Latest news with #Geoscience
The Sun
3 days ago
- Science
- The Sun
Mysterious deep Earth ‘heartbeat' pulsing beneath Africa will form NEW ocean as it splits continent in two
A NEW ocean is forming beneath Ethiopia as a "heartbeat"-like pulse deep below the Earth's surface splits the African continent in two, according to scientists. While a new ocean will eventually give six countries a new coastline, neither you nor I will ever be able to swim in its waters. 5 5 An international research team, led by Earth scientists at the University of Southampton, have discovered rhythmic surges of molten mantle rock rising from deep within the Earth. It is bubbling up beneath Africa - and its pulses are gradually tearing the continent apart, starting in the Afar region of Ethiopia. The Afar region is a rare place on Earth where three tectonic rifts converge: the Main Ethiopian Rift, the Red Sea Rift, and the Gulf of Aden Rift. Scientists previously thought Africa's tectonic plates, which collided to form large mountains and pulled apart to create vast basins millions of years ago, were simply moving apart again. However, a study in May suggested that intense volcanic activity deep underground may be fuelling the divide. Little was known about the hot upwelling of mantle and how it behaves beneath rifting tectonic plates - until now. The latest research, published in Nature Geoscience today, revealed that the giant fiery plume pulses like a "heartbeat" and is repeatedly pushing against the tectonic plate above it. When the tectonic plate eventually ruptures from the pressure, the continent will divide and a new ocean will flood in. "We found that the mantle beneath Afar is not uniform or stationary – it pulses, and these pulses carry distinct chemical signatures," lead author Dr Emma Watts, who conducted the research at the University of Southampton, said in a statement. Watts, who is now based at Swansea University, added: "These ascending pulses of partially molten mantle are channelled by the rifting plates above. Shocking moment 1,000ft fiery lava jet erupts in 6-hour volcano frenzy as scientists warn of wind spreading toxic gas "That's important for how we think about the interaction between Earth's interior and its surface." The team collected over 130 volcanic rock samples from across the Afar region and the Main Ethiopian Rift to piece together the structure of the deep Earth that is splitting. These pulses appear to behave differently depending on the thickness of the plate, and how fast it's pulling apart. Professor Tom Gernon, a co-author of the study Researchers found that the pattern of the rhythmic pulse is dictated by the tectonic plate it bubbles beneath - such as how the plate moves, or how thick it is. Professor Tom Gernon, a co-author of the study, said: "The chemical striping suggests the plume is pulsing, like a heartbeat. "These pulses appear to behave differently depending on the thickness of the plate, and how fast it's pulling apart. "In faster-spreading rifts like the Red Sea, the pulses travel more efficiently and regularly like a pulse through a narrow artery." 5 Associate professor Dr Derek Keir, another co-author of the study, said the findings had "profound implications" for how scientists understand volcanoes, earthquake activity, and the process of continental breakup. 'The work shows that deep mantle upwellings can flow beneath the base of tectonic plates and help to focus volcanic activity to where the tectonic plate is thinnest," he added. The East African Rift System (EARS) is the largest active continental rift system on Earth. It is in the process of ripping through around 2,175miles (3,500km) of Africa. In January, Ken Macdonald, a professor at the University of California, warned the continent was splitting at a faster rate than expected. Somalia and parts of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania will form a distinct continent, accompanied by a fresh coastline. The new ocean could become as deep as the Atlantic if waters continue to flow into the area, Macdonald added. While cracks are already appearing along the rift, it is not expected to fully rupture for another several million years. 5 5
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As Albanese returns, what next for Australia's mining and minerals?
