Areas of expertise

• Hydrogeology 040603
• Soil Chemistry (Excl. Carbon Sequestration Science) 050304
• Surfacewater Hydrology 040608
• Chemical Thermodynamics And Energetics 030602
• Exploration Geochemistry 040201
• Isotope Geochemistry 040203
• Surface Processes 040607
• Inorganic Geochemistry 040202
• Geology 0403
• Geochemistry 0402

Publications

• Reith, F, Zammit, C, Rogers, S et al. 2012, 'Potential utilisation of micro-organisms in gold processing: A review', Transactions of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy Section C: Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy, vol. 121, no. 4, pp. 251-260.
• Jasonsmith, J, Macdonald, B, McPhail, D et al. 2011, 'Groundwater as a driver of salinity in the Wybong Creek catchment, New South Wales, Australia', 7th International Groundwater Quality Conference: Groundwater Quality Management in a Rapidly Changing World, GQ10, International Association of Hydrological Sciences Press, Wallingford United Kingdom, pp. 496-500.
• Jasonsmith, J, Macdonald, B, McPhail, D et al. 2011, 'Salinisation processes in a sub-catchment of Wybong Creek, Hunter Valley, Australia', Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, vol. 58, no. 2, pp. 177-193.
• Etschmann, B, Black, J, Grundler, P et al. 2011, 'Copper(I) speciation in mixed thiosulfate-chloride and ammonia-chloride solutions: XAS and UV-Visible spectroscopic studies', RSC Advances, vol. 1, no. 8, pp. 1554-1566.
• McPhail, D, Horner, K, Norman, M et al. 2010, 'Groundwater interactions in the Lower Murrumbidgee catchment, New South Wales', Australian Earth Sciences Convention (AESC 2010), Geological Society of Australia, Sydney, p. 403.
• McDonald, J, Norman, M, McPhail, D et al. 2010, 'Strontium isotope composition variations in the lower Murrumbidgee groundwater system, NSW, Australia', Australian Earth Sciences Convention (AESC 2010), Geological Society of Australia, Sydney, p. 403.
• Wallace, L, McPhail, D, FitzPatrick, R et al. 2008, Spatial Variability in the Storage of Sulfur, Carbon and Acid Generation Potential in an Inland Saline Sulfidic Wetland, Lower Murray River Floodplains, South Australia.
• Wallace, L, McPhail, D, FitzPatrick, R et al. 2008, Sulfur and Carbonate Mobility During Changes in Water Regime in an Inland Sulfidic Wetland, Lower Murray Floodplains, South Australia.
• Usher, A, McPhail, D & Brugger, J 2009, 'A spectrophotometric study of aqueous Au(III) halide-hydroxide complexes at 25-28 degrees C', Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 73, no. 11, pp. 3359-3380.
• de Caritat, P, McPhail, D, Kyser, K et al. 2009, 'Using groundwater chemical and isotopic composition in the search for base metal deposits: hydrogeochemical investigations in the Hinta and Kayar Pb-Zn districts, India', Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis, vol. 9, pp. 215-226.
• Jasonsmith, J, Macdonald, B, McPhail, D et al. 2009, 'Why is Wybong Creek salty?', Groundwater in the Sydney Basin Symposium, ed. W.A. Milne Home, Conference Organising Committee, Sydney.
• Wallace, L, Durr, M, Wakelin, S et al. 2008, 'Formation of acidic micro-environments during pyrite framboid oxidation in pH-neutral sediments', V.M. Goldschmidt Conference 2008, Pergamon Press, United Kingdom, pp. A992.
• Lenahan, M, Kirste, D, Cresswell , R et al. 2008, 'Chemical evolution of groundwater in the unsaturated zone', V.M. Goldschmidt Conference 2008, Pergamon Press, United Kingdom, pp. A534.
• Reith, F, Rogers, S, McPhail, D et al. 2007, 'Potential for the Utilisation of Micro-Organisms in Gold Processing', World Gold Conference 2007, ed. Conference Program Committee, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Cairns Australia, pp. 67-74.
• Reith, F & McPhail, D 2007, 'Mobility and microbially mediated mobilization of gold and arsenic in soils from two gold mines in semi-arid and tropical Australia', Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 71, pp. 1183-1196.
• Lenahan, M, Kirste, D, Cresswell, R et al. 2006, 'High resolution C1^- and ³⁶C1 profiles: Physiochemical mechanisms in the unsaturated zone', V.M. Goldschmidt Conference 2006, ed. Conference Program Committee, Elsevier, United Kingdom, pp. A352.
