Geology, Evaporative Salt Accumulation, and Geoecology at Springvale historic gold mine,

Central Otago, New Zealand

Shanna Law

Forum on Education Abroad

Academic Achievement Abroad Award Recipient, 2016

Why Study Abroad?

Why New Zealand?

Springvale: an abandoned gold mine

• Sediment analysis• X-ray diffraction

(XRD)• Scanning electron

microscopy (SEM)

What did I do?• Made maps of:

• Geology

• Vegetation

• Water flow

• Sediment chemistry

• Conductivity

• pH

Relationships between geology, sediment chemistry,

and vegetation

What was I looking forat the abandoned gold mine?

What did the mining do to the landscape?

GEOLOGY

CONDUCTIVITY WATER FLOW

VEGETATION

Puccinellia raroflorens Atriplex buchananii

bare mudstone runoff fancompacted uncompacted

Results

•There are both mechanical and chemical controls on halophyte habitat

•Vegetation patterns are constrained by geologic units

•This mine site has ecological diversity and supports endangered plants because of varied landscapes and geologic substrates

ImplicationCase Example: diverse landscapes and substrates

should be incorporated during mine remediation to enhance biodiversity and ecological recovery

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/23/geese-die-montana-toxic-mine-epa

ImplicationCase Example: diverse landscapes and substrates

should be incorporated during mine remediation to enhance biodiversity and ecological recovery

Photo credit: Bureau of Land Management & http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1828.htm

https://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/2015/09/01/how-does-soil-differ-across-earths-biomes-part-1/

How did I share this information?

•32 page report (sent to NZ Department of Conservation)

•Presented at a mining conference in New Zealand

•Published in an academic journal

•Citation: Law, S., Rufaut, C., Lilly, K., & Craw, D. (2016). “Geology, evaporative salt accumulation and geoecology at Springvale historic gold mine, Central Otago, New Zealand.” New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 59.3: 382-395.

•I gained inspiration, experience, and strong professional connections

•I am now working towards my M.S. in Geochemistry

Acknowledgements•Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment

•New Zealand Department of Conservation

•Scientists, colleagues, and mentors: Dave Craw, Cathy Rufaut, Kat Lilly, Damian Walls, Brent Pooley, and Sherri Law

•BCA, particularly Ashley Mountfort

•Juniata College’s Center for International Education, especially Carolyn Gibson

•The University of Otago’s International Office, especially Will Tregidga

•The Forum on Education Abroad

Thank You!

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