1. ISSN 1329-7759
RSWA Proceedings
November 2011
ATTENTION LIBRARIANS:
This publication should be catalogued under "Proceedings of the Royal Society of
Western Australia"
Biofuels
from
algae
in
Western
Australia:
From
the
Lab
to
the
pilot
plant
and
beyond
Professor
Michael
A.
Borowitzka:
Algae
R&D
Center,
Murdoch
University
The
imminence
of
Peak
Oil
as
well
as
global
warming
due
to
anthropogenic
CO2
emissions
has
led
to
great
activity
to
develop
environmentally
sustainable
renewable
sources
of
energy.
Algae
are
seen
as
one
of
the
best
sources
of
renewable
liquid
fuels
(i.e.
biodiesel
and
bioethanol)
as
they
have
lipid
productivities
which
are
5-­‐10
times
greater
than
alternative
oil
seed
crops
such
as
canola
and
oil
palms,
and
because
they
can
be
grown
on
land
unsuitable
for
agriculture
using
saline
water.
Western
Australia
is
especially
well
suited
for
algae
culture
for
biofuels
because
of
regions
with
high
sunshine,
large
areas
of
flat
land
and
many
suitable
water
sources.
However,
before
algal
fuels
become
a
reality
many
problems
have
to
be
resolved,
especially
the
high
cost
of
algae
production.
Our
research
at
Murdoch
University
over
the
last
20
years
has
led
to
the
isolation
and
characterisation
of
a
number
of
elite
strains
of
local
microalgae
well
suited
for
commercial-­‐scale
culture
for
biofuels.
Together
with
colleagues
from
the
University
of
Adelaide
we
have
been
trialing
these
algae
in
outdoor
ponds
in
Perth
to
select
the
best
strain
and
to
optimise
culture
conditions
for
the
production
of
lipids
which
are
the
feedstock
for
biodiesel
production.
We
have
also
been
developing
efficient,
low
cost
methods
of
harvesting
and
dewatering
the
algae
and
for
the
extraction
of
the
lipids.
Our
results
show
very
high
productivities
over
the
whole
year
under
Perth
climatic
conditions.
In
November
2010
we
commissioned
the
first
Australian
algae
biofuels
pilot
plant
in
Karratha,
next
to
the
Rio
Tinto
Yurrila
Maya
Power
station.
The
pilot
plant
allows
the
testing
and
optimisation
of
the
algae
under
the
optimum
climatic
conditions
of
the
Pilbara
at
a
scale
that
will
allow
actual
production
costs
for
a
production
plant
to
be
determined
and
a
fully
commercial
process
to
be
developed.
The
Pilbara
has
many
advantages
for
commercial
scale
algae
biofuels
production
and
an
American
company,
Aurora
Algae,
have
also
established
a
pilot
plant
there
recently.
This
talk
will
cover
the
journey
from
the
lab
to
the
pilot
plant
and
beyond
and
our
findings
and
the
future
challenges
to
developing
this
new
industry
for
Western
Australia.

2. REPORT
FROM
THE
RSWA
ANNUAL
GENERAL
MEETING
2011
The Royal Society of Western Australia’s
2011 Annual General Meeting was held on
Monday 18th July in the Webb Lecture
Theatre at the University of Western
Australia. The meeting was preceded by
refreshments, giving the medallists and their
guests an opportunity to meet councillors,
members and each other. The meeting was
officially opened by the President, Dr Lynne
Milne, at 7.30 pm. The Minutes of the 20102011 AGM were presented and accepted. The
President briefly explained why a formal
election for the 2011-2012 Council was being
held, why it had been delayed and that the
Electoral Commission had now been engaged
to conduct the election. The main points of
the upcoming Constitution ballot were
summarised. The President then presented the
Annual Report that will shortly be available
in full on the new RSWA website
(royalsocietyofwa.com). She reported another
successful year of events that included the
exceptionally well-attended Kimberley Coast
and Marine Symposium and the Journal issue
dedicated to it. Another highlight of the year
was the successful application for a Lottery
West Grant to establish and pay for a new
website for three years, and the development
of the website. The President thanked all
councillors for their contribution to the
success of the year, in particular the
hardworking editorial group, Professor Lyn
Beazley for her contribution as Vice-Patron,
the WA Museum for housing the Society’s
Library and the Board of the Botanic Gardens
and Parks Authority and The School of Earth
and Environment at UWA for providing
venues for meetings.
retire as President at the AGM, but continued
to preside over Council until the 2011-2013
Council was elected, was followed by further
refreshments.
