earth science and marine geology course course …

EARTH SCIENCE AND MARINE GEOLOGY COURSE

Course Instructor's Report 1 March · 21 May 1993

Russell Howorth and Talanoafuka Kitekei'aho SOPAC Secretariat

August 1993 SOPAC Training Report 56

Prepared for: South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) Training

Program

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... 4

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 4

FUNDING ................................................................................................................................................. 5

PARTICIPANTS ....................................................................................................................................... 5

CONTENT OF THE COURSE .................................................................................................................. 6

PARTICIPANTS ASSESSMENT/EXAMINATION ..................................................................................... 7

TRAINING PROGRAM 1994 .................................................................................................................... 7

APPENDICES

1 Course Outline ..............................................................................................................8

2 Actual Daily Schedule ...................................................................................................9

3 Self Assessment Questions ........................................................................................14

4 Examination Questions ...............................................................................................28

"Note: Appendices 3 and 4 are not circulated but are available at the Secretariat

[NR56 - Howorth & Kitekei'aho]

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The course was financed by funds made available from the Commonwealth Funds for Technical

Corporation (CFTC) and the Government of New Zealand. The staffing was made available by

financial assistance from the Government of New Zealand and the European Community.

Financial support for mining company sponsored participants was received from the Placer

Exploration Limited and the Emperor Gold Mines Limited.

The following people contributed valuable assistance to the success of this course:-

• Staff of the Marine Studies Program, USP, especially Dr Gary Yeo, Marine Geologist

and Mr Fiu Manueli, Course Technician.

• Staff of the Mineral Resources Department of Fiji for providing the seismic equipment

and time to conduct seismic exercises for the students.

INTRODUCTION

The Basic Earth Science Course was conducted on the Lower Campus of the University of the

South Pacific (USP) in Suva from 01 March to 21 May 1993 as part of the Marine Studies Program.

This course is the first of a three-year cycle of courses culminating in the awarding of the Certificate

in Earth Science & Marine Geology to successful participants. Following this basic course are four

Advanced Courses scheduled for 1994 and 1995.

The principal objective of this course is to bring the participants, who come from a wide range of

backgrounds and experience, to a common level of knowledge. Participants must be nominated by

their governments and be employed at the technical or field assistant level in the general area of

earth sciences either in the public or private sector. As such entry qualifications to the Basic

Course are few.

The Course Instructors were Dr Russell Howorth, Training Coordinator, SOPAC and Mr

Talanoafuka Kitekei'aho, Assistant Training Coordinator, SOPAC.

Persons who assisted with teaching included Dr Gary Yeo, Marine Geologist of USP; Phil

Woodward, Chief Cartographer and Robert Smith, Marine Geophysicist of SOPAC. The Course

Technician was Mr Fiu Manueli of the Marine Studies Program, USP.


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FUNDING

Sponsorship for the students was provided by CFTC for the non-Fiji participants, and the

Government of New Zealand for Fiji Government participants. Two mining companies active in Fiji,

Placer Exploration Limited and Emperor Gold Mines Limited sponsored participants.

A statement of income and expenditure will be provided later to the donors once accounting

has been completed.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 30 participants attended the course. The maximum number of participants which have

attended previous courses is 19. The extra numbers placed a great strain on the teaching

resources. Participants were from seven countries in the SOPAC region: Cook Islands (2), Western

Samoa (3), Solomon Islands (3), Papua New Guinea (2), Vanuatu (4), Kiribati (1), Fiji (15).

