Corporate Body

CSIR/O Mineragraphic Investigations (1927 - 1966)

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

From
1927
Australia
To
1966
Functions
Industrial or scientific research and Resources
Alternative Names
  • Mineragraphic Investigations, Commonwealth Institute for Science and Industry (1921 - 1925)

Summary

Mineragraphic Investigations was established in 1921 as an activity of the Commonwealth Institute of Science and Industry (1920-1925). It continued operations under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and then CSIRO (1949-). In 1966 Mineragraphic Investigation ceased to exist as an independent entity, becoming part of the CSIRO Division of Applied Mineralogy.

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Details

From "CSIRO research for Australia" (1962) pdf page 46:
"Within the grounds of the University of Melbourne are two small C.S.I.R.O. Sections which are primarily occupied in serving the needs of the mining industry. They are called the Mineragraphic Investigations and Ore-Dressing Sections.

Mineragraphy is the study of ore materials in polished surfaces by microscopic, spectrographic, X-ray and other techniques. C.S.I.R.O.'s entry into this field dates back to 1927, the second year of its existence, when Dr. F. L. Stillwell was appointed to initiate the work. Mineragraphy has been applied to a very wide range of mining and oredressing problems. It has been used, for example, to get information about the association of different minerals in ores and to detect losses of valuable minerals in mill wastes and tailings and furnace products. Jt has also been used in conjunction with petrological investigations to study the gangue minerals and rocks associated with ore-bodies and problems of ore genesis, and the composition of economic beach sands. The content of mine and other dusts has been studied in order to assess their possible hazards to health.

Mineragraphic, mineralogical and petrological techniques have also been applied to scientific problems not associated with mining. They have, for example, been used to study the drift of sands on the ocean floor; the "opal phytoliths" which are formed in plant tissues and cause wear of sheep's teeth; and the mysterious objects of impure silica glass called "tektites" which come from outer space. Many of the Section's substantial contributions to mineragraphy have been drawn on for the compilation of a standard text called "The Texture of Ore Minerals and Their Significance" by Dr. A. B. Edwards, who was Officer-in-Charge of the Section from 1953 to 1960."

Timeline

 1927 - 1966 CSIR/O Mineragraphic Investigations
       1962? - 1970 CSIRO Division of Applied Mineralogy
             1971 - 1984 CSIRO Division of Mineralogy
                   1977 - 1980 CSIRO Fuel Geoscience Unit
                   1984 - 1985 CSIRO Division of Mineralogy and Geochemistry
                         1980 - 1987 CSIRO Division of Fossil Fuels
                         1985 - 1987 CSIRO Division of Minerals and Geochemistry
                               1988 - 1990 CSIRO Division of Coal Technology
                               1988 - 1993 CSIRO Division of Exploration and Geoscience
                                     1990 - c. 1995 CSIRO Division of Coal and Energy Technology
                                     1993 - CSIRO Division of Exploration and Mining
                                     1993 - CSIRO Division of Petroleum Resources
                                           c. 1995 - CSIRO Energy Technology

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Ailie Smith

Created: 13 July 2000, Last modified: 10 April 2025

EOAS ID: biogs/A000700b.htm

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