Dr Andrew Tomkins - Researcher Profile

Andrew Tomkins

Address

School of Geosciences
Building 28, Clayton

Contact Details

Tel: +61 3 990 51643

Email: Andy.Tomkins@monash.edu


Biography

Shooting stars shed light on planet’s formation

Falling stars may help explain how our Earth and solar system formed. The search for answers drives geoscientist Dr Andrew Tomkins to camp on the Nullarbor Plain for up to a fortnight each year. The dry, bleached landscape of the Nullarbor’s limestone plain makes it easy to spot black asteroid chips that become burning meteorites as they enter Earth’s atmosphere. These rocks provide a history of the cataclysmic forces that shape asteroids and planets alike.

“By looking at a couple of rocks that have fallen from space I can see something that happened four-and-half billion years ago. It’s pretty awe inspiring to be able to do that,” he says.

Much of what is known about asteroids and meteorites is based on an understanding of Earth’s minerals. Andrew says there are many similarities. Like many of the rock formations on the Earth’s surface, rocky meteorites are made mostly of silicate and sulphide minerals.

“We are looking at how impacts between asteroids allow large accumulations of metals to form very quickly. If we can understand how that happens then we can understand how the core of the Earth formed and how the cores of the other rocky planets formed in the first couple of million years of our solar system’s history.”

Andrew also applies his interest in planet-forming forces to more Earth-bound geoscience research. This is largely centred on the formation of sought-after mineral deposits.

In space, asteroids crashing together cause high-energy, potentially planet-forming events. On Earth, volcanoes, earthquakes and meteor impacts shaped the planet and played a role in forming large mineral deposits.  Gold deposits, for instance, are known to occur in areas that have been affected by earthquakes, and some nickel deposits formed as a result of gigantic meteor impacts, Andrew says.

Gold, copper, nickel, platinum and other rare earth minerals are the main targets of Andrew’s research. Rare earth elements are in high demand for use in the information technology industry and renewable energy sector. China controls more than 95 per cent of the world’s deposits of these rare earth minerals and Australia has a fair proportion of the remaining resources. Improving our ability to find these rare earth elements is one of the main goals of Andrew’s research.

Andrew says most of the minerals he is trying to locate occur as some kind of sulphide mineral. “So far there has been a limited understanding of the sulphur cycle in mineral formation. So I am tracking the way that sulphur moves through the deeper regions of the Earth’s continental crust. If we can understand how sulphur moves around in the crust, then we can understand how mineral deposits form.”

His research is funded through an Australian Research Council (ARC) grant and follows on from an earlier project at Monash that investigated how metals moved from the deep regions up into the middle and upper layers of the crust.

Some of his research findings were published in 2010 and he says although it has not resulted in the actual location of new deposits, it should provide explorers with a better overall understanding and thus a better chance of finding them.

Keywords

economic geology, meteoritics

Qualifications

PHD
Institution: Australian National University
Year awarded: 2002
B APP SC
Institution: UTS
Year awarded: 1995

Publications

Journal Articles

Cockerton, A.B.D., Tomkins, A.G., 2012, Insights into the liquid bismuth collector model through analysis of the Bi-Au Stormont Skarn Prospect, Northwest Tasmania, Economic Geology [P], vol 107, issue 4, Society of Economic Geologists, Littleton USA, pp. 667-682.

Tomkins, A.G., Rebryna, K., Weinberg, R.F., Schaefer, B.F., 2012, Magmatic sulfide formation by reduction of oxidized arc basalt, Journal Of Petrology [P], vol 53, issue 8, Oxford University Press, Oxford UK, pp. 1537-1567.

Lan, T., Fan, H., Hu, F., Tomkins, A., Yang, K., Liu, Y., 2011, Multiple crust-mantle interactions for the destruction of the North China Craton: Geochemical an Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic evidence from the Longbaoshan alkaline complex, Lithos [P], vol 122, issue 1-2, Elsevier BV, Amsterdam Netherlands, pp. 87-106.