The affiliations of the participants that attended the course are as follows:

Cook Islands

Matangaro Ngatokorua Trainee Technician, Ministry of Works & Development,

Rarotonga Upokoina Tiaiti Trainee Technician, Ministry of Works & Development,

Rarotonga

Fiji

Moape Navia Snr Technical Assistant, Mineral Resources Department, Suva

Susana Lupe Technical Assistant, Mineral Resources Department, Suva

Mahemood Feroz Snr Technical Assistant, Mineral Resources Department, Suva

Deep Singh Snr Technical Assistant, Mineral Resources Department, Suva

Saiyad Saheem Technical Assistant, Mineral Resources Department, Suva

Asenaca Nayago Snr Technical Assistant, Hydrology, Public Works Department, Suva

Peni Bavia Snr Hydrology Technician, Public Works Department, Suva

Ashok Kumar Technical Officer, DE Northern, Public Works Department, Labasa

Viani Sauduadua Technical Assistant, Placer Exploration Limited, Suva

Toma Nemani Technical Assistant, Placer Exploration Limited, Suva

lowane Taukeisalili Technical Assistant, Placer Exploration Limited, Suva

losefo Qaniuci Technical Assistant, Placer Exploration Limited, Suva


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Alekisio Kitolelei Technical Assistant, Placer Exploration Limited, Suva

Rishi Ram Decline Geologist, Emperor Gold Mines, Vatukoula

Suruj Deo Underground Sampler, Emperor Gold Mines, Vatukoula

Kiribati

lenimoa Katia Civil Technician, Public Works Department, Tarawa

Papua New Guinea

Behori Roua Snr Technical Officer, Dept of Mining & Petroleum, Port Moresby

Alois Giwisa Technical officer, Dept of Mining & Petroleum, Rabaul Volcanological

Observatory

Solomon Islands

Michael Maehaka Hydrological Officer, Ministry of Natural Resources, Honiara

Linston Tivuru Geological Assistant, Ministry of Natural Resources, Honiara

Stanley Basi Geological Assistant, Ministry of Natural Resources, Honiara

Vanuatu

Siri Seule Geological Assistant, Dept of Geology, Mines & Water Resources, Port Vila

Steven Bule Technical Assistant, Dept of Geology, Mines & Water Resources, Port Vila

Makali Arsen Asst Driller, Dept of Geology, Mines & Water Resources, Port Vila

Charley Douglas Technical Officer, Dept of Geology, Mines & Water Resources, Port Vila

Western Samoa

Samuela Taape Technical Assistant, Apia Observatory, Apia

Faasuaga Leota Technical Assistant, Apia Observatory, Apia

Samuelu Tavoi Technical Assistant, Apia Observatory, Apia

CONTENT OF THE COURSE

The outline for the course is given in Appendix 1. The daily work program with the exception of field

work was run on a 08H30-1 0H00; 10H30-12H00; 13H30-15H00; 15H30-16H30 basis. The actual

daily schedule is given in Appendix 2. Unfortunately the laboratory thin sectioning part of the

course was not completed as the rock-saw was damaged. It was also not possible to take the field

trip to the Yasawas.


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Out of the 57 course days, 10 days were spent in the field. Field trips included mapping in the

Nadi Basin (5 days), geophysical surveys and navigational exercises (2 days), a pace and

compass traverse of the Nasinu Quarry (1 day), a visit to Mau Quarry to study rock types (1 day)

and a study of fault and dipping strata on road cuttings along the Kings Road, Tailevu (1 day).

PARTICIPANTS ASSESSMENT/EXAMINATION

Each participant was assessed on their performance during the course (practical exercises and

field reports) and by 2 two-hour examinations at the end of the course. Participants were given

chances to review lectures through discussions based on Self Assessment Questions (Appendix

3). The examination papers are given in Appendix 4.

The final results for the course are available at both USP and SOPAC. Each participant was

awarded an informal Course Certificate by SOPAC.

Final marks ranged between 40% and 76% with the class average at 57%. Seven out of the 30

participants did not achieve 50%.

TRAINING PROGRAM 1994

It is proposed to run Advance Course I - Earth Materials and Advanced Course II - Marine Geology

and Earth History in 1994 during the 12-week period from March to May. A duration of six weeks

will be assigned to each course. Each course will be assessed through practical and examinations

towards the end of its six weeks.