NEW
MEMBERS
OF
THE
SOCIETY
It
is
required
by
the
constitution
that
the
names
of
new
members
of
the
RSWA
are
published
in
the
Proceedings.
Ordinary Members
Dr Dean Thorburn
Dr Mike Cappo
Dr Danny Rogers
Mr Jonathan Davies
Ms Jane Fyfe
Dr Brett Maloney
Ms Linda Villiers
Ms Nimue Pendragon
Ms Lynette Howearth
Student Medallists and Postgraduate Student
Symposium Presenters.
Both the medalists and the presenters are
traditionally awarded a one year membership.
STUDENT MEDALLISTS
Ms Alicia Sutton
Ms Linette Umbrello
Ms Stephanie Austin
Ms Vanessa Stylianou
Mr Eric Law
The treasurer in presenting his report showed
a surplus for the year that this time but noted
that this was a false surplus as monies from
the Kimberley Symposium have to be
returned to WAMSI and a number of invoices
are outstanding. The president then presented
the new RSWA Brochure developed by
Council member J Wege and called on Dr
Phil O’Brien to launch the new website that
he had worked so hard to bring to fruition.
The student medals and certificates were
presented by councillor Prof Kate Wright,
Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research
Training (Research and Development), Curtin
University. The Presidential Address, Grains
of Truth: Pollen in the forensic arena was
delivered by Dr Lynne Milne who was due to
POSTGRADUATE SYMPOSIUM
PRESENTERS
Ms Leigh Shepherd
Ms Desiree Moon
Ms Nannapat Natchakumlasap
Mr James Tweedley
Ms Maggie Triska
Ms Anais Pages
Mr Daniel McDonald
Ms Tian Rui
Mr Umar Farooq
Mrs Shari Gallop
Mr Martin Paesold
Ms XiXi Li
Ms Ailene Tawang
Ms Jessie Moniodis
Ms Hazel Gaza
Ms Xiangling Fang
Mr Siddhartha S Verma
Mr Xinjjiang Zhu

3. PRESENTATION
OF
RSWA
STUDENT
MEDALS
Each
year
the
RSWA
awards
a
student
medal
to
the
student
with
the
highest
aggregate
score
in
their
undergraduate
degree
from
each
of
the
WA
universities.
The
students
are
nominated
by
their
university.
The
medals
were
presented
to
the
students
at
this
years
AGM
by
Prof
Kate
Wright,
Associate
Deputy
Vice
Chancellor,
Research
and
Training,
Curtin
University
Alicia
Sutton,
Murdoch
University.
Linette
Umbrello
UWA
Stephanie
Austin
Curtin
University.
Eric
Law
Notre
Dame.
Vanessa
Stylianou,
Edith
Cowan
University
(Vanessa’s
father
accepted
the
medal
on
her
behalf).
DEVONIAN
REEF
COMPLEXES
OF
THE
CANNING
BASIN,
WESTERN
AUSTRALIA
This
talk
was
given
by
Tony
Cockbain
in
November
2010,
on
behalf
of
Phil
Playford
who
was
unable
to
attend
the
meeting.
The
talk
was
based
on
a
selection
of
slides
prepared
by
Phil;
a
small
summary
of
the
talk
was
published
in
the
December
2010
Proceedings.
This
abstract
is
taken
from
GSWA
Bulletin
145
with
the
above
title.
]
This
article
with
larger
figures
can
be
downloaded
from
the
RSWA
website
at
http://www.royalsocietyofwa.com/
The
bulletin
can
also
be
purchased
from
Mineral
House
for
$77.
ABSTRACT
Middle
and
Upper
Devonian
(Givetian,
Frasnian,
and
Famennian)
reef
complexes
are
spectacularly
exposed
on
the
Lennard
Shelf,
along
the
northern
margin
of
the
Canning
Basin.
