Dr Jim Austin
Team Leader and Principal Research Scientist: Potential Fields Geophysics
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Contact details:
LINDFIELD NSW 2070 AUSTRALIA
Biography
Jim's focus is on integrating insights from geophysics, petrophysics, structural geology and geochemistry in 3-D to better understand mineral systems, and furthermore how best to explore for economic minerals.
Jim has 22 years experience working across a wide range of businesses and institutions including: Australian Geographic, the Predictive Mineral Discovery Collaborative Research Centre, Perilya Limited (Broken Hill, Mount Isa), Encom Geophysics and GIS Consulting, Pangaea Resources and CSIRO. He has a range of expertise spanning : hard rock petrophysics, palaeomagnetism, potential field geophysics, geophysical and geological modelling, magnetic fabric analysis, structural geology, mineral exploration, GIS and 3-D data integration, cartography and illustration.
He is currently Team Leader of the Potential Fields Geophysics team in the Ore Body Knowledge Group, within CSIRO Mineral Resources. His primary research expertise is in understanding the Geophysics of mineral deposits, in particular Iron Oxide Copper-Gold and Magmatic Ni-Cu systems. His current research is on generating methodologies for scale-consistent, quantitative integration of geoscientific data, and generating tools for integrated exploration, on Earth and extra-terrestrial bodies. He is one of the main drivers for the use of petrophysics in the mineral exploration industry and is working with AuScope to develop petrophysics capability for Australia. He is works closely with the Geological Survey of Queensland, and is part of CSIRO's Space Technologies CRC.
He is a trusted advisor to the global geophysics community, the Australian mineral exploration community, and works closely numerous collaborators across industry, government and academia. Jim works across CSIRO business units, with the Space technologies FSP on In Situ Resource Utilisation, and CSIRO land and water on water infrastructure projects. He overseas the Lindfield petrophysics laboratory and is a specialist in remote area field operations working some of the hottest, dustiest, remotest and most geologically complicated regions of Australia.
Other Interests
- Taking my kids on adventures
- Playing Guitar and Bass in Bands
- Listening to Music and Cooking
- Extreme Destination Travel
- Hiking, Mountain biking, Kayaking etc
Achievements and Awards
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2019-2021
National Winner – Australian R&D Excellence Award for Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment
2021 Australian Water Awards -
2019-2021
2021 ACT Australian Water Award for Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment
2021 Australian Water Award (ACT Branch) -
2019-2020
CSIRO Collaboration Medal
Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment -
2016-2017
CSIRO Mineral Resources Collaboration Award
Uncover Cloncurry Project -
2016-2017
Health and Safety Award
CSIRO Mineral Resources -
2016-2016
Travel Bursary to attend IGC2016, Cape Town, South Africa
Australian Academy of Science -
2008-2008
Travel Bursary to attend SEG 2008, Johannesburg, South Africa
Society of Economic Geologists -
2006-2006
Travel Bursary to attend SEG 2006, Keystone Colorado
Society of Economic Geologists -
2004-2007
PhD Top-up Scholarship
Predictive Mineral Discovery CRC -
2004-2007
Postgraduate Research Award
James Cook University -
1998-1998
Honours Scholarship
ARC National Key Centre for Geochemical Evolution and Metallogeny of Continents (GEMOC)
Professional Areas
Fields of Research
Current Roles
-
Team Leader
Potential Fields Geophysics -
Project Leader
Integrated mineralogical, geochemical and petrophysical characterisation of the Cloncurry mineral system -
Senior Research Scientist
In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) - Space Technologies FSP -
Project Leader
MagResource: Integrated petrophysics to geophysics for Resource Estimation -
Petrophysics Laboratory Leader- CMR Lindfield
Overseeing development of CSIRO's capability and acquisition of instrumentation for Petrophysical analyses. -
Advisor
Field Safety committee in CMR -
Advisor
AuScope Field Deployable Infrastructure Working Group
Academic Qualifications
-
2011-2013
Post-doctoral Fellowship
CSIRO -
2004-2008
PhD
James Cook University -
1995-1999
BSc(Hons)
Macquarie University
Professional Experiences
-
2018-Present
Team Leader and Senior Research Scientist - Potential Fields Geophysics
CSIRO Mineral Resources -
2016-2018
Team Leader, Multiphysics
CSIRO Mineral Resources -
2013-2016
Research Scientist
CSIRO Minerals Downunder Flagship -
2011-2013
Post-doctoral Fellow
CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering -
2009-2011
Senior Geoscientist
Pangaea Resources -
2008-2009
Senior Consultant
Encom Geoscience Consulting -
2007-2008
Project Geologist
Perilya Limited Exploration, Broken Hill and Mount Oxide -
2004-2006
Researcher
Predictive Mineral Discovery Collaborative Research Centre -
2000-2003
Cartographer and Illustrator
Australian Geographic Magazine Editorial Team
Other highlights
-
2021-2022
Invited to co-author a new book “Exploration Magnetics: Theory and Practice” by CSIRO publishing
-
2019-2019
Represented Australia and CSIRO at Luxembourg Space Resources week
-
2019-2019
Workshop Convenor at 2nd AEGC Conference
-
2017-2017
Invited talks at the decennial Exploration 17 Meeting in Toronto
-
2017-2017
Invited Talk at conference workshop - PDAC, Toronto, the Largest Mining Industry Event Globally
-
2016-2016
Keynote at the 13th International Nickel Symposium
-
2016-2016
Delivered two talks at the 2016 International Geological Congress, Capetown
-
2016-2016
Fieldtrip to the Bushveld Complex, South Africa (Platinum, Chrome Mining District)
-
2012-2012
Fieldtrip to Epithermal and Porphyry Deposits of the Andes (Central Peru)
-
2006-2006
Fieldtrip to Carlin-trend gold deposits (Nevada) and Bingham Canyon Porphyry (Utah)
Grants
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2021-2021
Kick-Start Grant (Reedy Lagoon Resources)
-
2018-2021
GSQ New Discovery Program in Northwest Queensland
-
2015-2017
MRIWA: Magmatic sulfide mineral potential in the East Kimberley
-
2015-2016
Future Resources Program (Queensland Geological Survey)
-
2014-2017
MRIWA: Distal footprint of giant ore systems, Capricorn WA
-
2014-2015
Researcher in Business Grant (Core Exploration)
-
2014-2015
Researcher in Business Grant (Pepinnini Minerals Limited)
-
2013-2014
Researcher in Business Grant (Musgrave Minerals)
-
2012-2013
Researcher in Business Grant (Alligator Energy Exploration)
Community and Corporate Citizenship
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2020-2025
Branch President NSW - Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (ASEG)
-
2020-2022
International Architecture Working Group (IAWG) of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG)
-
2019-2020
Federal Executive - Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (ASEG)
-
2016-2018
1st AEGC Conference Organising Committee, Chair of Events
-
2016-2020
CSIROcare, (childcare facility), committee member, Vice President
-
2013-2015
West Pymble Cricket, Club Secretary, Public Officer
-
2009-2013
North Shore Junior Cricket Association, committee member, Vice President
-
2009 -2013
West Pymble Junior Cricket Club, Club Founder, President, Registrar
-
2004-2007
President, JCU Student Chapter of the Society of Economic Geologists
-
1996-1997
Vice President, Macquarie University Geological Society
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