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Dr Laura Morrissey

  • Research Associate School of Natural and Built Environments
  • City East Campus (BJ3-32)
  • email Laura.Morrissey@unisa.edu.au
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About me

About me

Dr Laura Morrissey
  • Geology
  • Tectonics
  • Mineral systems

I am a geologist who applies principles of metamorphic petrology to understand a variety of larger questions relating to tectonics, high temperature processes and ore deposit genesis. Metamorphic petrology involves determining the pressures and temperatures that rocks experienced, based on their mineral assemblages and chemistry. Metamorphic rocks can be used to understand the processes that have shaped the Earth over billions of years.

 

My current research interests include:

-          Tectonics and continental reconstructions of Australia and Antarctica over a billion years ago.

-          Extreme metamorphic conditions: ultrahigh temperature... Read more

School of Natural and Built Environments

The School plays a leading role in improving environmental and socio-economic sustainability through education and research.

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About me

I am a geologist who applies principles of metamorphic petrology to understand a variety of larger questions relating to tectonics, high temperature processes and ore deposit genesis. Metamorphic petrology involves determining the pressures and temperatures that rocks experienced, based on their mineral assemblages and chemistry. Metamorphic rocks can be used to understand the processes that have shaped the Earth over billions of years.

 

My current research interests include:

-          Tectonics and continental reconstructions of Australia and Antarctica over a billion years ago.

-          Extreme metamorphic conditions: ultrahigh temperature metamorphism and refrigerated metamorphism

-          The role of melting and melt loss in the generation of high temperatures in the crust, crustal strength and the ability of rocks to record metamorphic events

-          The role of melting in chemically differentiating the crust, and the role of this in the formation of ore deposits

-          The generation of highly saline fluids and their role in ore deposit genesis

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Professional Associations

Member of the Geological Society of Australia

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Experience

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy University of Adelaide

  • Diploma in Languages University of Adelaide

  • Bachelor of Science the University of Adelaide

  • Bachelor of Laws the University of Adelaide

  • Bachelor of Science (Jurisprudence) the University of Adelaide

Work history

I graduated from my PhD in Earth Sciences from the University of Adelaide in May 2017. Prior to that, I completed a combined Law/Science degree from the University of Adelaide in 2011 and a Diploma of Language in Spanish from the University of Adelaide in 2009.

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Research

Research themes

  • Scarce resources

Research focus

  • Geology
  • Earth Sciences
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Geochemistry
  • Other Earth Sciences

Highlights

My current research interest is in combining metamorphic petrology with economic geology to understand the generation of ore deposits. One example of this combination is the use of phase equilibria modelling to highlight the importance of high temperature (>850 °C) metamorphism and melt loss on the formation of Iron Road's magnetite iron ore deposit on Eyre Peninsula. 

Current research interests:

- Tectonic evolution of Australia and Antarctica during the Proterozoic

- The effects of melt and melt loss on the composition and reactivity of the crust, including the enrichment of economic elements such as iron

- The generation of highly saline fluids and their role in ore deposit genesis

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Projects

Excludes commercial-in-confidence projects.

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Outputs

Research since 2008 is shown below. To see earlier years visit ORCID or Scopus

Open access indicates that an output is open access.

Highlights

Year Output
2017

Morrissey, LJ, Payne, JL, Hand, M, Clark, C, Taylor, R, Kirkland, CL & Kylander-Clark, A 2017, 'Linking the Windmill Islands, east Antarctica and the Albany-Fraser Orogen: insights from U-Pb zircon geochronology and Hf isotopes', Precambrian research, vol. 293, pp. 131-149.

10 8
2016

Morrissey, LJ, Hand, M, Kelsey, DE & Wade, BP 2016, 'Cambrian high-temperature reworking of the Rayner-Eastern ghats terrane: constraints from the Northern Prince Charles Mountains region, East Antarctica', Journal of petrology, vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 53-91.