• Usher, A, McPhail, D & Brugger, J 2006, 'Spectrophotometry of Au(III)-halide complexes', V.M. Goldschmidt Conference 2006, ed. Conference Program Committee, Elsevier, United Kingdom, pp. A680.
• Wallace, L, McPhail, D, Welch, S et al. 2006, 'Spatial heterogeneity of S and C stores in an inland acid sulfate soil', V.M. Goldschmidt Conference 2006, ed. Conference Program Committee, Elsevier, United Kingdom, pp. A683.
• Beavis, S, Welch, S, Kirste, D et al. 2006, 'Physical, geochemical and biological controls of S redox chemistry in an inland salt disposal basin', Australian Earth Sciences Convention 2006, AESC, Geological Society of Australia, Melbourne.
• McPhail, D, Summerhayes, E, Jayaratne, V et al. 2006, 'Hemimorphite solubility and stability of low-T zinc minerals', V.M. Goldschmidt Conference 2006, ed. Conference Program Committee, Elsevier, United Kingdom, pp. A414.
• Gunton, C, McPhail, D & Christy, A 2006, 'The influence of chloride and sulfate on Cu and Zn adsorption on goethite', V.M. Goldschmidt Conference 2006, ed. Conference Program Committee, Elsevier, United Kingdom, pp. A220.
• Wallace, L, Welch, S, McPhail, D et al. 2006, 'Preliminary Rates of Sulfide Oxidation under Circum-Neutral and Acidic Conditions: Loveday Basin, Lower Murray Floodplains, South Australia', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2006, ed. RW Fitzpatrick and P Shand, CRC LEME, Bentley, Western Australia, pp. 355-357.
• Hui, S, McPhail, D & de Caritat, P 2006, 'Sources and sinks of uranium in the Albury-Wodonga region', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2006, ed. RW Fitzpatrick and P Shand, CRC LEME, Bentley, Western Australia, pp. 156-160.
• McPhail, D, Usher, A & Reith, F 2006, 'On the mobility of gold in the regolith: results and implications from experimental studies', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2006, ed. RW Fitzpatrick and P Shand, CRC LEME, Bentley, Western Australia, pp. 227-229.
• Reith, F & McPhail, D 2006, 'Effect of resident microbiota on the solubilization of gold in soil from the Tomakin Park Gold Mine, New South Wales, Australia', Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 70, pp. 1421-1438.
• Reith, F, Rogers, S, McPhail, D et al. 2006, 'Biomineralization of Gold: Biofilms in Bacterioform Gold', Science, vol. 313, no. 5784, pp. 233-236.
• Lenahan, M, Kirste, D, Cresswell , R et al. 2006, 'Unsaturated Zone Dynamics Inferred from C1- and 36C1: Central New South Wales, Australia', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2006, ed. RW Fitzpatrick and P Shand, CRC LEME, Bentley, Western Australia, pp. 209-212.
• Khider, K & McPhail, D 2005, 'Hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry in the Hermidale Area, NSW', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2005, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Bentley, WA, pp. 165-169.
• Reith, F, McPhail, D & Christy, A 2005, 'Bacillus cereus, gold and associated elements in soil and other regolith samples from Tomakin Park Gold Mine in southeastern New South Wales, Australia', Journal of Geochemical Exploration, vol. 85, pp. 81-98.
• Liu, W & McPhail, D 2005, 'Thermodynamic properties of copper chloride complexes and copper transport in magmatic-hydrothermal solutions', Chemical Geology, vol. 221, pp. 21-39.
• Bastrakov, E, Shvarov, Y, Girvan, S et al. 2005, 'FreeGs: A web-enabled thermodynamic database for geochemical modelling', V.M. Goldschmidt Conference 2005, Elsevier, London, pp. A845.
• Emselle, N, McPhail, D & Welch, S 2005, 'Reliance, Flinders Ranges: Mineralogy, Geochemistry and zinc dispersion around a nonsulfide orebody', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2005, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Bentley, WA, pp. 86-90.
• Wallace, L, Welch, S, Kirste, D et al. 2005, 'Characteristics of inland acid sulfate soils of the Lower Murray floodplains, South Australia', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2005, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Bentley, WA, pp. 326-328.
• Usher, A, McPhail, D & Brugger, J 2005, 'Spectrophotometry of gold(III) halides', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2005, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Bentley, WA, pp. 318-321.
