CSIRO iPhD – Geochemical indicators of shale shear strength in banded iron formation
Gain a PhD and practical experience with supervision from Macquarie, CSIRO and an industry partner. Participate in a PhD project that includes a three-month industry engagement component.
Iron ore is Australia's largest and most valuable commodity export, with Western Australia being the largest iron ore supplier in the world. Iron ore is extracted from large open-pit mines, including pits in Banded Iron Formation (BIF) with interbedded shale bands. While the BIF typically has a high rock strength, the shale bands, in contrast, are normally equivalent to a soft rock. As such, the shale bands are a dominant control on mine slope instability, posing significant economic, operational, and safety challenges. Despite their importance, the factors contributing to shear strength in shale remain poorly understood.
Key details
- 20235981
- MRes Year 2 + PhD, PhD
- Applications close on 30 April 2025
- Domestic
- Science
- $47,000 p.a. (2025 rate)
About the scholarship
A recent pilot study revealed an exciting breakthrough: shale geochemistry – particularly alumina content – offers a strong correlation with shear strength. Shales enriched through metasomatic processes vary dramatically in shear strength depending on their alumina levels, with high-alumina shales (>16 wt% Al₂O₃) more likely to have lower strength. Interestingly, geochemical indicators appear to be a much more important control on shale shear strength compared to traditionally accepted factors like defect shape, roughness, and infill conditions of bedding structures in shale.
This PhD project will build on these findings, offering a unique opportunity to tackle real-world geotechnical problems at the intersection of geology, engineering and mining. Key aims include:
- testing and characterisation – conduct advanced laboratory analyses to unravel the relationships between geochemistry, mineral assemblages, microstructure, and shear strength in both unmineralised and mineralised shales
- geochemistry-strength linkages – deepen our understanding of how specific geochemical signatures, such as alumina and silica content, influence shear strength
- mineralogical insights – identify the mineral assemblages that govern geochemical trends among different shale types
- field applications – assess the potential of portable geochemical tools to quickly and accurately infer different shale types in the field which control shear strength
- real-world impact – apply findings to improve geotechnical models and enhance slope stability predictions for mine design.
By joining this project, you will contribute to groundbreaking research that bridges science and engineering, offering solutions to critical challenges in one of the world's most vital industries. This work will not only advance scientific understanding but also equip you with practical skills and knowledge highly valued by academia and industry alike.
Availability
The scholarship is available to candidates eligible to undertake a four-year MRes Year 2 + PhD program.
Components
The successful candidate will receive:
- a scholarship package, which includes
- a $35,000 per annum CSIRO stipend with three per cent indexation each year
- a $12,000 per annum industry top up (not indexed).
- a project expense and development package of $13,000 per annum.
The value of the stipend scholarship is a full-time rate of $47,000 per annum (2025 rate) for four years.
Successful students are subject to the policies, procedures, and guidelines of Macquarie University, in addition to the CSIRO industry PhD program terms and conditions.
Students will receive a PhD or MRes Year 2 + PhD bundle (1 + 3 years) on completion.
How to apply
Submit an expression of interest (EOI) to both:
- Macquarie supervisor Nathan Daczko at nathan.daczko@mq.edu.au
- CSIRO supervisor Qingdong Qu at qingdong.qu@csiro.au.
The EOI is assessed by the supervisory team and shortlisted applicants are interviewed.
The supervisory team nominates a preferred applicant and the nominated applicant will be instructed to apply.
The application is then assessed by the Macquarie University against our PhD admission criteria. We will issue a letter of offer for the program if all conditions have been satisfied.