11 9
2016

Morrissey, LJ, Hand, M, Lane, K, Kelsey, DE & Dutch, RA 2016, 'Upgrading iron-ore deposits by melt loss during granulite facies metamorphism', Ore geology reviews, vol. 74, pp. 101-121.

7 6 1
2015

Morrissey, LJ, Hand, M & Kelsey, DE 2015, 'Multi-stage metamorphism in the Rayner-Eastern Ghats Terrane: P-T-t constraints from the northern Prince Charles Mountains, east Antarctica', Precambrian research, vol. 267, pp. 137-163.

23 20
2014

Morrissey, L, Hand, M, Raimondo, T & Kelsey, D 2014, 'Long-lived high-T, low-P granulite facies metamorphism in the Arunta region, central Australia', Journal of metamorphic geology, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 25-47.

Open access 31 29

Journal Articles

Year Output
2018

Alessio, KL, Hand, M, Kelsey, DE, Williams, MA, Morrissey, LJ & Barovich, K 2018, 'Conservation of deep crustal heat production', Geology, vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 335-338.

5 3
2018

Bhowany, K, Hand, M, Clark, C, Kelsey, D, Reddy, S, Pearce, M, Tucker, N & Morrissey, L 2018, 'Phase equilibria modelling constraints on P-T conditions during fluid catalysed conversion of granulite to eclogite in the Bergen Arcs, Norway', Journal of metamorphic geology, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 315-342.

Open access 4 4 3
2018

He, X-F, Hand, M, Santosh, M, Kelsey, DE, Morrissey, LJ & Tsunogae, T 2018, 'Long-lived metamorphic P-T-t evolution of the Highland complex, Sri Lanka: Insights from mafic granulites', Precambrian research, vol. 316, pp. 227-243.

1
2018

Morrissey, LJ, Barovich, KM, Hand, M, Howard, KE & Payne, JL 2018, 'Magmatism and metamorphism at ca. 1.45 Ga in the northern Gawler Craton: the Australian record of rifting within Nuna (Columbia)', Geoscience frontiers, in press, pp. 1-50.

Open access
2018

Payne, J, Raimondo, T, Morrissey, L, Hand, M, Lilly, R, Tomkins, A, Reid, A, Dutch, R, Wade, C, Hamisi, J, Bockmann, M & Janicki, M 2018, 'Source to spectrum: project update', MESA journal, vol. 88, no. 3, pp. 12-14.

Open access
2018

Tucker, N, Morrissey, L, Payne, J & Szpunar, M 2018, 'Genesis of the Archean-paleoproterozoic tabletop domain, Rudall Province, and its endemic relationship to the West Australian Craton', Australian journal of earth sciences, vol. 65, no. 6, pp. 739-768.

1 1 2
2018

Williams, MA, Kelsey, DE, Hand, M, Raimondo, T, Morrissey, LJ, Tucker, NM & Dutch, RA 2018, 'Further evidence for two metamorphical events in the Mawson Continent', Antarctic science, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 44-65.

Open access 1 2
2017

Alessio, KL, Hand, M, Morrissey, LJ, Kelsey, DE & Payne, JL 2017, 'Melt reintegration modelling: Testing against a subsolidus reference assemblage', Geosciences (Switzerland), vol. 7, no. 3, article no. 75, pp. 1-21.

Open access 1
2017

Kelsey, DE, Morrissey, LJ, Hand, M, Clark, C, Tamblyn, R, Gaehl, AA & Marshall, S 2017, 'Significance of post-peak metamorphic reaction microstructures in the ultrahigh temperature Eastern Ghats Province, India', Journal of metamorphic geology, vol. 35, no. 9, pp. 1081-1109.

Open access 4 3 1
2017

Morrissey, LJ, Hand, M & Kelsey, DL 2017, 'A curious case of agreement between conventional thermobarometry and phase equilibria modelling in granulites: New constraints on P-T estimates in the Antarctica segment of the Musgrave-Albany-Fraser-Wilkes Orogen', Journal of metamorphic geology, vol. 35, no. 9, pp. 1023-1050.

