Dr Diana Zivak

• Biography/ Background

  I am currently a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Physical Sciences, Department of Earth Sciences. I have obtained my undergraduate degree in geology and geophysics (BSc/Honours) from the University of Adelaide in 2005, and after three years in the mining (coal and gold exploration) industry, I returned to undertake PhD studies at the University of Adelaide between 2009-2014. My PhD reserach focus was on the tectonic reconstruction of the Southern Granulite Terrane of India and its role in the amalgamation of the supercontinent Gondwana. On the completion of my PhD studies, I was employed as a postdoctoral researcher at Curtin University for three years, followed by a one year postdoctoral position at the University of South Australia. My reserach focus as a postdoctoral researcher during that time was on the use of resistate minerals (such as rutile, monazite and zircon) and their chemistry to detect anomalous geochemical signatures that are associated with mineralisation. During my doctoral and postdoctoral reserach , I was also heavily involved in teaching undergraduate geology courses at both The University of Adelaide and Curtin University.

• Qualifications

  2004 - Bachelor of Science (geology/geophysics major) - The University of Adelaide

  2005 - Bachelor of Science (Honours) (geology/geophysics major) - The University of Adelaide

  2014 - Doctor of Philosophy - The University of Adelaide

• Awards & Achievements

  Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) scholarship

  Demostrator of the Year Award 2012

  Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (ASEG) travel scholarship - $1500

  Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) bursary - $3000

  The Institute for Geoscience Research small grant - $800

  Finalist for the 2014 South Australian Science Excellence Award in PhD research, Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering Category

• Research Interests

  The dwindling supply of rare earth elements (REE) in the global market is shifting focus towards securing the supply chain in order to keep up with the projected demand as dictated by the rise in production of 'green' technologies, such as wind turbines, solar cells and electric cars. The criticality of these elements is driving research focus towards unconventional sources such as extraction of REEs as a byproduct from phosphate-rich sedimentary rocks (phosphorites) that are commonly mined as a phosphate fertiliser. My current research focus is on the rare earth element (REE) potential of phosphor-rich sedimentary rocks (phosphorites) in the Georgina Basin, NW Queensland. The objective of my project is to investigate regional and temporal variation in total REE contents of phosphorites across the eastern margin of the Georgina Basin, the primary/secondary enrichment processes and the role of faulting in acting as fluid conduits leading to enrichment in REE within individual phosphorite units.

• Publications

  Brotodewo, A., C. Tiddy, D. Zivak, A. Fabris and D. Giles (2020). "Geochemical discrimination of igneous zircon in the Gawler Craton, South Australia." Australian Journal of Earth Sciences: 1-23.

  Verberne, R., S. M. Reddy, D. W. Saxey, D. Fougerouse, W. D. A. Rickard, D. Plavsa, A. Agangi and A. R. C. Kylander-Clark (2020). "The geochemical and geochronological implications of nanoscale trace-element clusters in rutile." Geology 48(11): 1126-1130.

  Agangi, A., D. Plavsa, S. M. Reddy, H. Olierook and A. Kylander-Clark (2020). "Compositional modification and trace element decoupling in rutile: Insight from the Capricorn Orogen, Western Australia." Precambrian Research 345: 105772.

  Agangi, A., S. M. Reddy, D. Plavsa, D. Fougerouse, C. Clark, M. Roberts and T. E. Johnson (2019). "Antimony in rutile as a pathfinder for orogenic gold deposits." Ore Geology Reviews 106: 1-11.

  Olierook, H. K. H., A. Agangi, D. Plavsa, S. M. Reddy, W. Yao, C. Clark, S. A. Occhipinti and A. R. C. Kylander-Clark (2019). "Neoproterozoic hydrothermal activity in the West Australian Craton related to Rodinia assembly or breakup?" Gondwana Research 68: 1-12.

