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AUSTRALIAN CLAY MINERALS SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER

October 1989

In the 13 months since the Brisbane Conference, the Canberra-based Committee (Council, if the draft Rules is to be believed, but see below) has confirmed Ballarat in February 1991 for the next biennial conference. We are also investigating incorporating the Society in the ACT. The Brisbane Conference left the Society with enough funds to seed the 10th International Clay Conference (to be held in Adelaide in 1993, also see below), to allow the Scientific Committee of the ICC to meet a couple of times in the next 4 years, as well as enough to establish the Ballarat Conference.

President: Dr Tony Eggleton Geology Department ANU, GPO Box 4 Canberra, ACT, 2601

Secretary: Ms Julie Kamprad BMR, GPO Box 378 Canberra, ACT, 2601

Treasurer: Mr Chris Foudoulis Geology Department ANU, GPO Box 4 Canberra, ACT, 2601

Committee: Dr Allan Chivas RSES,ANU GPO Box 4 Canberra, ACT, 2601

Dr Roy Towner BMR, GPO Box 378 Canberra, ACT, 2601

Dr Ross Ramsay Geology Department (by invitation) Ballarat CAE

Calendar

10th Australian Geological Convention Hobart 5-9 Feb. 1990

AusIMM Industrial Minerals Conference Rotorua 18-21 March 1990

International Industrial Minerals Congress Sydney 25-28 March 1990

14th International Congress on Soil Science Kyoto 12-18 Aug. 1990

7th International Conference on Geochronology, Cosmochronolgy and Isotope Geology Canberra 24-29 Sept. 1990

12th biennial ACMS conference Ballarat 10-15 Feb. 1991

European Clay Conference Dresden August 1991

10th International Clay Conference Adelaide 18-25 July 1993

Schedule:

Sunday 10 Feb - Registration, evening reception.

Monday 11 Feb - Registration, Papers.

Tuesday 12 Feb - Field excursion, Conference dinner.

Wednesday 13 Feb - Papers.

Thursday 14 Feb - Field Excursion.

Friday 15 Feb - Field Excursion.

Accommodation is available at college residences, otherwise local hotels and motels.

The field excursion itinerary is under consideration - and there is a lot to see! Ballarat is renowned for many things, some of which are listed below!

1. There are numerous clay deposits in the area, many originally identified as a result of gold diggings in the last century.

2. Ceramics and pottery industry. From large to small scale plant using modern and traditional techniques. There are large scale clay mining and processing plants, brickworks, clay pits and ceramic tile plants.

3. Its history. First the discovery of gold which led to the Eureka Stockade and is today depicted at Sovereign Hill. Ballarat's history is also reflected in many of its fine buildings and monuments.

4. Arts, Crafts and Antiques.

5. Scenic Beauty.

As you can see, Ballarat has much to offer a Conference like ours. So please start thinking about presentations for papers and posters and remember to keep the second week in February 1991 free for ACMS.

Put 700 clay scientists together with Alsace wines and food, add the efficiency and wit of Hélène Paquet and Yves Tardy, and you have a Conference to remember. The one percent from Australia were trebly busy, because we had to convince the remaining 99% that it was worth paying a round-the-world air fare to come to Australia in 1993. Eventually we were successful, but before that there was the opportunity to view about 350 posters and listen to a handful of Plenary lectures.

Harold Helgeson was one of the most controversial speakers, proposing that the smectite-illite transformation could be viewed thermodynamically as no more than a two-component system of mica and water. His data certainly supported that, but some worried about the variation in K and Al in the system. S.W. "Bull" Bailey set out to be provocative, presenting his ideas on the reasons for the different stability of kaolinite and halloysite. Again water was a key, the water molecule in halloysite acting as a key, locking the tetrahedral sheet and preventing it from rotating to fit the Al octahedra, thereby causing halloysite to roll up in the same way as fibrous serpentines. The trouble was that his argument was so convincing that everyone agreed, and the anticipated controversy did not arise. Bailey enjoined us to go away and collect the data needed to assess his hypotheses.

The session topics are listed below, not simply to let you know, but also to get you thinking about topics for 1993.