When Anthony Albanese, leader of Australia's Labor Party, secured his second term as prime minister in May of this year – the first Labor leader to do so since Bob Hawke, who served three terms from 1983 to 1991 – world leaders were quick to congratulate him. But did Australia's mining industry, a sector critical to the nation's economy, do the same? Just a few days before the election, Albanese made his intentions around critical minerals clear via a statement on his website. If elected, his government promised to 'pursue Australia's national interest and boost our economic resilience by establishing a Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve'. 'In a time of global uncertainty, Australia will be stronger and safer by developing our critical national assets to create economic opportunity and resilience,' stated Albanese. 'I will ensure that Australia continues to produce and benefit from the resources that are essential to our national interest.' The strategic reserve will see the federal government commit to entering contracts to purchase, or obtain options over, key critical minerals, which will likely give Australia's national government some leverage in relation to critical minerals as geopolitical tensions increase. The government will make an initial investment of A$1.2bn ($767m), including through a A$1bn increase in the existing Critical Minerals Facility established in 2021, taking the total investment in the facility to A$5bn. Australia is home to some of the largest critical mineral deposits on Earth. In 2024, government agency Geoscience Australia was pledged A$566m by the previous Albanese government to map out the nations' critical minerals over the next ten years and identify a strategy to develop them. Identified as crucial to developing infrastructure in everything from renewable energy to defence and communications, these critical materials are already believed to be abundant in Australia. However, Geoscience figures suggest more than 80% of the country remains under-explored. As such, the country 'is uniquely placed to meet the needs of increasing global and domestic demand, while the size and sophistication of our mining industry allows us to take maximum advantage of these resources', Albanese says. The reserve will create two new mechanisms: national offtake agreements, with the government taking agreed volumes via a voluntary contract; and selective stockpiling, with the government establishing stockpiles in Australia of certain key critical minerals. The reserve 'will generate cash flow from sales of offtake on global markets and to key partners [and] accumulate stockpiles of priority minerals when warranted by market conditions and strategic considerations, but it is anticipated that these will be modest and time-limited in most cases'. Resources Minister Madeleine King also says that the reserve, 'combined with production tax credits and the expansion of the Critical Minerals Facility, shows the Albanese government is taking the development of an Australian critical minerals industry seriously'. King, who is also Minister for Northern Australia, was re-appointed to the role on 13 May 2025. The Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive (CMPTI) – passed into law in early 2025 – is a scheme intended to support the critical minerals industry and promote downstream processing in Australia. It offers a refundable tax credit on 10% of eligible costs associated with the processing of certain critical minerals between July 2027 and the end of June 2040. The Australian Government has two lists of minerals that are important for the nation's modern technologies, economies and national security: a critical minerals list containing 31 substances including cobalt and lithium; and a strategic materials list containing aluminium, copper, phosphorus, tin and zinc. The minerals on these lists support Australia's 'transition to net-zero emissions, advanced manufacturing, defence technologies and capabilities, and broader strategic applications', according to its Department of Industry, Science and Resources. Albanese's Government will now be able to carry on with its overarching Future Made in Australia policy – essentially an attempt to enhance the benefits of net-zero and energy transition policies. The creation of the critical reserve is central to that, along with a A$750m commitment to develop new low-emissions technology, and A$1bn to boost green iron manufacturing and supply chains. A statement from Andrew Forrest, executive chairman and founder, Fortescue, claims the return of Albanese 'sends a clear and unequivocal message: Australians will back and support policies that recognise the economic opportunities which come from acting on the existential threat of climate change'. Forrest continues that the government's commitments, 'including the Future Made in Australia plan, the Capacity Investment Scheme, the Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive and the Green Iron Fund, provide a strong foundation for a green energy future'. Australia is likely trying to position itself as a green iron manufacturing powerhouse, with the A$1bn fund boosting green iron manufacturing and supply and helping to unlock substantial levels of private investment. 