5 1 3
2017

Morrissey, LJ, Payne, JL, Hand, M, Clark, C, Taylor, R, Kirkland, CL & Kylander-Clark, A 2017, 'Linking the Windmill Islands, east Antarctica and the Albany-Fraser Orogen: insights from U-Pb zircon geochronology and Hf isotopes', Precambrian research, vol. 293, pp. 131-149.

10 8
2017

Payne, J, Raimondo, T, Morrissey, L, Hand, M, Lilly, R, Tomkins, A, Reid, A, Dutch, R & Wade, C 2017, 'Source to Spectrum: a new project investigating the range of mineral deposits in the Gawler Craton', MESA Journal, vol. 83, no. 2, pp. 8-10.

Open access
2016

Morrissey, LJ, Hand, M, Kelsey, DE & Wade, BP 2016, 'Cambrian high-temperature reworking of the Rayner-Eastern ghats terrane: constraints from the Northern Prince Charles Mountains region, East Antarctica', Journal of petrology, vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 53-91.

11 9
2016

Morrissey, LJ, Hand, M, Lane, K, Kelsey, DE & Dutch, RA 2016, 'Upgrading iron-ore deposits by melt loss during granulite facies metamorphism', Ore geology reviews, vol. 74, pp. 101-121.

7 6 1
2015

Morrissey, LJ, Hand, M & Kelsey, DE 2015, 'Multi-stage metamorphism in the Rayner-Eastern Ghats Terrane: P-T-t constraints from the northern Prince Charles Mountains, east Antarctica', Precambrian research, vol. 267, pp. 137-163.

23 20
2015

Wong, BL, Morrissey, LJ, Hand, M, Fields, CE & Kelsey, DE 2015, 'Grenvillian-aged reworking of late Paleoproterozoic crust of the southern North Australian Craton, central Australia: implications for the assembly of Mesoproterozoic Australia', Precambrian research, vol. 270, pp. 100-123.

6 6
2014

Morrissey, L, Hand, M, Raimondo, T & Kelsey, D 2014, 'Long-lived high-T, low-P granulite facies metamorphism in the Arunta region, central Australia', Journal of metamorphic geology, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 25-47.

Open access 31 29
2013

Morrissey, L, Hand, M, Wade, B & Szpunar, M 2013, 'Early Mesoproterozoic metamorphism in the Barossa Complex, South Australia: links with the eastern margin of Proterozoic Australia', Australian journal of earth sciences, vol. 60, no. 8, pp. 769-795.

10 9
2011

Morrissey, L, Payne, JL, Kelsey, DE & Hand, M 2011, 'Grenvillian-aged reworking in the North Australian Craton, central Australia: constraints from geochronology and modelled phase equilibria', Precambrian research, vol. 191, no. 3-4, pp. 141-165.

22 21
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Current research & highlights

My current research interest is in combining metamorphic petrology with economic geology to understand the generation of ore deposits. One example of this combination is the use of phase equilibria modelling to highlight the importance of high temperature (>850 °C) metamorphism and melt loss on the formation of Iron Road's magnetite iron ore deposit on Eyre Peninsula. 

Current research interests:

- Tectonic evolution of Australia and Antarctica during the Proterozoic

- The effects of melt and melt loss on the composition and reactivity of the crust, including the enrichment of economic elements such as iron

- The generation of highly saline fluids and their role in ore deposit genesis

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External engagement & recognition

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Collaborations

Organisation Country
China University of Geosciences CHINA
CSIRO Australia (Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation) AUSTRALIA
Curtin University AUSTRALIA
Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Adelaide AUSTRALIA
Fortescue Metals Group AUSTRALIA
Geological Survey of South Australia AUSTRALIA
Monash University AUSTRALIA
University of Adelaide AUSTRALIA
University of California UNITED STATES
University of Johannesburg SOUTH AFRICA
University of South Australia AUSTRALIA
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Research degree supervision

Supervisions from 2010 shown

Thesis title Student status
Heat-production driven and maintained crustal metamorphism Current
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Dr Laura Morrissey
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