(Session name and number of papers)

Organic matter-clay mineral interactions and the origin of life. 16

Clay minerals and nuclear waste disposal. 15

Teaching clay mineralogy. 10

Rock weathering, laterites, soil mineralogy: clay minerals,

amorphous minerals, oxyhydroxides. 70

Industrial applications and ceramics. 32

Geochemistry and isotope chemistry of clay minerals. 12

Clays in sediments: palaeoenvironmental and diagenetic significance. 43

Role and evolution of clays in diagenesis and hydrothermal alteration. 35

Colloidal properties, surface chemistry and catalysis 39

Geochemistry of clay minerals and thermodynamic approaches

to clay-water interactions. 16

Crystal chemistry, structure and nomenclature of clay minerals. 28

Interstratification and intercalation chemistry. 22

Analytical techniques 11

Already 2% of the available planning time has gone. Four years is not as far away as you think; if we are to get it right we need to act promptly. We need ideas now and assistance a little later. Following the Brisbane Conference last year we established the ACMS "Senate", or National Scientific Committee, and a Local Organizing Committee (listed below). Fortunately almost all the "Senate" was at Strasbourg, and we took the opportunity to observe how to do things well. At Brisbane the idea of a "Posters Only" conference was considered and not supported by ACMS. Those of us at Strasbourg found little reason to change that decision, and we will be proposing an even mix of verbal and poster presentation.

At present we are looking for ideas for session topics and the organizers for these, and for financial sponsorship. The strongest message we had from AIPEA (Association Internationale pour l'Étude des Argiles) was that we must keep costs down. $100,000 in external support would go a long way toward achieving that. At this stage we would prefer to coordinate our fund-raising through the Adelaide Committee; they would welcome the names of suitable people to approach almost as much as direct offers of money. The best way to get your ideas across would be to talk to one of the "Senators" directly. That way you will find out how our thoughts are tending and be better placed to support or counter them. We already have several offers to run field trips (see below). These will cover the climatic range from humid cool (NZ in July) through arid to tropical, and show aspects of weathering, industrial clays, soils, and mining.

An International Conference on Soil Micromorphology is to be held in Canberra in 1993. We hope it will be held within a week or two of the Clay Conference.

National Scientific Committee

Dr Tony Eggleton Chairman Geology, ANU, ACT

Dr Rob Fitzpatrick Secretary CSIRO Soils, SA

Dr Reg Taylor Treasurer CSIRO Soils, SA

Dr Ivor Roberts Geology, UNSW

Dr Bob Gilkes Soil Science, UWA

Dr Ahmad Shayan CSIRO Building etc, Vic

Dr Ian Mackinnon EM unit, UQ

Dr Cyril Childs DSIR Soils NZ

Local Organizing Committee:

Dr Tony Eggleton Geology ANU Chairman ex officio

Dr Rob Fitzpatrick CSIRO Soils Secretary/Chair

Dr Reg Taylor CSIRO Soils Treasurer

Mr Lou Barnes Ausmintec Industry

Dr David Chittleborough Soils, Waite Field trips

Dr Jock Churchman Soils Waite NZ Field trip

Dr John Keeling SA Mines Field trips

Prof Malcolm Oades Soils, Waite Technical Program

Dr Tony Milnes CSIRO Soils Field Trips Coordinator

Dr Keith Norrish CSIRO Soils Co-Editor, Commerce

Prof Jim Quirk Waite Co-editor

Dr Mark Raven CSIRO Soils Exhibitions

Dr Peter Self CSIRO Soils Posters

Ms Heather Webster CSIRO Soils Publicity

Dr Malcolm Wright CSIRO Soils Field trips

Accommodation: University residences, local hotels

Registration: through Elliservice, Adelaide Conference Managers

Social Program: to be arranged by Elliservice

Technical program: The Australian Clay Mineral Society deferred plans for the technical program until after Strasbourg, in order to compare the merits of poster only vs 15-20 minute talks. The general outline suggested was comparable to that of earlier Conferences: four days of technical sessions, with Wednesday for an excursion. The symposium and technical session topics are under consideration.

Major Field Trips proposed: Please volunteer assistance to indicated leader.

Pre- or post- Conference, 5-days:

Australia:

1. Queensland: Cairns: tropical weathering;Weipa: bauxite: Fitzpatrick.

2. N.T and S.A.: Kakadu, Ranger, arid weathering, silcrete, opal. Milnes.

New Zealand:

3. Auckland-Taupo-Rotorua -Auckland: Percival DSIR

hydrothermal areas, halloysite, allophane, kaolinite

Other field trips:

4. W.A.: Perth and environs: laterite, bauxites, soils: Gilkes

5. N.S.W.: Hunter Valley: coal; clay deposits: Loughnan/Roberts

6. S.A.: Adelaide; local 2-day trip: Chittleborough, Wright, Keeling

Many people have suggested that we are unwise to continue to run conferences as an unincorporated society. Apparently the Conference Committee would be legally liable in the event of financial loss to a member or to the Society. The Council therefore proposes to incorporate in the ACT. To do this we need, among other things, Society Rules. The Society papers include a draft Constitution, duplicated on yellowed paper, calling for an entry fee of 10 shillings. We date it ca 1962.