Evans, K., Tomkins, A., 2011, The relationship between subduction zone redox budget and arc magma fertility, Earth And Planetary Science Letters [P], vol 308, issue 3-4, Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam Netherlands, pp. 401-409.

van Dongen, M., Weinberg, R.F., Tomkins, A.G., 2010, REE-Y, Ti, and P remobilization in magmatic rocks by hydrothermal alteration during Cu-Au deposit formation, Economic Geology [P], vol 105, issue 4, Society of Economic Geologists, Littleton USA, pp. 763-776.

Van Dongen, M., Weinberg, R., Tomkins, A., Armstrong, R., Woodhead, J., 2010, Recycling of Proterozoic crust in Pleistocene juvenile magma and rapid formation of the Ok Tedi porphyry Cu-Au deposit, Papua New Guinea, Lithos [P], vol 114, issue 3-4, Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam Netherlands, pp. 282-292.

Tomkins, A.G., 2010, Wetting facilitates late-stage segregation of precious metal-enriched sulfosalt melt in magmatic sulfide systems, Geology [P], vol 38, issue 10, Geological Society of America, Boulder USA, pp. 951-954.

Tomkins, A.G., 2010, Windows of metamorphic sulfur liberation in the crust: Implications for gold deposit genesis, Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta [P], vol 74, issue 11, Pergamon Elsevier Science Ltd, Oxford England, pp. 3246-3259.

Tomkins, A.G., Weinberg, R.F., Mc Farlane, C.R., 2009, Preferential magma extraction from K- and metal-enriched source regions in the crust, Mineralium Deposita, vol 44, Springer, New York , USA, pp. 171-181.

Tomkins, A.G., Grundy, C., 2009, Upper temperature limits of orogenic gold deposit formation: Constraints from the granulite-hosted griffins find deposit, yilgarn craton, Economic Geology [P], vol 104, issue 5, Society of Economic Geologists, Littleton, USA, pp. 669-685.

Tomkins, A.G., 2009, What metal-troilite textures can tell us about post-impact metamorphism in chondrite meteorites, Meteoritics and Planetary Science [P], vol 44, issue 8, Meteoritical Society, Arizona, USA, pp. 1133-1149.

Morey, A.A., Tomkins, A.G., Bierlein, F., Weinberg, R.F., Davidson, G.J., 2008, Bimodal distribution of gold in pyrite and arsenopyrite: Examples from the archean boorara and bardoc shear systems, Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia, Economic Geology, vol 103, issue 3, Society of Economic Geologists, Littleton,Colorado, USA, pp. 599-614.

Tomkins, A.G., 2008, Gold deposits in high grade metamorphic terranes, AusIMM Bulletin, vol 6, AusIMM, Carlton, Vic Australia, pp. 14-16.

Salisbury, J.A., Tomkins, A.G., Schaefer, B.F., 2008, New insights into the size and timing of the Lawn Hill impact structure: Relationship to the Century Zn - Pb deposit, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, vol 55, issue 4, Geological Society of Australia (Taylor and Francis), Oxon, UK, pp. 587-603.

Tomkins, A.G., Pattison, D.R., Frost, R.B., 2007, On the initiation of metamorphic sulfide anatexis, Journal of Petrology, vol 48, issue 3, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 511-535.

McFarline, C.R., Mavrogenes, J.A., Tomkins, A.G., 2007, Recognizing hydrothermal alteration through a granulite facies metamorphic overprint at the challenger Au deposit, South Australia, Chemical Geology, vol 243, issue 1-2, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 64-89.

Tomkins, A.G., 2007, Three mechanisms of ore re-mobilisation during amphibolite facies metamorphism at the Montauban Zn-Pb-Au-Ag deposit, Mineralium Depoista, vol 42, issue 6, Springer-Verlag, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp. 627-637.

Tomkins, A.G., Frost, B.R., Pattison, D.R., 2006, Arsenopyrite melting during metamorphism of sulfide ore deposits, Canadian Mineralogist [P], vol 44, Mineralogical Association Canada, Ontario, Canada, pp. 1045-1062.

Tomkins, A.G., Dunlap, W.J., Mavrogenes, J.A., 2004, Geochronological Constraints on the Polymetamorphic Evolution of the Granulite-Hosted Challenger Gold Deposit: implications for assembly of the northwest Gawler Craton, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, vol 51, Blackwell Publishing Asia, Carlton, Australia, pp. 1-14.

