The Pine Creek Orogen preserves the deep roots of a Paleoproterozoic subduction system, where magma was generated, crust was deformed, and metal-rich fluids circulated through the Earth’s crust. Unlike modern volcanic arcs marked by active volcanoes, this system has been stripped down by immense geological time, exposing granites, metamorphosed sediments, and structural pathways that reveal how continental crust grows. This article explores how volcanic arcs form, why Australia preserves only their roots, where the Pine Creek Orogen is located, and how these deep processes led to the concentration of gold and uranium that made the region one of Australia’s most important mineral provinces.

The Search for a Massive Meteorite Impact With No Crater

Less than one million years ago, a massive meteorite impact struck Earth and scattered molten rock across multiple continents, creating the Australasian strewnfield — the largest known tektite field on the planet. Impact glass from this event has been found from Southeast Asia to Australia and Tasmania, proving beyond doubt that a large asteroid or meteorite collided with Earth around 788,000 years ago. Despite overwhelming physical, chemical, and geological evidence, the impact crater has never been conclusively identified. This article explores how tektites form, why the Australasian strewnfield confirms a single enormous meteorite impact, and how sea-level change, volcanism, erosion, and tectonics may have erased or hidden one of the largest recent impact craters on Earth.

How Melting Ice Triggers Earthquakes and Tsunamis

Can melting ice really trigger earthquakes and tsunamis in places with no active plate boundaries? This article explores the surprising geology behind ice retreat, fault reactivation, and tsunami generation in tectonically stable regions like Greenland. Drawing on peer-reviewed research, it explains how rapid ice loss during warming periods alters crustal stress through glacial isostatic rebound, allowing ancient faults to slip and, in rare cases, displace the seafloor. We unpack the physical mechanism, examine evidence from the early Holocene, and discuss why a possible trans-Atlantic tsunami linked to Greenland ice retreat matters for understanding Earth system interactions today.

Why Most People Fail at Gold Detecting Full Time

Metal detecting for gold is often portrayed as the easiest way to strike it rich, especially during periods of high gold prices. This article breaks down the real-world realities of attempting to metal detect full time, using Australian conditions as the framework while explaining why the same challenges apply globally. It explores the true cost of detectors, the problem of deep trash, intense competition, physical strain, ground depletion, and income volatility. From public land limitations to private access myths, this piece explains why metal detecting can work for a small number of people, why it fails for most, and what full-time detecting actually looks like once the excitement wears off.

The Uncomfortable Reality of Hard Rock Gold Mining That No One Talks About

With gold prices surging, hard rock gold mining is often seen as the logical next step beyond alluvial prospecting. This article breaks down the uncomfortable truth about hard rock gold mining, using real-world examples and Victorian legislation as the reference point. It explains why finding gold in quartz does not automatically mean a viable mining operation, how gold grade varies along veins, and why most quartz reefs are far more complex than they appear at the surface. From free-milling versus refractory gold to crushing, processing, legal limits, contamination, and physical labour, this piece explores the realities that determine whether hard rock gold mining can ever move beyond a hobby. While focused on Victoria, the challenges discussed apply to small-scale hard rock mining almost everywhere in the world.

Should You Quit Your Job & Become A Full Time Alluvial Gold Miner?

With gold hitting record highs in Australia, many people are asking whether now is the time to quit their job and try to live off gold. This article breaks down the real-world realities of full-time alluvial gold prospecting, focusing on Australian conditions and the Victorian goldfields. It explores how alluvial gold actually forms, why gold distribution is unpredictable, and why a good find doesn’t automatically translate into sustainable income. From overburden and recovery efficiency to legal limits, competition, costs, and psychological pressure, this piece explains what full-time prospecting really involves. It’s an honest look at whether alluvial gold mining can support a livelihood, who it might work for, and why it fails for most people despite high gold prices.

The Recent Discovery of The Largest Gold Deposit on Earth

China is claiming the discovery of the largest gold deposit ever found, buried deep beneath the Wangu goldfields in Hunan Province. Described in headlines as a “supergiant” gold discovery, the deposit is being promoted with extraordinary figures despite still being in an early exploration phase. This article breaks down the real geology behind the Wangu goldfield, explaining how ancient subduction processes created deep orogenic gold systems similar to Victoria’s goldfields, why the gold itself is geologically young, and how surface workings failed to reveal the true scale of mineralisation. We explore what deep drilling up to two kilometres actually means for mining costs, why much of the gold is refractory and locked in sulfides, and why calling this the largest gold discovery in the world at this stage is scientifically irresponsible. This is a grounded, geology-driven look at hype versus reality in modern gold exploration.

This Volcano Is Waking Up After 700,000 Years of Silence

Taftan Volcano in southeastern Iran is showing signs of unrest after nearly 700,000 years of dormancy, with satellite data revealing ground uplift and renewed volcanic activity beneath the summit. This article explores why Taftan is waking up, how the Makran subduction zone continues to fuel the system, and what these changes tell us about long-dormant volcanoes that still sit above active plate boundaries.

Why Mega Tsunamis Keep Happening in Greenland

Mega tsunamis in Greenland are no longer rare geological anomalies. In recent years, massive landslides collapsing into narrow fjords have generated waves hundreds of metres high, including the 200-metre Dickson Fjord tsunami that caused the Earth to vibrate for days. This article explores how and why these Greenland mega tsunamis occurred, what damage they caused, and why warming temperatures, melting glaciers, and destabilised slopes mean similar events are likely to become more common in the Arctic and beyond.

The Mega Tsunami That Smashed Hawaii

Hidden high above sea level on the cliffs of Molokaʻi and the slopes of Lānaʻi is evidence of one of the largest waves Earth has ever produced. Long before humans reached Hawaiʻi, a catastrophic volcanic island collapse triggered a prehistoric mega tsunami that sent ocean water hundreds of metres inland. Coral fragments, marine fossils, and massive boulder deposits found far above any modern shoreline reveal a disaster far more powerful than earthquake tsunamis recorded in human history. This article explores the geological evidence, the source of the wave, how high it reached, when it occurred, and whether a Hawaiian mega tsunami of this scale could ever happen again.

One of Earth's Youngest Impact Craters: The Henbury Craters

Around 5,000 years ago, a meteorite struck central Australia, carving the Henbury crater field into ancient Proterozoic rock south of Alice Springs. This rare and remarkably young meteorite impact site preserves multiple craters formed when an iron meteorite fragmented before hitting the ground within human history. The Henbury craters offer one of the clearest examples on Earth of a recent asteroid impact, combining geological evidence, preserved meteorite fragments, and Indigenous oral traditions that describe fire falling from the sky. Today, Henbury stands as one of the youngest confirmed meteorite impact sites on the planet and a powerful reminder that Earth remains vulnerable to objects from space.