'Green iron can be the biggest industry Australia has ever built,' adds Forrest, so 'let's start in the Pilbara this decade, with investment, markets and skills'. Pilbara is home to Fortescue's Green Metal Project, which is expected to produce more than 1,500 tonnes per annum of green metal, with first production anticipated in 2025, according to the company's website. The plant will use green hydrogen in a reduction furnace to convert iron ore into sponge iron, revealed the company. Soroush Basirat, energy finance analyst, global steel at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, was also hopeful Albanese would help the growth of Australia's high-grade magnetite mining sector, as a key feedstock for green iron production. 'The industry remains focused on hematite mining due to its higher profit margins, but this approach limits flexibility,' Basirat told Mining Technology. 'A transition to magnetite mining – better suited for producing high-grade ore – has yet to gain traction. Given the long lead times for magnetite projects (often a decade to become operational and deliver stable output), government support is essential to accelerate development.' Of Australia's total economic demonstrated resources of iron ore, just over 58.29 billion tonnes (bt), some 24.25bt is magnetite ore, according to 2023 research from Australia Minerals, a collaboration of Australia's federal, state and Northern Territory Government geoscience agencies. The research added that the 'projected demand for high-grade iron ore products has provided momentum for the recent development of magnetite deposits, such as the Iron Road Central Eyre project in South Australia and Fortescue Metals Group's Iron Bridge project in Western Australia. Basirat continues that while the government 'is backing green iron initiatives, significantly more effort is needed to establish even a single low-emissions ironmaking facility in Australia'. To remain competitive in the evolving global iron ore market, Australia must also act swiftly to diversify beyond hematite and invest in the future of high-grade, low-emissions iron production. 'Without action, Australia risks losing its competitive edge. Emerging competitors such as the Simandou [iron ore] mine in [Guinea], Africa, are set to enter the market and could claim a significant share by the end of the decade, challenging Australia's dominance, which has been largely built on lower-grade ores,' Basirat adds. There is an 'urgent need' to shift toward producing high-grade iron ore that is suitable for the direct reduced iron pathway, says Basirat, noting that this process is 'critical as steelmakers transition to more environmentally friendly technologies such as electric arc furnaces to replace the traditional, coal-based blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace method'. Australia's minerals sector is central to the nation's prosperity, says an early May statement from the Mineral Council of Australia (MCA), 'supporting over 1.2 million jobs, contributing more than A$455bn in export earnings last year, and playing a vital role in the global energy transition through the supply of critical minerals'. Tania Constable, CEO, MCA, added that she hopes the new government 'will place investment at the heart of its economic growth strategy [with a] strong focus on skills, training and workforce, ensuring that Australia has the capability and talent it needs to meet growing demand for critical minerals and resources'. Some key aspects of the policy are tax incentives for processing of critical minerals and production of hydrogen, as well as resources to assess the dangers of foreign investment in critical infrastructure, critical minerals and critical technology. The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies' CEO, Warren Pearce, welcomed the re-election, and publicly stated that his organisation is 'ready and willing to work constructively with the returned Albanese government to deliver the minerals and metals critical to Australia's prosperity and the global energy transition'. Pearce added that it is now time 'for action on key policy initiatives that will support long-term investment and drive Australia's international competitiveness, especially in critical minerals'. 'The exploration sector is struggling,' said Pearce, 'with investment extremely hard to come by, and this crucial cog in the wheel of mining industry needs clarity around the continuation of Junior Minerals Exploration Incentive (JMEI)'. The JMEI encourages investment in small minerals exploration companies that carry out greenfields mineral exploration in Australia, allowing eligible companies to generate tax credits by choosing to give up a portion of their losses from greenfields mineral exploration expenditure. Initially introduced in 2017, JMEI is currently funded until the end of June 2025. Rebecca Tomkinson, CEO, Chamber of Minerals and Energy Western Australia, sees the re-election of Albanese as a chance to streamline environmental regulations, with reform of 'environmental law long overdue, but any change must [offer] improving outcomes for both the environment and for business'. "As Albanese returns, what next for Australia's mining and minerals? " was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
ABC News
12-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Could an Australian company soon rival Elon Musk's SpaceX?
Ahead of his planned orbital rocket launch, Gilmore Space Technology's CEO Adam Gilmour explains why he's the first to try it in decades.