Tomkins, A.G., Pattison, D.R., Zaleski, E., 2004, The Hemlo gold deposit, Ontario: an example of melting and mobilization of a precious metal-sulfosalt assemblage during amphibolite facies metamorphism and deformation, Economic Geology and the Bulletin of the Society of Economic Geologists, vol 99, pp. 1063-1084.

Tomkins, A.G., Mavrogenes, J.A., 2003, Generation of metal-rich felsic magmas during crustal anatexis, Geology, vol 31, Geological Society of Australia, Boulder, USA, pp. 765-768.

Tomkins, A.G., Mavrogenes, J.A., 2002, Mobilization of gold as a polymetallic melt during pelite anatexis at the Challenger deposit, South Australia: A metamorphosed Archean gold deposit, Economic Geology and the Bulletin of the Society of Economic Geologists, vol 97, Economic Geology, Litteton, USA, pp. 1249-1271.

Frost, B.R., Mavrogenes, J.A., Tomkins, A.G., 2002, Partial melting of sulfide ore deposits during medium- and high-grade metamorphism, Canadian Mineralogist, vol 40, Mineralogical Association Canada, Ottawa, Canada, pp. 1-18.

Tomkins, A.G., Mavrogenes, J.A., 2001, Redistribution of gold within arsenopyrite and lollingite during pro- and retrograde metamorphism: Application to timing of mineralization, Economic Geology, vol 96, pp. 525-534.

Conference Proceedings

McGloin, M., Tomkins, A., MacRae, C., 2011, Mid-crustal anorogenic granite magmatism at Mt Isa: a spatial and geochemical study, and potential links to Mesoproterozoic U-REE deposits, Proceedings of the Eleventh Biennial SGA Meeting - Let's Talk Ore Deposits, 26 September 2011 to 29th September 2011, Ediciones Universidad Catolica del Norte, Antofagasta Chile, pp. 944-946.

Mills, S., Tomkins, A., 2011, Sulfur isotopes and hyfrothermal fluids of intrusion-hosted gold deposits, Jiaodong Peninsula, northeast China, Proceedings of the Eleventh Biennial SGA Meeting - Let's Talk Ore Deposits, 26 September 20 29 September 2011, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Antofagasta Chile, pp. 568-570.

Tomkins, A.G., Rebryna, K., Weinberg, R.F., Schaefer, B.F., 2010, Formation of magmatic sulfide deposits in arcs by reduction of oxidized basalt, Abstracts, 11th International Platinum Symposium, 21-24 June 2010, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, 21 June 2010 to 24 June 2010, Ontario Geological Survey, Sudbury Canada, pp. 1-4.

Tomkins, A.G., Grundy, C.L., 2009, Timing of granulite-hosted gold at Griffin's Find: Constraining the crustal continuum model, Smart Science for Exploration and Mining, 17-20 August 2009, Economic Geology Research Unit, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, pp. 381-383.

Van Dongen, M., Weinberg, R.F., Tomkins, A.G., Armstrong, R., 2008, Timescale of forming a giant prophyry copper-gold deposit - OK Tedi, Papua New Guinea, PACRIM Congress 2008 - Extended Abstracts, 24 November 2008 to 26 November 2008, AUSIMM, Burwood, Vic, pp. 397-400.

Van Dongen, M., Tomkins, A.G., Weinberg, R.F., 2007, Trace element remobilization at the Ok Tedi porphyry Cu-Au deposit, Papua New Guinea, Digging Deeper, 20/08/08 to 23/08/08, Irish Assiciation for Economic Geology, Dublin, Ireland, pp. 427-430.

Tomkins, A.G., 2005, The role of deformation in evolution of precious metal-enriched sulfide melts within metamorphosed ore deposits, STOMP; Structure, Tectonics and Ore Mineralisation Processes, 29/08/2005 to 02/09/2005, Geology Research Unit, James Cook University, Australia, p. 135.