Australia’s Most Overlooked Geological Oddity: Jarnem Keep

Hidden in the far north of Australia is one of the continent’s most overlooked geological oddities. Near Jarnem in the Northern Territory, a field of sandstone pinnacles and dome-shaped rock formations rises from the landscape, forming what looks like a ruined stone city carved by design. These formations are not man-made and are not related to Australia’s famous limestone Pinnacles or the Bungle Bungles, despite their visual similarity.

Formed from Devonian to Early Carboniferous sandstones more than 300 million years ago, the Jarnem Keep landscape represents the remains of an ancient sandstone surface that once stretched across northern Australia. Over millions of years, deep chemical weathering weakened the rock before erosion stripped away vast volumes of stone, leaving behind isolated towers, ridges and domes. This landscape is defined by erosion and loss rather than construction, making it one of Australia’s most unusual geological environments.

Today, Jarnem Keep stands as a rare example of a landform shaped by subtraction, where the spaces between the pinnacles tell as much of the geological story as the rocks themselves. It is a hidden geological landmark that reveals how climate, erosion and time can quietly erase entire landscapes while leaving behind only their strongest remnants.

The Strangest Volcanic Rock in Victoria: Icelandite

One small hill in central Victoria erupted something no other location in the state ever has—a rare volcanic rock known as icelandite. In a region dominated by basaltic lava flows, this unique eruption broke the rules of Victorian volcanism and left behind a geological mystery. Formed between 8.3 and 5 million years ago, the Spring Hill icelandite tells a story of deep mantle anomalies, crustal interaction, and volcanic chemistry found nowhere else in Australia. This blog dives into what makes this eruption so special, how it happened, and why the rock it produced is the rarest of its kind in Victoria.

The Lost Gold Reef in The Otways: Wangerrip

Hidden deep within southern Australia lies one of the most unusual gold discoveries ever recorded. Known as the Wangerrip gold reef, this lost deposit appears on official geological maps as a major occurrence, yet it has no recorded production, no defined ore body, and no confirmed modern location. Discovered briefly in the late nineteenth century and then lost to time, the Wangerrip Reef stands as a geological anomaly that challenges everything we think we know about how and where gold forms in Australia. Hosted in rocks hundreds of millions of years younger than Victoria’s famous goldfields, this rare gold vein formed through a completely different tectonic process during the breakup of Gondwana, making it one of the strangest and rarest gold occurrences in the state.

Victoria's Hidden Grand Canyon: The Bass Canyon

Hidden beneath the calm surface of Bass Strait lies one of Australia’s most extraordinary geological features: the Bass Canyon, a massive underwater system stretching more than 160 kilometres and plunging over 3000 metres deep just off the Victorian coastline. This blog post uncovers the canyon’s incredible formation story, from cool-water carbonate sediments and ancient mass-wasting events to the powerful Bass Cascade, a cold underwater density current that helped carve this enormous chasm into the continental slope. Explore the science, geology and deep-time history behind Victoria’s hidden Grand Canyon and discover why this submerged giant is one of the country’s most awe-inspiring yet overlooked natural wonders.

The Forgotten Beach Gold Rush in New South Wales

Australia is known for its legendary goldfields, but few people realise New South Wales once hosted a genuine beach gold rush. Hidden behind the dunes near Evans Head, a fossilised ancient shoreline produced thousands of ounces of ultra-fine gold during the 1890s. This rare coastal placer formed when heavy minerals and gold from the New England highlands were reworked by shifting sea levels and storm-driven waves into a narrow, cemented strandline now buried beneath metres of sand. Forgotten for more than a century, this lost auriferous beach reveals one of the most unusual geological and mining stories in Australian history.

The Massive Australian Cave System You Never Hear About

Hidden beneath the remote landscapes of the Northern Territory lies Bullita Cave, Australia’s longest and least-known cave system. This enormous 123-kilometre underground labyrinth stretches through ancient Proterozoic dolostone in the Judbarra and Gregory Karst region. Its maze-like passages, shallow depth and astonishing density make it one of the most unusual cave networks on Earth. Bullita formed through the combined power of monsoonal flooding, rapid vertical infiltration and the erosion of a critical shale layer, producing a sprawling subterranean world that most people have never even heard of. This article explores the geology, hydrology and evolutionary history of Australia’s largest cave system and reveals why this hidden underworld is unlike anything else in the country.

The Only Place on Earth You Can Find This Rock

Hidden in the remote Kennedy Range region of Western Australia lies one of Earth’s rarest gemstone materials: Mookaite. This striking, multicoloured silicified radiolarite formed on the floor of an ancient Cretaceous sea and occurs only in a tiny area near Mooka Creek. In this article, we explore how microscopic marine fossils were transformed into one of Australia’s most distinctive gemstones, why it formed in only one locality, and what makes Mookaite a geological outlier unlike anything found anywhere else on the planet.

World Shocked As “Extinct” Volcano Reawakens: Hayli Gubbi

A volcano in Ethiopia has erupted for the first time in twelve thousand years, sending shockwaves through the scientific community and drawing global attention to one of the most active tectonic regions on Earth. This rare eruption of Hayli Gubbi in the Afar Depression reveals the immense geological forces tearing Africa apart and offers a dramatic glimpse into the formation of a future ocean basin. Explore how a supposedly extinct volcano reawakened, why it erupted so violently and what this event means for the East African Rift System.

Everything We Knew About The Giant's Causeway Was WRONG

For decades, the Giant’s Causeway was explained as a simple case of lava cooling in a river-carved valley — but new geological evidence rewrites that story entirely. Beneath the iconic basalt columns lies a hidden record of magma chamber collapse, rapid subsidence, and a volcanic event far more dramatic than the traditional explanation ever suggested. This article breaks down the new science behind the Causeway’s formation, the clues geologists uncovered in the laterite layer, and why everything we thought we knew about this landscape has now changed.

One of The Strangest Places on Earth: The Chocolate Hills in The Philippines

The Chocolate Hills of Bohol are one of the strangest and most visually striking geological landscapes on Earth. Beneath their calm, symmetrical beauty lies the story of an ancient coral reef uplifted from the sea and sculpted into nearly two thousand perfect domes by millions of years of tropical rainfall, chemical weathering and karstification. This blog post explores the real science behind the Chocolate Hills, their Pliocene limestone origins, their hidden cave systems and underground rivers, and the delicate balance that keeps this rare tropical karst environment alive.