Some of the provisions of the Draft Constitution do not conform with practice over past years. Following is the original, with suggested changes to various Rules in italics. We ask you to accept these Rules (with the changes indicated in italics and appropriately re-numbered) for the time being so that we can incorporate reasonably soon, recognizing that further changes may be made at the Ballarat Conference. To authorize this, would you please fill out and return the last page of this newsletter if you were at the Sydney or Brisbane Conference.

NAME

1. The name of this Society shall be "The Australian Clay Minerals Society".

AIMS

2. The aim of the Society shall be to further the study of clay minerals and allied substances:-

(a) by facilitating the exchange of information among members of the Society, and, in general, all those interested in clay minerals;

(b) by providing facilities for reading and discussion of papers on the methods and results of research on clay minerals and allied topics;

(c) by stimulating interest in clay mineralogy;

(d) by encouraging the practical applications of clay mineral research;

(e) by such other means as the Council may from time to time think opportune.

MEMBERSHIP

3. All those having an interest in the aims of the Society are eligible to become members.

 

4. Prospective members will be accepted after paying an Entry Fee of ten shillings.

4. A Membership Fee of $1 per year will be included in the Registration Fee for the Biennial Conference. Membership will be valid for the ensuing four years. Alternatively, Membership may be maintained by payment of $1 per year to the Society.

TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

5. Membership of the Society may be ended by written notice to the Secretary.

5. Membership of the Society may be ended by written notice to the Secretary, or will be terminated following non-payment of Membership fees for more than four years.

MEETINGS

6. An interstate Conference of the Society shall be held at least every 2 years. At each Conference, lasting 2 days or more, there will be a General Meeting of the Society.

6. A Conference of the Society shall be held at least every 2 years. At each Conference, lasting 2 days or more, there will be a General Meeting of the Society.

7. Notice of a General Meeting of the Society, together with a request for nominations for the posts of Officers, shall be issued by the Secretary at least 4 weeks before the date of the Meeting.

8. Other ordinary State Meetings may be held at times and places determined by the local State Officers.

8. Withdrawn

9. The retiring President shall deliver an address to the Society at the General Meeting terminating his period of office.

9. Withdrawn.

MANAGEMENT

10. The Society shall be governed by a Council consisting of the President, three Vice-Presidents, Secretary-Treasurer and three ordinary members, who shall assume their offices at the termination of the Conference at which the General Meeting is held. The immediate past President will be one of the ordinary members of the Council.

10. The Society shall be governed by a Council consisting of the President, Secretary, Treasurer and three ordinary members, who shall assume their offices at the termination of the Conference at which the General Meeting is held. The immediate past President will be one of the ordinary members of the Council.

11. All officers and members of Council (except the immediate past President) shall be elected for the period between the ends of two successive general meetings.

12. Wherever possible the President, Secretary-Treasurer and members of Council should be resident in the state in which the next General Meeting is to be held.

13. The Vice-Presidents shall be elected, one from each of the remaining states in which there are six members of the Society.

13. Withdrawn

14. Any two or more members may nominate a member to fill a vacancy on the Council before the General Meeting at which the vacancies will be filled. When more members are nominated than there are vacancies on the Council, an election by ballot shall be held at the General Meeting.

15. The Council shall have the power to co-opt other members to serve on the Council, the tenure of such co-opted members to terminate at the following General Meeting.

ALTERATIONS TO RULES

16. Proposed alterations to the Rules may be made with the approval of the Society (expressed at a General or Special Meeting) and of the Council of the Society; and shall not become effective until these alterations have received such approval.

HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

17. The Society may elect any Member who has rendered signal service either to the Society or to the study of Clay Minerals to Honorary Membership. Elections to this grade can be made only at a properly constituted General Meeting of the Society on the recommendation of the Council. Honorary Members will enjoy all the rights of ordinary Members. 

 Association Internationale pour l'Étude des Argiles

 

AIPEA asked the Australian Committee for the 10th ICC to encourage ACMS members to join AIPEA. It costs U$4 per year. What do you get for it? A discount on registration for the next ICC of about $16, and a periodical newsletter on clay mineral activities world wide.
Write to :Dr C. De Kimpe, Land Resource Research Centre, Agriculture Canada, C.E.F., Ottawa, Ontario, K1A,OC6

We recognized errors in about 70% of the mailing list entries. If there are still errors in our record of your address, or if you know of someone who should have received a newsletter and didn't, would you please return the last page of this newsletter with appropriate corrections or additions. 

Please complete this form where appropriate, and return to:

Dr Tony Eggleton, ACMS President

Centre for Australian Regolith Studies

GPO Box 4 Canberra.

ACT 2601

I, ........................................................................................................., being a member of the Australian Clay Minerals Society by virtue of my registration at a Society conference within the past 4 years, approve/do not approve* the draft Rules circulated in the ACMS newsletter of October 1989.

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