They
form
a
belt
of
rugged
limestone
ranges,
some
350
km
long
and
up
to
50
km
wide,
that
is
commonly
known
as
the
‘Devonian
Great
Barrier
Reef’.
The
reef

4. metres
deep.
The
back-­‐reef
areas
ranged
from
supratidal
to
subtidal,
with
estimated
water
depths
of
up
to
10
m.
Cyclicity
is
evident
in
many
of
the
back-­‐reef
deposits
complexes
form
a
northwest-­‐trending
barrier-­‐reef
system,
composed
of
fringing
reefs,
atolls,
and
banks,
that
grew
along
the
mountainous
mainland
shore
of
the
Kimberley
block
and
around
rugged
islands
of
Proterozoic
igneous
and
metamorphic
rocks.
One
reef
complex
grew
on
a
fault
block
of
Ordovician
dolomite
and
shale.
The
maximum
thickness
of
the
Devonian
rocks
is
estimated
to
be
at
least
2500m.
In
some
areas
the
reef
complexes
are
cut
by
normal
faults,
some
of
which
moved
during
the
Devonian,
with
associated
tilting
and
folding,
but
over
large
areas
the
Devonian
rocks
remained
almost
undeformed.
Conglomerates,
that
interfinger
with
or
pass
through
the
reef
complexes,
were
derived
from
the
scarps
of
active
faults
in
adjoining
Precambrian
basement
rocks.
Movement
along
some
faults
continued
during
the
Carboniferous,
but
since
then
there
has
been
little
or
no
faulting
in
the
area.
Three
main
facies
are
recognized
in
the
reef
complexes:
platform,
marginal-­‐slope,
and
basin
facies.
The
reefal
platforms,
which
stood
tens
to
hundreds
of
metres
above
the
adjacent
sea
floor,
were
constructed
by
shallow-­‐water
organisms,
especially
stromatoporoids,
corals,
and
microbes.
Many
platforms
were
rimmed
by
rigid
wave-­‐resistant
reefs.
The
platform
facies
is
subdivided
into
reef-­‐margin,
reef-­‐flat,
pinnacle
reef,
and
back-­‐reef
subfacies.
Where
no
reef
is
developed
around
a
platform
margin,
the
platform
is
regarded
as
a
bank
and
its
deposits
as
bank
sub
facies.
Fig 1: Geological map of the Devonian reef
complexes.
The
platform
deposits
were
laid
down
essentially
horizontally,
in
shallow
subtidal
to
intertidal
and
supratidal
environments.
The
reef-­‐margin
and
reef-­‐flat
deposits
were
mainly
formed
in
shallow
water
depths,
but
in
some
places
the
reef
grew
in
water
estimated
to
have
been
up
to
a
few
tens
of
Fig 2: Morphology diagram of the reef complexes.
Marginal-­‐slope
deposits
were
laid
down
on
slopes
in
front
of
the
platforms,
descending
to
water
depths
of
up
to
several
hundred
metres.
The
marginal-­‐slope
facies
in
front
of
a
reefal
platform
is
subdivided
into
reefal-­‐
slope
and
fore-­‐reef
subfacies.
Where
the
platform
is
a
bank
the
slope
deposits
are
regarded
as
fore-­‐bank
facies.
Reef-­‐margin
and
reef-­‐flat
boundstones
and
back-­‐reef
biostromes
were
built
by
microbes,
stromatoporoids,
and
corals
during
the
late
Givetian
and
early
Frasnian,
microbes
and
stromatoporoids
during
the
late
Frasnian,
and
microbes
alone
in
the
Famennian.
The
reefal-­‐slope
subfacies
consists
of
microbial
boundstone
that
accreted
at
the
tops
of
the
marginal
slopes.
The
reefal-­‐slope
deposits
show
depositional
dips
ranging
from
nearly
vertical
to
about
40°,
and
they
pass
downwards
into
fore-­‐reef
subfacies.