The Huge Super Volcano in Victoria Australia

Hidden beneath the tranquil forests of Victoria lies one of Australia’s most extraordinary geological secrets: the Cerberean supervolcano. This massive 27-kilometre-wide caldera, preserved in the high country near Marysville and Lake Mountain, marks the site of one of the largest explosive eruptions in Australia’s deep-time history. With nearly nine hundred cubic kilometres of ignimbrite packed inside the caldera, the Cerberean eruption rivals the great supervolcanoes of the world and showcases the incredible power of ancient Australian volcanism. This blog post explores how the eruption unfolded, how the enormous magma chamber formed beneath the Selwyn Block, and how the collision of the VanDieland microcontinent set the stage for one of the most violent geological events ever recorded on the continent.

The Unsolved Mystery of The Gold & Silver Rich Hera Deposit

Hidden beneath the quiet landscape of central New South Wales lies one of Australia’s most mysterious and valuable mineral discoveries: the Hera gold and silver deposit. Long believed to be a region dominated by traditional Cobar-style ore systems, the Cobar Basin was turned on its head when Hera revealed extreme heat signatures, exotic skarn minerals and a suspected but still undiscovered magmatic heat source. This extraordinary deposit produced hundreds of thousands of ounces of gold and silver while exposing a geological puzzle that continues to challenge experts. In this deep-dive exploration, we unravel the formation of the Hera skarn, the billion-dollar metals it hosted, and the unanswered questions that make it one of Australia’s most compelling geological mysteries.

The Secret Every Gold Prospector Needs To Know

Gold prospecting has long been dominated by the belief that quartz veins are the primary source of gold, but this outdated idea keeps countless prospectors blind to the richest auriferous systems on Earth. The truth is that some of the most productive gold deposits have little to no quartz at all. Weathered sulfide lodes, ironstone gossans, silicified zones, fault gouge, carbonaceous slates, volcanic alteration and deep-weathered regolith can all shed visible gold, fine gold and coarse nuggets into the landscape without leaving a single classic quartz vein behind. In this article, we explore these hidden geological gold sources in detail and show how understanding them can completely transform your prospecting success. If you want to find the gold everyone else walks over, this is the knowledge that makes the difference.

The Supervolcano in Central Australia That Rewrote Geology

Deep beneath the deserts of central Australia lies a billion-year-old supervolcano that changed everything we know about how Earth works. The Talbot Sub-basin in the Musgrave Province produced colossal eruptions that rivaled Yellowstone and Toba — but unlike them, it wasn’t powered by a deep mantle plume. This was a supervolcano born from crustal heat, rewriting the rules of geology and proving that continents themselves can generate planet-shaping eruptions.

Inside The Largest Zircon Mine in the World

Beneath the South Australian outback lies one of the world’s richest hidden resources — the Jacinth–Ambrosia zircon mine. Valued at over A$15 billion, this world-class mineral sands deposit produces a quarter of global zircon supply. Formed on Eocene beaches 40 million years ago, these ancient dunes conceal a geological and economic marvel. Learn how billion-year-old zircons from the Musgrave Province ended up buried in the Eucla Basin, how Iluka Resources turned that discovery into a global powerhouse, and why this remote desert is now home to the planet’s most valuable zircon deposit.

Best Metal Detector for Beginner Gold Hunters in Australia’s Mineralized Terrain

Looking for the best metal detector for beginner gold prospectors in Australia’s mineralized terrain? This detailed guide breaks down the top beginner-friendly gold detectors built to handle Australia’s tough red soils and hot rock conditions. We compare ease of use, sensitivity to small nuggets, and real-world performance in mineralized goldfields. Whether you’re heading to the Victorian goldfields or remote WA, this article helps you choose the perfect first detector to start your gold hunting journey with confidence.

How to Find Gold with a Metal Detector in Creeks: Reading the Land for Success

Discover how to find gold with a metal detector in creek environments using smart strategies and land-reading techniques. This beginner-friendly guide covers how gold behaves in water, how to identify key gold-trap locations like inside bends, gravel bars, bedrock crevices, and ancient bench deposits. Learn expert tips for detecting in mineralized soil, recognizing historical diggings, and maximizing your chances of finding nuggets in Australian creeks. Whether you’re new to prospecting or looking to refine your technique, this practical guide helps you detect more gold with every swing.

GPX 6000 vs GPZ 7000: Which Is Better?

If you’re deciding between the Minelab GPX 6000 and the GPZ 7000 for serious gold prospecting in Australia, this in-depth comparison breaks down everything you need to know. We explore gold detection depth, performance in mineralized ground, sensitivity to fine gold, and real-world usability across the Victorian and Western Australian goldfields. Whether you’re chasing shallow alluvial nuggets or deeper targets missed by older machines, this guide helps you choose the best gold detector for your prospecting style. Find out how the GPX 6000’s lightweight design and sharp sensitivity stacks up against the GPZ 7000’s legendary depth and powerful ZVT technology.

The Hidden Volcano in the Mornington Peninsula

Hidden beneath the rolling hills and vineyards of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula lies a forgotten chapter of Australia’s fiery geological past. Discover the incredible story of the Arthurs Seat Rhyodacite — the remains of a long-eroded Devonian volcano that once erupted with explosive force, shaping the landscape we see today. Learn how fault lines, granite intrusions, and ancient tectonic forces brought this “lost volcano” to life, and what clues still remain in the rocks beneath your feet.

The Hidden Grand Canyon Beneath Perth

Hidden beneath the waters off Western Australia lies the Perth Canyon — a colossal underwater gorge often called Perth’s Grand Canyon. This blog dives deep into the canyon’s stratigraphy, revealing how ancient rivers, tectonic rifting, and submarine landslides carved one of the largest submarine canyons in the Southern Hemisphere. From the Late Cretaceous formation of the Vlaming Sub-basin to the discovery of fossil coral reefs in its depths, the Perth Canyon tells a 70-million-year story written in stone. Explore how sea level changes, continental drift, and powerful submarine currents shaped this underwater landscape into a geological masterpiece — a time capsule of Australia’s dynamic Earth history.

Why This Desert Fills With Thousands of Lakes Each Year: Lençóis Maranhenses

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil is one of Earth’s most astonishing natural wonders — a place where rolling white dunes meet thousands of turquoise lagoons. This rare desert-like landscape comes alive each year when tropical rains flood the sandy basins, creating a shimmering network of freshwater lakes. Discover the geological story behind this surreal paradise, where the wind, sand, and water work together to create a living desert that breathes with the seasons.

The Supervolcano in Queensland: The Mungore Caldera

Discover Australia’s hidden supervolcano — the Mungore Caldera, a 50 × 35 km Triassic giant rivaling Yellowstone and Taupō in scale.

