How do the elements of life cycle through the Earth’s crust
and mantle?
And where should we look for the minerals that our civilisation depends on? These are two
of the big questions that Macquarie University’s Stephen Foley (Department of Earth and
Planetary Sciences) is attempting to answer.
Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen are arguably the elements of life. They cycle not just
through the atmosphere but also through the Earth’s crust. For example, only 10 per cent of
the Earth’s carbon is on the surface or in the atmosphere. Understanding how these elements
cycle through the Earth is essential to understanding the movement of the continents and the
development of many mineral deposits.
In September Stephen received a $3 million Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship
to study how carbon, water and nitrogen cycle kilometres underground, how rocks melt, and
how that influences the movement of continents and the concentration of minerals.
Macquarie University will open a new high-pressure laboratory in 2019 that will enable Stephen
and his colleagues to recreate the conditions of the deep Earth.
Read more about Stephen’s research on The Lighthouse
Syllabus link: Earth and Environmental Science syllabus Module 1 Inquiry question 2
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