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APPENDIX 1

Course Outline

Basic Earth Science & Marine Geology Course

(a) Broad physical features of the earth; origin and timescale, geometry of plate tectonics, internal

structure, surface structure, morphology, oceanography, earthquakes and volcanoes.

(b) Brief discussions of offshore and onshore mineral exploration and resources, energy resources in

the southwest Pacific region.

(c) Major rock and mineral groups, recognition and description of common rock forming and economic

minerals in hand specimen, recognition and description of common rock types in hand specimen,

simple classification of rocks.

(d) Laboratory thin sectioning techniques, and making thin sections.

(e) Laboratory techniques in sieving sediments and data presentation using simple statistics.

(f) Topographic and bathymetric map interpretation; 3-D thinking, surface morphology, contours, uses

of maps and cross-sections and block models.

(g) Geological map interpretation, 3-D thinking, outcrop patterns of simple dipping strata - effect of

angle and dip and topography, recognition of simple faults - estimation of dip and throw; uses of

structural contours; three-borehole type problems; simple folds, simple unconformities; completing a

geological map given partial outcrop and assuming simple structures.

(h) Introduction to geophysical surveying, properties of seismic waves, principles of refraction,

surveying, carrying out field work and subsequent data reduction and report.

(i) Introduction to marine surveying, short cruise, echo sounding, simple navigation, use of sextant for

inshore position fixing.

(j) Geological field mapping, field trips, pace and compass traversing, perspective sketching, uses of

scales, measuring dips and dip directions, locating geological boundaries, recording in field

notebook, description of outcrop, accurate sample collecting/location; recognition of zones of

alteration and mineralisation, intepreting mesoscopic structures, plotting up field maps, data

sheets, follow up laboratory work and report preparation.


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APPENDIX 3

1993

EARTH SCIENCE & MARINE GEOLOGY COURSE

SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS: 1

1. Write down the Principle of Uniformitarianism.

2. What do you understand by relative time?

3. What do you understand by real time?

4. List the periods of the Geological Time Scale in order from oldest to youngest.

5. What is the approximate age of the Earth?

6. Approximately what age are the oldest rocks in the island nations in the South Pacific excluding Papua New Guinea?

7. Approximately what age are the oldest rocks in Papua New Guinea?

8. Are the rocks in Papua New Guinea generally considered young compared with the age of the Earth?

9. Approximately how long ago did the first organisms with hard skeletal parts appear?

10. Approximately how many million years ago did "hominid" (humanlike) creatures appear?


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1993

EARTH SCIENCE & MARINE GEOLOGY COURSE

SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS: 2

1. Who was the first person to calculate the circumference of the Earth?

2. Draw a sketch to show how the circumference of the Earth was first calculated.

3. What evidence indicated the Earth is nearly spherical?

4. What is the correct name for the shape of the Earth?

5. How was the Earth's shape determined?

6. Write down the equation for Newton's Law of Gravitation.

7. Explain each of the terms in Newton's Law.

8. What is the difference in length between the polar diameter and the equatorial diameter of the Earth?

9. What are the five planets that were first discovered and how were they discovered?

10. What is the distance of the earth from the sun?


36. (25 marks)

On MAP 1 (provided) is shown an island with heights above sea

level as spot heights and depths below sea level by bathymetric

contours.

(a) Show topographic contours for the island at 50 m intervals.

(b) Draw a cross section from A-B with no vertical

exaggeration.

(c) What is the approximate area of the island?

- 1 square kilometre?

- 10 square kilometres?

- 100 square kilometres?

37. (40 Marks)

(a) On MAP 2 (provided) are shown contours and stream

pattern. At A Band C the outcrop of the upper surface of a

bed of sandstone is seen. Overlying the sandstone is a bed

of limestone. Draw structural contours (strike lines) for the

sandstone-limestone contact.

(b) Determine the amount of dip and dip direction assuming

the contact is planar.

(c) Show the outcrop pattern of this contact.

(d) Determine the depth to the sandstone in a drill hole at D.

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