The Big Lie About Rare Earth Elements: They’re Not Rare at All!

Rare earth elements aren’t as rare as their name suggests. In this blog, we explore why these critical metals are abundant in the Earth’s crust yet difficult to mine in economic concentrations. Learn how unique geological processes in carbonatite and peralkaline rocks create the few rare earth deposits on the planet, and why their scarcity lies not in their chemistry, but in the extraordinary conditions required to concentrate them.

The Geological Mystery of Australia’s Forgotten Volcanoes

Ninety million years ago, Victoria, Australia erupted after more than 200 million years of silence. This blog dives into the story behind the mysterious Older Volcanics Province — the ancient eruptions that transformed southeastern Australia and marked the breakup of Gondwana. Discover how the opening of the Tasman Sea, continental rifting, and decompression melting deep in the Earth’s mantle triggered Victoria’s fiery awakening, and why this long-extinct volcanic province still matters to Australian geology today.

Australia’s Forgotten Monolith: Chambers Pillar

Rising 50 metres from the desert plains of Central Australia, Chambers Pillar is one of the Northern Territory’s most fascinating geological landmarks. This ancient sandstone monolith has survived over 350 million years of erosion, standing as a testament to the power of time and the natural forces that shaped Australia’s red heart. Discover the story behind its formation, its cultural significance to the Arrernte people, and why it remains one of the most extraordinary natural wonders in the Australian outback.

The Unique Meteorite Crater in Australia

Hidden in the rugged red heart of Western Australia lies the Dalgaranga Crater, the world’s rarest meteorite crater and the only confirmed impact site created by a mesosiderite meteorite. This tiny but extraordinary feature, just 24 metres wide, formed when a rare stony-iron space rock struck the ancient granite of the Yilgarn Craton. Unlike any other crater on Earth, Dalgaranga provides scientists with a window into the violent history of our solar system and the cosmic forces that shaped it.

The War Over $40 Billion Worth of Critical Minerals in Australia

A billion-dollar battle is unfolding in western Victoria, where farmers and mining giants are locked in conflict over 40 billion dollars’ worth of critical minerals buried beneath rich agricultural land. Beneath the surface of Australia’s farmland lies one of the world’s most valuable mineral sands systems — a geological legacy of ancient coastlines now driving a modern-day war between agriculture, mining, and the renewable energy future.

Platinum Nuggets in Australia: Fifield

Hidden in the plains of New South Wales lies one of Australia’s rarest geological treasures — the Fifield platinum field. Over a century ago, prospectors uncovered something almost impossible: real platinum nuggets, heavier than gold, gleaming in ancient riverbeds. This forgotten discovery reveals a story that stretches back 440 million years, from the birth of platinum deep in magma to its journey through erosion, weathering, and rediscovery in the Australian outback.

The Volcanic Eruption That Covered One Third of Australia

Over half a billion years ago, northern and western Australia were engulfed by a cataclysmic volcanic event that reshaped the continent and may have driven one of the first great extinction events in Earth’s history. Known as the Kalkarindji Large Igneous Province, this ancient eruption flooded more than two million square kilometres of land with molten basalt, releasing vast amounts of volcanic gases into the atmosphere. In this article, we explore how the Kalkarindji eruption began, how it spread across Gondwana, and how it changed the planet’s climate and life forever.

New Zealand’s Mysterious Disappearing Lake

Hidden in the rolling hills of New Zealand’s Waikato region lies one of the country’s most intriguing natural mysteries — Lake Disappear. Unlike any typical lake, it doesn’t stay filled. Streams flow in, but the water vanishes underground through hidden limestone caves and sinkholes, revealing the incredible karst geology beneath. This vanishing act isn’t magic — it’s the result of millions of years of volcanic and marine processes working together to create one of New Zealand’s most unusual landscapes.

Zebra Rock: One of The Rarest Rocks on Earth

Zebra Rock is one of the rarest and most visually striking geological formations on Earth, found only in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. Its bold red and white stripes tell a story of ancient lakes, unique chemical reactions, and survival through cataclysmic volcanic events. This blog post explores the extraordinary journey of Zebra Rock, from its formation 600 million years ago to its rediscovery as one of the world’s most fascinating geological wonders.

Why Ballarat Has So Many Sinkholes

Mysterious holes are opening across the streets, backyards, and parks of Ballarat, a city once defined by its gold rush past. These aren’t just surface-level potholes—they’re deep, dangerous collapses revealing a vast, forgotten network of underground mine shafts dug over a century ago. In this article, we uncover how 19th-century gold mining has come back to haunt Ballarat in the form of modern sinkholes. Beneath the surface lies a hollow, crumbling legacy of quartz reef tunnels, deep leads, and abandoned shafts, many of which are now collapsing beneath unsuspecting residents. This is the story of a city slowly sinking into its own history.

A Geological Wonder in Tasmania: Devils Kitchen

Devil’s Kitchen is one of Tasmania’s most striking geological landmarks — a towering sea-carved chasm formed by millions of years of relentless erosion. This post explores the geological history of Devil’s Kitchen, from its origins in Permian-age siltstone to the collapse of a sea cave that gave rise to the dramatic trench visible today. With clear evidence of horizontal sedimentary layering and vertical joints exploited by wave action, Devil’s Kitchen stands as a testament to Earth’s slow but unstoppable sculpting forces. Discover how this natural wonder was formed, why it's geologically significant, and what it reveals about Tasmania's coastal evolution.

New Asteroid Crater Just Discovered Under The Sea: The Silverpit Crater

Beneath the calm waters of the North Sea lies a dramatic secret from Earth’s past. The Silverpit Crater, recently confirmed as an asteroid impact site, was formed more than 43 million years ago when a space rock slammed into the seabed. Long debated as either an impact crater or a collapsed salt dome, new evidence of shock-deformed minerals and advanced seismic imaging has finally revealed its extraterrestrial origin. This discovery not only rewrites part of Europe’s geological history but also highlights the very real influence asteroid impacts have had on shaping our planet.

The Worst Gold Mining Disaster in Australian History: The New Australasian Deep Lead No. 2

The Creswick mine disaster of 1882 remains Australia’s worst gold mining tragedy. When floodwaters burst into the New Australasian No. 2 shaft, twenty-two miners were lost. This story explores the desperate rescue efforts, the grief that swept Creswick, and the legacy of one of Victoria’s richest yet deadliest deep leads.

