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The UNSW course examines the behaviour of elements in the surface environment, with applications ranging from mineral exploration and regional mapping to environmental assessment. You’ll study the primary and secondary dispersion of elements and weather processes, as well as the key principles underlying sampling and analysis. You’ll also examine the subsequent visualisation and modelling of water, soil, sediment and vegetation geochemical data.

The course focuses on a series of combined lecture-laboratory case studies, including a number from Australia. It follows the typical stages in a geochemical survey that would be encountered in professional practice. This is supplemented by a day trip to investigate geochemical processes at an abandoned mine site.

Term offering: Term 2

Course attendance: In person

Level: Undergraduate - Third year

Discipline: Earth Science

Course code:Ìý³Ò·¡°¿³§3281

Please refer to the latest handbook for Conditions of Enrolment and Additional Enrolment Constraints.

Our Applied Geochemistry graduates have gone on to specialise in the following areas:

• Mineral exploration and economic geology: applied geochemistry is a major exploration tool for most mineral commodities. Employment is with both mineral exploration companies and government agencies.
• Environmental science: applied geochemistry is at the core of assessing the current state and fate contaminants. Employment is with environmental consultants and government agencies, but also in the minerals sector.
• Geochemical analysis: applied geochemistry is dependent on a range of analytical methods. Employment is in commercial and in-house laboratories.