Grants

Title:
2x Trimble Nomad 800X Handheld tablets with GPS and Geographic Information System capabilities.
Investigators:
Betts, P, Ailleres, L, Tomkins, A
Funding:
(2009 - 2013). Collier Charitable Fund.
Title:
Characterisation of Refractory Uranium Ores by Microprobe and XRD Tecniques.
Investigators:
Tomkins, A, Aral, H
Funding:
(2010 - 2014). CSIRO Australia.
Title:
Metallogeny of the Lower Crust.
Investigators:
Tomkins, A
Funding:
(2005 - 2009). Monash University.
Title:
Platinum deposit genesis: A new way of thinking.
Investigators:
Tomkins, A, Mavrogenes, J, Barnes, S
Funding:
(2010 - 2014). Australian National University (ANU).
(2010 - 2014). Australian Research Council (ARC).
Title:
High performance EMPA optimised for the microanalysis of sulphides and heavy elements.
Investigators:
Tomkins, A
Funding:
Title:
High performance electron microprobe analyser optimised for the microanalysis of sulphides and heavy elements.
Investigators:
Tomkins, A, Brugger, J, Hand, M, Ebendorff-Heidepriem, H, Lenehan, C, Skinner, W, Ehrig, K
Funding:
(2011 - 2015). Australian Research Council (ARC).
(2011 - 2015). Monash University.

Postgraduate Research Supervisions

Current Supervision

Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
Applying structural geology principles to ore deposits through different modeling techniques.
Supervisors:
Cruden, A (Main), Tomkins, A (Joint).
Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
Comparison of the sulfur cycles on Mars and Earth.
Supervisors:
Wilson, S (Main), Tomkins, A (Associate).
Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
Intrusion-hosted gold deposits of the Jiaodong Peninsula, North China Craton: Genesis and relation to craton reactivation..
Supervisors:
Tomkins, A (Main), Weinberg, R (Associate).
Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
Major shear zones in the Famatinian Orogen in Argentina.
Supervisors:
Weinberg, R (Main), Tomkins, A (Associate).
Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
Metamorphic controls on F and Cl liberation into crustal melts and the response of metals..
Supervisors:
Tomkins, A (Main), Weinberg, R (Associate).
Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
Petrogenesis and Ni-Cu-PGE sulphide potential of the Giles Comples, west Musgrave Province, Central Australia..
Supervisors:
Keays, R (Main), Jowitt, S (Associate), Tomkins, A (Associate).
Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
Petrogenesis of granitoids in the Sierra de Quilmes, NW Argentina.
Supervisors:
Weinberg, R (Main), Tomkins, A (Associate).
Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
Redox controls on metamorphism and chemical differentiation of planetesimals in the early solar syst.
Supervisors:
Tomkins, A (Main), Weinberg, R (Associate).
Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
The genesis of mid-crustal U-REE deposits and their links to IOCG systems..
Supervisors:
Tomkins, A (Main), Weinberg, R (Associate).
Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
The processes that control mylonitisation and anatexis in a major orogenic front: The Sierra de Quilmes, NW Argentina.
Supervisors:
Weinberg, R (Main), Tomkins, A (Associate).

Completed Supervision

Student:
Bell, K.
Program of Study:
Classification of meteorites from the Nullarbor Plain. 2009.
Supervisors:
Tomkins, A (Main), Schaefer, B (External).
Student:
Cockerton, A.
Program of Study:
The Liquid Bismuth Collector Model: An analysis of the Stormont Prospect, north-west Tasmania . 2011.
Supervisors:
Tomkins, A (Main).
Student:
Rebryna, K.
Program of Study:
Magma mixing and sulfide production in the lower crust: insights into arc metallogenesis. (PHD) 2009.
Supervisors:
Tomkins, A (Main), Weinberg, R (Associate).
Student:
Reichardt, H.
Program of Study:
Syn-kinematic, water-fluxed melting and ascent of granitic magmas in the Karakoram Shear Zone, Ladakh, NW India. (PHD) 2010.
Supervisors:
Weinberg, R (Main), Tomkins, A (Associate).
Student:
Van Dongen, M.
Program of Study:
Magmatic and hydrothermal processes in porphyry copper (-gold) deposit formation. (PHD) 2008.
Supervisors:
Weinberg, R (Main), Tomkins, A (Associate).