Hidden Geology of Australia: Paroo-Darling Mound Springs, Tasman Abyssal Plain and the Woodleigh Impact Crater

Australia hides some of its most extraordinary geological wonders far from the tourist trail. From the rare artesian mound springs of the Paroo-Darling, to the vast Tasman Abyssal Plain beneath the sea, and the buried Woodleigh Impact Structure carved by a colossal meteor, these sites reveal the hidden forces that shaped the continent. They are the lesser-known but no less spectacular stories of water, tectonics and cosmic collisions that continue to define Australia’s deep past.

The Mega Tsunami That Hit Eastern Australia: Lord Howe

Eastern Australia has a hidden history of colossal mega tsunamis that reshaped the coast and left behind dramatic geological evidence. On Lord Howe Island, towering waves more than 100 meters high ripped vegetation away, hurled massive boulders inland, and capped headlands with layers of sand and shells from the ocean floor. These events were unlike any ordinary storm or cyclone, leaving behind scars carved into cliffs and stories that echo through Aboriginal oral traditions. This post explores the science, history, and mystery of the mega tsunamis that struck the Tasman Sea and eastern Australia.

Australia’s Remote Billion-Dollar Gold Mine: The Tanami Gold Mine

The Tanami Gold Mine is one of Australia’s most significant and remote gold producers. Located deep in the Northern Territory desert, it has delivered more than twelve million ounces of gold since the 1980s and continues to generate billions in revenue each year. Its unique geology, long mine life and ambitious expansion projects make it a cornerstone of the Northern Territory’s mining industry and one of Newmont’s flagship global assets.

Queensland Was Once Connected To Canada: The Georgetown Inlier

Beneath the quiet town of Georgetown in north Queensland lies a geological secret: a fragment of Canada. Known as the Georgetown Inlier, this ancient block of crust began its life as part of Laurentia, the heart of North America, before drifting away and colliding with Australia 1.6 billion years ago. Its rocks preserve the isotopic fingerprints of Canada’s Wernecke Supergroup, offering a rare glimpse into the assembly of Earth’s early supercontinents.

Australia’s Most Important Mineral Deposit: Mount Weld

Mount Weld in Western Australia is one of the world’s richest rare earth deposits. Its unique geology and immense strategic value make it Australia’s most important mineral treasure.

One of the Richest Gold Copper Discoveries in Australian History: Ernest Henry

The Ernest Henry Mine in Queensland is one of Australia’s richest copper-gold discoveries. Hidden beneath barren ground until 1991, this world-class deposit has since produced billions of dollars in copper and gold, shaping both local communities and the nation’s mining legacy.

The Devastating 2025 Afghanistan Earthquake: A Geological Analysis

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late on August 31, 2025, tearing through narrow valleys in Kunar Province and leaving more than 1,400 people dead and over 3,000 injured. Entire villages built of adobe and field stone collapsed within seconds, while rain-loosened slopes gave way in chains of landslides that severed roads and isolated survivors. What turned a moderate-sized quake into a national disaster was not just where it hit, but how the crust moved beneath it.

Australian Pink Salt Versus Himalayan Mountain Salt

Australia is home to its own remarkable pink salt, harvested each year from the Murray–Darling Basin. While Himalayan salt gets most of the attention, Murray River Salt tells a very different story. Drawn from ancient saline aquifers and crystallised under the hot Australian sun, these delicate pink flakes are not only prized in kitchens for their light texture and balanced flavour, but also play a vital role in tackling salinity across the Murray River system.

The Bizarre Lake That Disappears Overnight: Loughareema

Loughareema, the vanishing lake of Northern Ireland, is one of nature’s most puzzling spectacles. This shallow basin in County Antrim can transform dramatically within hours. After heavy rains, streams pour into the hollow, filling it with dark, peaty water and creating a striking upland lake. Yet the waters are fleeting. Hidden beneath the lakebed is a natural sinkhole that acts like a giant plug, draining the lake away into subterranean channels that feed the nearby Carey River.

A Colossal Cave System lurking Beneath Australia’s Desert: The Nullarbor Caves

Beneath the flat, treeless expanse of the Nullarbor Plain lies one of Australia’s most astonishing hidden worlds. This vast limestone platform conceals an immense system of caves, tunnels and sinkholes formed over millions of years. From colossal chambers decorated with stalactites to crystal-clear underground lakes, the Nullarbor’s caves reveal a story of ancient seas, extinct megafauna and the remarkable power of water to carve stone.

Why Victoria's New Machete Ban Makes No Sense

Victoria’s machete ban has been sold as a bold move against knife crime, but in reality it criminalizes ordinary people while doing little to stop violent offenders. From September 1st, 2025, owning or using a machete could land you with a $47,000 fine or two years in prison. The government has spent $13 million on disposal bins to enforce the ban, yet critics argue this is political theatre rather than practical safety.

Why Criminal Gangs Are Killing for Sand: The Sand Mafia

Sand may seem like an endless resource, but the truth is far more troubling. The construction industry depends on sharp, angular river sand — not the smooth grains of desert dunes. As global demand surges, this vital resource is being stripped from rivers and coasts faster than nature can replace it. In countries like India, Morocco, and Kenya, this shortage has fueled a violent black market, controlled by cartels known as sand mafias. These groups will stop at nothing — intimidation, corruption, and even murder — to secure control over sand supplies. What looks like a humble grain has become the foundation of a billion-dollar criminal empire.

A 500 Metre Tall Mega Tsunami Just Struck Alaska - New Photos Released

On August 10, 2025, a colossal landslide in Tracy Arm fjord unleashed a half-kilometer high mega-tsunami. Newly released photos reveal the scale of destruction and the science behind one of the largest landslide-generated waves in modern history.

Largest Earthquake In 50 Years Hits Queensland: Here’s What Happened

Queensland has been shaken by its strongest earthquake in half a century. The magnitude 5.6 tremor struck near Kilkivan, west of Gympie, and was felt across Brisbane, Bundaberg, the Gold Coast and even into northern New South Wales. It is a rare reminder that even Australia’s most stable state is not immune to powerful geological forces.

Glacial Lake Outburst Threatens Alaskan City

The flood arrived under cover of darkness. It hit with a sound like thunder, a great rushing roar. When the rising water came into view, it was taller than the cottonwoods along the river—a wall of water, shining and white-capped in the glare of search-and-rescue helicopters.

How Sand From Antarctica Made It To Sydney

During the Triassic Period, Australia and Antarctica were joined as part of Gondwana. Powerful braided rivers carried quartz-rich sand from highlands in East Antarctica across a vast connected landscape, through what is now Tasmania and Victoria, and into the Sydney Basin. Over millions of years, these deposits became the Hawkesbury Sandstone, the golden rock that now shapes Sydney’s cliffs, valleys, and harbor foreshores.