The
fore-­‐reef
deposits
consist
largely
of
platform-­‐derived
debris,
and
include
debris
flows
and
isolated
allochthonous
blocks
of
reef,
together
with
indigenous
fossil
organisms
and
terrigenous
clastic
material.
Depositional
dips
in
the
fore-­‐reef
subfacies
decline
progressively
from
about
40°
at
the
top
of
a
slope
to
a
few
degrees
at
the
foot,
where
the
fore-­‐reef
subfacies
interfingers
with
basin
facies.
Fore-­‐bank
deposits
generally
lack
steep
depositional
dips,
and
they
interfinger
directly
with
bank
deposits
at
the
top
of
the
slope
and
with
basin
facies
at
the
base.
The
basin
facies,
which
was
laid
down
essentially
horizontally
in
water
depths
from
a
few
tens
to
several
hundreds
metres,
consists
largely
of
calcareous
shale,
siltstone
and
sandstone,
with
some
interbedded

5. turbidites
and
debris-­‐flow
limestones.
Most
basin
deposits
have
undergone
major
post-­‐
burial
mechanical
compaction
(up
to
about
75%).
Fig 3: Classic face at Windjana Gorge.
The
reef
complexes
range
in
age
from
Middle
Devonian
(late
Givetian)
to
Late
Devonian
(Frasnian
and
Famennian).
Most
exposed
reefs
are
Frasnian
and
Famennian
in
age.
The
most
precise
dating
of
the
reef
complexes
is
based
on
conodonts
and
ammonoids
in
basin
and
marginal-­‐slope
deposits.
Conodonts
are
absent
and
ammonoids
are
rare
in
platform
deposits.
Two
second-­‐order
sequences
are
recognised
in
the
reef
complexes:
the
Givetian-­‐Frasnian
Pillara
Sequence
and
the
Famennian
Nullara
Sequence.
The
boundary
between
them
is
a
unconformity
in
platform
and
upper
marginal-­‐slope
deposits
and
a
conformity
in
deeper
marginal-­‐slope
and
basin
deposits.
The
fall
in
sea
level
that
caused
this
unconformity
is
estimated
to
have
been
about
50
m.
The
Frasnian-­‐
Famennian
boundary
marks
the
culmination
of
a
global
mass
extinction
of
metazoan
organisms
that
apparently
began
during
the
late
Frasnian.
Microbes
survived
the
mass
extinction
virtually
unscathed.
Among
those
microbes,
Renalcis
is
especially
prominent
as
a
reef
builder
in
both
Frasnian
and
Famennian
platforms,
but
non-­‐skeletal
microbes
were
even
more
important
as
reef
builders.
Deep-­‐water
stromatolites
are
conspicuous
features
of
some
marginal-­‐slope
deposits,
above
and
just
below
the
Frasnian-­‐
Famennian
boundary.
They
may
have
thrived
at
that
time
because
the
extinction
event
removed
metazoans
that
would
otherwise
have
consumed
the
stromatolite-­‐
building
microbes.
The
rigid
early-­‐cemented
reef-­‐margin
and
reef-­‐flat
limestones
were
subjected
to
fissuring
in
response
to
earthquake
shaking,
slippage
along
underlying
marginal-­‐slope
deposits,
and
differential
compaction
of
underlying
basin
deposits
over
basement
topography.
The
fissures
were
filled
with
sediment,
calcite
cement,
and
organic
growths,
forming
networks
of
neptunian
dykes.
Masses
of
terrigenous
conglomerate
interfinger
with
and
extend
through
the
reef
complexes
at
various
localities
along
the
outcrop
belt.
They
are
highstand
deposits
that
interfinger
with
platform,
marginal-­‐
slope,
and
basin
deposits
and
were
laid
down
as
alluvial-­‐fan,
fan-­‐delta,
and
submarine-­‐fan
deposits
in
front
of
the
scarps
of
active
faults.
Large
volumes
of
sand
and
mud
poured
into
basins
adjoining
the
conglomerate
bodies,
so
that
the
resulting
basin
deposits
are
largely
terrigenous.
The
area
was
subjected
to
glaciation
by
continental
ice
sheets
during
the
Late
Carboniferous
and
Early
Permian.