  Tiddy, C. J., S. M. Hill, D. Giles, B. G. van der Hoek, V. J. Normington, R. R. Anand, E. Baudet, K. Custance, R. Hill, A. Johnson, S. McLennan, C. Mitchell, D. Zivak, W. Salama, K. Stoate and K. Wolff (2019). "Utilising geochemical data for the identification and characterisation of mineral exploration sample media within cover sequence materials." Australian Journal of Earth Sciences: 1-29.

  Plavsa, D., S. M. Reddy, A. Agangi, C. Clark, A. Kylander-Clark and C. J. Tiddy (2018). "Microstructural, trace element and geochronological characterization of TiO2 polymorphs and implications for mineral exploration." Chemical Geology 476: 130-149.

  Agangi, A., S. M. Reddy, D. Plavsa, C. Vieru, V. Selvaraja, C. LaFlamme, H. Jeon, L. Martin, T. Nozaki, Y. Takaya and K. Suzuki (2018). "Subsurface deposition of Cu-rich massive sulphide underneath a Palaeoproterozoic seafloor hydrothermal system—the Red Bore prospect, Western Australia." Mineralium Deposita 53(8): 1061-1078.

  Merdith, A. S., A. S. Collins, S. E. Williams, S. Pisarevsky, J. D. Foden, D. B. Archibald, M. L. Blades, B. L. Alessio, S. Armistead, D. Plavsa, C. Clark and R. D. Müller (2017). "A full-plate global reconstruction of the Neoproterozoic." Gondwana Research 50: 84-134.

  Kumar, T. V., Y. J. B. Rao, D. Plavsa, A. S. Collins, J. K. Tomson, B. V. Gopal and E. V. S. S. K. Babu (2017). "Zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotopic systematics of charnockite gneisses from the Ediacaran–Cambrian high-grade metamorphic terranes, southern India: Constraints on crust formation, recycling, and Gondwana correlations." GSA Bulletin 129(5-6): 625-648.

  Glorie, S., F. I. Zhimulev, M. M. Buslov, T. Andersen, D. Plavsa, A. Izmer, F. Vanhaecke and J. De Grave (2015). "Formation of the Kokchetav subduction–collision zone (northern Kazakhstan): Insights from zircon U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotope systematics." Gondwana Research 27(1): 424-438.

  Kakar, M. I., K. Mahmood, M. Khan and D. Plavsa (2015). "Petrology and geochemistry of amphibolites and greenschists from the metamorphic sole of the Muslim Bagh ophiolite (Pakistan): implications for protolith and ophiolite emplacement." Arabian Journal of Geosciences 8(8): 6105-6120.

  Plavsa, D., A. S. Collins, J. D. Foden and C. Clark (2015). "The evolution of a Gondwanan collisional orogen: A structural and geochronological appraisal from the Southern Granulite Terrane, South India." Tectonics 34(5): 820-857.

  Plavsa, D., A. S. Collins, J. L. Payne, J. D. Foden, C. Clark and M. Santosh (2014). "Detrital zircons in basement metasedimentary protoliths unveil the origins of southern India." GSA Bulletin 126(5-6): 791-811.

  Collins, A. S., C. Clark and D. Plavsa (2014). "Peninsular India in Gondwana: The tectonothermal evolution of the Southern Granulite Terrain and its Gondwanan counterparts." Gondwana Research 25(1): 190-203.

  Plavsa, D., A. S. Collins, J. F. Foden, L. Kropinski, M. Santosh, T. R. K. Chetty and C. Clark (2012). "Delineating crustal domains in Peninsular India: Age and chemistry of orthopyroxene-bearing felsic gneisses in the Madurai Block." Precambrian Research 198-199: 77-93.

  Teale, W., A. S. Collins, J. Foden, J. L. Payne, D. Plavsa, T. R. K. Chetty, M. Santosh and M. Fanning (2011). "Cryogenian (∼830Ma) mafic magmatism and metamorphism in the northern Madurai Block, southern India: A magmatic link between Sri Lanka and Madagascar?" Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 42(3): 223-233.

Entry last updated: Thursday, 8 Apr 2021