The Death of Gold Mining? Mercury Is Being Turned Into Gold

For centuries, the dream of turning base metals into gold belonged to alchemists and their mythical Philosopher’s Stone. Today, that dream may have found a home in the heart of a fusion reactor. Marathon Fusion claims its innovative design could transform mercury into pure gold while simultaneously generating clean, limitless energy — a marriage of ancient ambition and cutting-edge science.

An Untouched Goldfield in Victoria - Hidden Beneath Lava

The expansive Western District volcanic plains stretch across southwest Victoria, a flat and windswept region capped by volcanic basalt flows. Although largely void of gold at the surface, buried beneath the basalt cover could be a different story: original goldfields, obscured by lava for millions of years. These hidden riches, potentially rivaling the exposed goldfields further north in origin and richness, remain tantalizingly out of reach.

The Forgotten Meteorite Field Near Melbourne: The Cranbourne Meteorites

South-east of Melbourne lies one of Australia’s most remarkable extraterrestrial discoveries — the Cranbourne meteorite field. Scattered across the basalt plains of Victoria, these massive iron meteorites are fragments of a colossal asteroid that fell to Earth thousands of years ago.

The first recorded discovery came in 1854, when settlers unearthed an enormous metallic mass while ploughing farmland. Over time, more pieces were found — some weighing over 3 tonnes — making Cranbourne home to one of the world’s largest known iron meteorites.

Composed primarily of iron and nickel, these meteorites display the striking Widmanstätten pattern when cut and polished, revealing their slow crystallisation within the core of a long-destroyed planetary body. For the Boonwurrung people, the meteorites were already part of their cultural landscape long before European settlement.

Today, most of the Cranbourne meteorites reside in museums and collections, but their story remains a spectacular link between Victoria’s volcanic plains and the wider cosmos.

Debunking the Glacier Gold Myth in Reedy Creek

Local legend claims that Reedy Creek’s gold was carried down from distant mountains by ancient glaciers. It’s a romantic story—but geologically impossible.

Victoria, Australia, has never been covered by continental glaciers large enough to transport gold-bearing gravels over such vast distances. The gold at Reedy Creek is instead the product of localised erosion from nearby quartz reefs, part of the region’s Paleozoic goldfields formed during the Devonian–Carboniferous orogenies. Over millions of years, weathering released gold from bedrock, allowing it to wash into the creek beds where miners later found it.

Geological mapping shows no evidence of glacial striations in the Reedy Creek area. Instead, the sediment layers match typical alluvial systems, where gold has been concentrated by stream action, not by ice. The truth is less mythical but far more fascinating—a story of local geology, erosion, and the steady hand of running water shaping one of Victoria’s most famous gold-bearing streams.

Australia’s Atlantis: The Bassian Plain

Beneath the waves of Bass Strait lies the Bassian Plain, a vast submerged shelf that once connected mainland Australia to Tasmania. During the last ice age, when sea levels were over 120 metres lower, this area formed a land bridge across which plants, animals, and early humans migrated.

Stretching between Victoria and Tasmania, the Bassian Plain is part of the Southeast Australian continental shelf, composed of ancient sediments and marine deposits. Today, it’s covered by relatively shallow waters averaging only 50 metres deep, but sonar mapping reveals old river channels and dune systems frozen in time beneath the seafloor.

This sunken landscape is crucial for understanding past climate changes, human migration routes, and marine biodiversity. It’s both a geological archive and an underwater ecosystem rich with marine life, shaped by powerful currents and seasonal upwellings.

The Massive Asteroid Impact in Central Australia

Deep in the heart of the Northern Territory lies Gosses Bluff, known to the Western Arrernte people as Tnorala. This striking ring-shaped mountain range, 22 km across, is the eroded remnant of a massive asteroid impact that occurred around 142 million years ago during the early Cretaceous.

Originally, the impact crater may have been up to 24 km wide and several kilometres deep. Over millions of years, erosion has stripped away much of the original structure, leaving a dramatic central uplift—a feature common in large impact craters. The bluff’s distinctive circular form is visible even from space.

For the Western Arrernte people, Tnorala holds deep cultural significance, woven into Dreamtime stories that speak of a fallen star. Scientifically, it offers an invaluable window into Earth’s violent past and the role of cosmic impacts in shaping our planet’s surface.

A New 'Super Volcano' Discovered In The Pacific: The Truth

A wave of media hype has recently misrepresented the Melanesian Border Plateau as a looming supervolcano. But geologists aren’t buying it.

Located northeast of Australia, this vast underwater plateau is indeed volcanic in origin—but it’s not a hidden Yellowstone. The Melanesian Border Plateau is the product of hotspot volcanism and back-arc tectonics, forming mostly during the Cenozoic era through scattered submarine eruptions and seafloor spreading.

Unlike true supervolcanoes, which are defined by catastrophic caldera-forming eruptions ejecting over 1,000 km³ of material, the plateau shows no such eruptive history. Instead, it's a diffuse volcanic province, more comparable to the Ontong Java Plateau or Hikurangi Plateau, both massive yet stable oceanic features.

So no, it’s not about to erupt and end the world. It's a fascinating volcanic relic—but not an apocalyptic threat.

The Second Gold Rush That Changed Gold Mining Forever

In the late 19th century, gold recovery was revolutionized by a chemical breakthrough: cyanide leaching. Before this innovation, miners could only extract gold efficiently from rich, visible ore. Fine gold locked in sulfides or low-grade ores was often discarded as waste.

That changed in 1887, when Scottish chemists John MacArthur, Robert, and William Forrest patented the cyanide process. This method allowed gold to be dissolved from crushed ore using a dilute cyanide solution—a far more efficient and scalable process than mercury amalgamation or gravity separation.

The impact was immense. Cyanide made low-grade deposits economically viable, triggered global gold rushes, and remains at the core of gold mining operations today. While effective, the process also raised new environmental and safety concerns, leading to modern regulations and alternatives like thiosulfate and glycine leaching.

2 New Massive Volcanoes Just Discovered in Australia

In a stunning geological discovery, two ancient calderas have been identified in the Bara Range of central New South Wales, rewriting the volcanic history of eastern Australia. These volcanic craters—formed by cataclysmic eruptions over 300 million years ago—are among the oldest preserved calderas on the continent.

Previously thought to be a region of modest tectonic activity, the Bara Range now reveals a far more explosive past. The new findings suggest a late Paleozoic volcanic arc, with pyroclastic flows, rhyolitic domes, and collapse structures hidden beneath weathered sandstone plateaus and vegetation.