The
erosive
action
of
the
ice
sheets
and
associated
subglacial
water
had
profound
effects
on
the
Devonian
rocks.
The
tops
of
the
limestone
ranges
were
planed
off
by
‘dirty’
ice
and
were
extensively
karstified
by
the
corrosive
action
of
subglacial
water
under
high
pressures
and
sub-­‐zero
temperatures.
Major
cave
systems
formed
in
the
limestones
at
that
time.
Economic
deposits
of
zinc
and
lead
sulfides
have
been
mined
in
several
places
along
the
reef
belt,
mainly
in
the
southeastern
part,
at
Pillara,
Cadjebut,
and
Goongewa.
These
deposits
are
thought
to
have
been
carried
into
the
Devonian
limestones
by
hot
fluids
expelled
from
shales
deep
in
the
Fitzroy
Trough.
They
follow
faults
and
hydrothermal
caverns
in
the
limestones.
The
age
of
this
epigenetic
mineralization
is
Early
Carboniferous
(Tournaisian).
Small
oilfields
have
been
located
in
late
Famennian
reef
limestone
and
overlying
deposits
in
the
subsurface
of
the
northwestern
Lennard
Shelf.
The
Famennian
reef
margin
has
been
well
defined
in
this
area
through
conventional
seismic
surveys.
Although
Frasnian
reef
complexes
are
known
from
drilling
to
occur
below
the
Famennian
carbonate
rocks
in
this
area,
their
detailed
distribution
cannot
be
delineated
by
such
surveys.
It
is
believed
that
Frasnian
reef
complexes
have
the
best
prospects
for
future
oil
discoveries,
and
it
is

6. likely
that
they
can
be
successfully
delineated
using
3-­‐D
seismic
techniques.
Fig 4: Napier Range at Windjana Gorge.
Distribution
of
the
RSWA
Proceedings
In
common
with
every
other
society,
the
RSWA
is
facing
financial
constraints
due
to
declining
membership
and
increasing
costs.
So
that
we
can
continue
to
provide
the
events
and
excursions
enjoyed
by
our
members
at
little
or
no
costs
to
our
members
we
have
to
cut
costs
wherever
possible.
Traditionally
we
have
printed
and
mailed
the
Proceedings
to
our
members.
This
costs
us
approx
$7,000
per
annum,
money
that
could
be
put
to
better
use.
It
has
therefore
been
decided
by
Council
that
in
order
to
save
the
costs
associated
with
printing
and
mailing,
the
Proceedings
will
be
delivered
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email.
If
a
hard
copy
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required
the
Proceedings
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printed
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For
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for
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not
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a
valid
email
address
we
will
continue
to
post
the
Proceedings.
This
will
take
effect
from
December
2011.
Philip
O’Brien,
President
RSWA
RSWA
Christmas
Event
This
year’s
RSWA
Christmas
event
will
be
tours
of
the
new
state
of
the
art
WA
Conservation
Science
Centre
in
Technology
Park
off
Hayman
Rd.
in
Kensington
at
the
Department
of
Environment
and
Conservation.
A
map
is
available
at.
http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/5515/1808/.
In
addition
to
housing
the
WA
Herbarium
and
Science
Division
research
laboratories,
this
facility
also
houses
the
nation’s
largest
purpose
built
seed
bank.
Find
out
about
the
various
research
programs
conducted
at
the
centre
and
the
role
of
the
WA
Herbarium
in
conservation
of
the
unique
plant
species
found
in
WA.
This
event
will
take
place
on
the
7th
Dec.
Tours
of
the
facility,
including
the
newly
established
planter
boxes
featuring
an
interesting
selection
of
WA
native
plants
will
start
from
4.30
pm
with
a
BBQ
to
follow.
We
ask
that
people
bring
a
plate
of
salad,
desert
or
nibbles
to
share
and
their
own
drinks.
The
RSWA
will
provide
the
meat.
RSWA
FUNCTIONS
Date
Time
Venue
Event
November 21st
7.00 pm
King’s Park Administration building Prof. M Borowitzka, Algal Biofuels.
December 7th
4.30 pm
WA Conservation Science Centre
Xmas function.
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