These calderas not only provide a window into ancient continental volcanism, but may also hold clues to hidden mineral systems, including potential epithermal gold and rare earth element deposits. A game-changer for Australian geological mapping.

Australia's Ancient Himalayan Size Mountain Range: The Petermann Ranges

Hidden deep in Australia’s Red Centre, the Petermann Ranges are among the oldest mountain chains on Earth. Formed over 550 million years ago during the Petermann Orogeny, these rugged ranges tell the story of massive geological forces that once rivaled the Himalayas.

Unlike more familiar mountain belts, the Petermann Ranges are remnants of an intra-continental collision—where central Australia buckled under pressure from opposing landmasses. Today, these low-slung yet striking ranges offer a rare glimpse into Proterozoic tectonics, metamorphic belts, and some of the oldest exposed rocks on the continent.

Geology enthusiasts visiting this region will find ancient gneisses, granulites, and evidence of intense crustal uplift, all surrounded by sweeping desert landscapes.

Cape Hauy: A Geological Wonder in Tasmania

Jutting out into the Tasman Sea like the jagged spine of a prehistoric creature, Cape Hauy (pronounced hoy) is a geological marvel on the Tasman Peninsula. The cape’s signature vertical dolerite columns rise abruptly from the ocean, forming some of the tallest sea cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere. These striking formations are remnants of Jurassic-aged dolerite intrusions that cooled slowly beneath the Earth’s surface and were later exposed by relentless coastal erosion.

Cape Hauy is part of the larger Tasman National Park, which also includes the famed Three Capes Track—a multi-day hike that offers panoramic views of sea stacks like the Candlestick and Totem Pole, two iconic dolerite pillars prized by climbers. This coastline isn’t just visually breathtaking—it also tells a dramatic story of Australia's deep-time volcanic activity and the slow sculpting power of the Southern Ocean.

The Rift That Almost Split New South Wales From Australia

Long before the continents settled into their modern forms, eastern Australia nearly tore itself apart. In this video, we unravel the dramatic geologic event that almost saw New South Wales and Queensland break away from the rest of the continent — a failed rift system that shaped the very foundation of eastern Australia. Discover the tectonic forces, basin formation, and ancient crustal stretching that left behind a legacy visible in the landscape today.

The Story of the Centralian Superbasin

The Centralian Superbasin was one of the most dramatic geological features in Australia's ancient past—an enormous inland sea that once covered nearly a quarter of the continent. Formed during the breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia, this vast basin recorded everything from microbial reef-building to global ice ages and mountain-building events. Its legacy lives on in the rocks beneath the Outback, revealing a time when central Australia lay beneath warm, shallow seas teeming with early life.

Australia's Last Stratovolcanoes

Australia’s serene landscapes hide a violent past marked by towering stratovolcanoes and supercharged eruptions. In this article, we uncover the final days of subduction-driven volcanism on the continent—when the New England Orogen roared with fire, and caldera-forming eruptions reshaped eastern Australia. Discover how these ancient volcanoes formed, why they vanished, and what traces remain today in the rocks beneath our feet.

The Wyalong Deep Lead: A Hidden River of Gold

Beneath a tranquil valley lies a story of ancient erosion and hidden riches. This painting-inspired illustration captures the essence of the Bland Creek palaeovalley — a lost river system once filled with gold-laden gravels, now buried beneath layers of sediment. Titled “The Hidden River of Gold,” the image sets the tone for a journey through deep time, where geology, mystery, and mineral wealth converge beneath the Australian landscape.

Mount Etna's Largest Eruption in Over A Decade

On June 2, 2025, Mount Etna erupted with a fury not witnessed in over a decade, unleashing a towering ash column and a searing pyroclastic flow that tore down its eastern slopes. This wasn’t just another paroxysm from Europe’s most active volcano—it was a full-scale display of Earth’s raw geologic power. As molten rock and volcanic gases surged skyward, the mountain reminded Sicily and the world why it has been both feared and revered for millennia. But beneath the spectacle lies a story of deep tectonic forces, ancient names, and a volcano that never sleeps.

Manganiferous Gossans: Formation, Features, and Exploration Significance

Manganiferous gossans are the blackened crusts of weathered ore bodies, where manganese oxides mix with iron rust, precious metals, and base metals. These striking gossans don't just stain the surface—they lock in chemical clues that reveal the hidden mineral systems buried beneath.

How Hydrothermal Breccia-Hosted Gossans Form

Hydrothermal breccia-hosted gossans form when sulphide-rich rocks fracture, weather, and oxidise near the surface, leaving behind colourful, iron-stained zones enriched with secondary minerals. These vibrant crusts are more than just geological curiosities—they’re rich records of past fluid flow, redox changes, and mineral transformation.

Formation and Mineralogy of Carbonate-Hosted Gossans

Gossans form when metal-rich sulfide ores near Earth’s surface weather and oxidize, leaving behind vivid caps of iron and secondary minerals. In carbonate rocks, this process produces colorful mixtures of iron oxides, lead and zinc carbonates, and copper stains—offering geologists a surface-level glimpse into the chemistry of buried ore.

Gossans: Rusty Clues to Hidden Ore Beneath the Surface

Gossans are the weathered remains of sulfide-rich ore bodies—natural “iron hats” that form when oxygen and water transform underground metal ores into iron-stained, mineral-rich surface rocks. These rusty outcrops not only reveal Earth’s geochemical story but often lead to valuable discoveries hidden just below.

How Cosmic Collisions Create Mineral Deposits

When an asteroid slams into Earth, it does more than create a crater—it reshapes the crust. These cosmic impacts unleash shockwaves, heat, and hydrothermal systems that can concentrate valuable minerals like nickel, copper, platinum, and even diamonds. In craters like Sudbury and Vredefort, ancient destruction has left behind enduring economic treasure.

Why Super Volcanic Calderas Are Mineral Rich

Supervolcanoes don’t just reshape landscapes—they forge mineral wealth. From lithium-rich clays in ancient caldera lakes to rare earths, gold, and pumice along fractured ring faults, supervolcanic systems concentrate critical elements in the Earth’s crust through powerful geothermal and magmatic processes.

Earth’s Active Supervolcanoes: The VEI-8 Eruptions and Their Restless Calderas

Only three supervolcanoes on Earth have unleashed VEI-8 eruptions and remain geologically active today: Yellowstone, Toba, and Taupō. Though currently quiet, they show subtle signs of life—uplift, heat, and seismic murmurs—reminding us that Earth’s most powerful volcanic systems never truly sleep.

Why Antimony-Rich Ores Are the Most Difficult Refractory Gold Ores

Antimony-rich gold ores are the ultimate challenge for gold recovery. Unlike other refractory ores, stibnite doesn’t just trap gold—it actively sabotages extraction, forming chemical barriers that block leaching and foul up solutions. Learn why these ores are gold’s toughest companions and what makes them so uniquely difficult to crack.

Exploring the Major Gold Deposit Types

Gold deposits come in more flavors than you might expect—veins in ancient mountains, invisible gold in desert sediments, or nuggets weathered into riverbeds. From orogenic systems to Carlin trends and IOCG giants, this deep dive explores the full spectrum of Earth's golden fingerprints and the geologic forces that shaped them.

How Gold Ends Up in Quartz

Gold-in-quartz veins are more than just beautiful specimens—they're the end result of deep-earth alchemy. Learn how molten fluids, fractured rocks, and shifting pressures combine to deposit precious metal in milky white quartz. From mountain roots to shallow hot springs, discover the science behind one of nature’s most captivating mineral pairings.

Magma Magic: How Volcanoes Stash Rare Earth Treasures

What if rare earth elements were hiding in plain sight—in old iron ore volcanoes? Scientists recreated a mini-volcano in the lab and discovered how magmas naturally split and stash rare metals in iron-rich melts. The process could help unlock new sources of critical elements for the green energy revolution.

Can We Predict Volcanic Eruptions?

What if a volcano could whisper before it erupted—and we could hear it? New research from Iceland shows how tiny shifts in seismic waves, caused by underground cracks, can reveal when a volcano is preparing to blow. From quiet unrest at Askja to Bárðarbunga's explosive show, learn how listening to the Earth might help forecast the next eruption.

A New Supervolcano Discovered in the Pacific Ocean?

So I was doing my usual science reading when I came across a headline shouting: “New Supervolcano Discovered Beneath the Pacific Ocean!” Naturally, I clicked. And like any geologist with half a brain, I dug deeper — only to find out it’s total clickbait. Yes, something big was discovered — a massive underwater volcanic structure called the Melanesian Border Plateau — but no, it’s not a supervolcano in the catastrophic Yellowstone sense. It’s a slow-built basaltic province formed through effusive eruptions over millions of years. No ash clouds. No VEI-8 eruption. No doomsday scenario. Just media hype wrapped around misunderstood geology.

What Happens On The Opposite Side of The Earth When Large Asteroids Impact?

In the shadow of every great cataclysm, Earth bears silent witness at its farthest point. When a large asteroid slams into the surface, shockwaves reverberate through the planet’s core and mantle, sometimes converging with uncanny intensity at the antipode—the exact opposite point on the globe. Though Earth’s complex internal structure scatters much of this energy, simulations and planetary analogs suggest that under the right conditions, this seismic convergence can fracture the crust, trigger earthquakes, and in rare cases, awaken dormant volcanic systems. The haunting possibility that Chicxulub’s impact helped unleash the Deccan Traps reminds us that even the far side of Earth can feel the violence of a distant cosmic blow. Antipodal echoes may be subtle, but they are real—a testament to the planet’s dynamic interconnectedness.

The Volcano that Breathes and Heals Itself: Campi Flegrei's Recurring Unrest

Campi Flegrei isn’t your typical volcano—it breathes, heals, and occasionally groans with earthquakes. New science reveals how rainwater, trapped steam, and self-repairing rock drive its periodic unrest, and what we can do to reduce the risk of sudden eruptions in a densely populated area.

The Big Impact of Small Quakes: Shaking Up the Rhythm of Tectonic Tremors

A fiery fissure erupts at dusk, casting molten lava into the darkening sky—a powerful reminder of Earth’s deep seismic rhythms. Dive into our blog exploring how even small quakes can disrupt the quiet harmony of tectonic tremors, and what that means for predicting big earthquakes.

How Hawaiian Volcanoes Grow Up: Unlocking the Secret Plumbing Beneath Paradise

How deep is magma stored beneath Hawaiian volcanoes—and how does that change as the volcanoes age? A new study reveals the secret life of Hawaiian magma, showing how storage plunges from shallow crustal levels to deep mantle reservoirs across a volcano's lifespan. From Kīlauea’s fiery youth to Diamond Head’s twilight resurgence, explore the evolving plumbing of paradise.

The Second Gold Rush That Changed Gold Mining Forever

In the late 1800s, gold mining was nearing its limits. Miners had exhausted rich surface deposits, and mercury amalgamation could no longer keep up with the fine gold locked inside sulfide ores and discarded tailings. But everything changed with the discovery of the cyanide leaching process—a scientific breakthrough that sparked a second gold rush across Australia. This innovation allowed miners to extract gold from low-grade ore and old waste heaps with remarkable efficiency, reshaping the economic landscape of mining towns and pushing recovery rates beyond anything previously possible. In this article, we explore how cyanide revolutionized gold extraction, why it outperformed mercury, and how it led to one of the most significant transformations in the history of gold mining.

2 New Massive Volcanic Calderas Full of Gold and Silver Were Just Discovered in Australia

Two massive ancient calderas — the Bara Creek and Three Hills calderas — have been discovered buried beneath central New South Wales. These Permian-age volcanic giants, hidden for nearly 290 million years, were uncovered through seismic and geophysical surveys near the Bowdens Silver Deposit. Their preserved structures offer major insights into Australia’s volcanic history and reveal incredible mineral potential, including silver, gold, lead, and zinc. This discovery could reshape mineral exploration across the region and rewrite part of the continent’s deep-time geological story.

Australia's Himalayan Mountains: The Geological Story of the Petermann Ranges

Beneath the red dust of central Australia lies the forgotten story of a vanished mountain range that once rivaled the Himalayas. The Petermann Ranges, now little more than subdued ridges near the Northern Territory’s western edge, were born from a violent geological upheaval over 550 million years ago during the Petermann Orogeny. This intraplate orogeny shattered the ancient crust of the Musgrave Province, thrusting deep rocks skyward and forming east–west mountain chains across Australia’s interior. But just as quickly as they rose, these mountains were torn down by erosion, leaving behind iconic sedimentary features like Uluru and Kata Tjuta — geological monuments built from the debris of those lost peaks. Explore how tectonic forces, sedimentation, and time shaped one of Australia’s greatest but least known geological epics.

Hard Rock Gold: My New Discoveries from the Australian Bush

Gold isn’t just found in creeks and rivers — some of the richest finds come locked in quartz veins deep in the rock. In this blog, I share my latest hard rock gold discoveries from the Australian bush, highlight the geology behind the finds, and explain how visible gold and sulphides revealed promising new zones for exploration.