• Brugger, J, Long, N, McPhail, D et al. 2005, 'An active amagmatic hydrothermal system: The Paralana hot springs, Northern Flinders Ranges, South Australia', Chemical Geology, vol. 222, pp. 35-64.
• Lenahan, M, Kirste, D & McPhail, D 2005, 'C1- and 36C1 distribution in a saline aquifier system: central New South Wales, Australia', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2005, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Bentley, WA, pp. 187-190.
• de Livera, J & McPhail, D 2005, 'Copper transport through iron-rich regolith', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2005, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Bentley, WA, pp. 207-212.
• Gunton, C, Christy, A & McPhail, D 2005, 'The effect of anions on Cu(II) sorption on goethite', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2005, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Bentley, WA, pp. 125-128.
• Lenahan, M, Kirste, D & McPhail, D 2004, 'Use of ³⁶CL to assess Pore Fluid Solute Contributions to a Saline Aquifer System: Barmedman Creek Catchment, Central NSW', Australasian Environmental Isotope Conference 2004, ed. Ian Cartwright & Tamie Weaver, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, pp. 51-52.
• Pietrzak, U & McPhail, D 2004, 'Copper accumulation, distribution and fractionation in vineyard soils of Victoria, Australia', Geoderma, vol. 122, pp. 151-166.
• Wallace, L, Welch, S, Beavis, S et al. 2004, 'Trace Metal partitioning in acid sulfate soils, Mayes Swamp, Kempsey, NSW', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2004, ed. Ian C. Roach, CRC LEME, Perth, W.A, pp. 385-390.
• Lenahan, M, Kirste, D, McPhail, D et al. 2004, 'Hydrogeochemical controls of variable regolith materials on the distribution, mobility and age of salts: Barmedman Creek Catchment, NSW', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2004, ed. Ian C. Roach, CRC LEME, Perth, W.A, pp. 209-214.
• Smith, M, Kirste, D & McPhail, D 2004, 'Mineralogy of alkaline-saline soils on the western slopes of northern New South Wales', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2004, ed. Ian C. Roach, CRC LEME, Perth, W.A, pp. 330-334.
• White, D, McPhail, D & Lawie, D 2004, 'Fractionation of Zn and Cd in soils proximal and distal to sulphide mineralisation', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2004, ed. Ian C. Roach, CRC LEME, Perth, W.A, pp. 394-397.
• Kirste, D, Caritat, P de & McPhail, D 2004, 'Hydrogeochemistry and transport of weathering/oxidation products of buried mineralisation', V.M. Goldschmidt Conference 2004, ed. FA Podosek, Elsevier, Oxford, p. 1.
• Brugger, J, McPhail, D, Wallace, M et al. 2003, 'Formation of Willemite in Hydrothermal Environments', Economic Geology; Bulletin of the Society of Economic Geologists, vol. 98, pp. 819-835.
• Bewert, K, McQueen, K & McPhail, D 2003, 'Regolith-landform mapping and soil survey for Mining Rehabilitation and environmental management in the Cadia Valley, central NSW', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2003, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Australia, pp. 19-23.
• Brugger, J, Long, N, McPhail, D et al. 2003, 'Uranium in the Mt Painter Inlier, South Australia: from high temperature hydrothermal deposits to groundwater', Uranium Geochemistry Uranium Deposits - Natural Analogs - Environment 2003, ed. Michel Cuney, Universite Henri Poincare, France, pp. 99-102.
• Black, J, Spiccia, L & McPhail, D 2003, 'Towards an understanding of Copper(I) Speciation and Reactivity in the copper-ammonia-thiosulfate lixiviant system', Hydrometallurgy 2003, ed. Courtney Young and Akram Alfantazi, Mineralogical Society of America, Pennsylvania, USA, pp. 183-194.
• Brown, T, Fischmann, A, Spiccia, L et al. 2003, 'Alternative Copper(II) catalysts for gold leaching: Use of multidentate ligands to control thiosulfate oxidation', Hydrometallurgy 2003, ed. Courtney Young and Akram Alfantazi, Mineralogical Society of America, Pennsylvania, USA, pp. 213-226.
• Dowell, K, Mavrogenes, J, McPhail, D et al. 2003, 'Fantastic Australian Opals', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2003, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Australia, pp. 100-103.
• Welch, S & McPhail, D 2003, 'Mobility of major and trace elements during biologically mediated weathering of granite', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2003, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Australia, pp. 437-440.
• McPhail, D, Summerhayes, E, Welch, S et al. 2003, 'The geochemistry and mobility of zinc in the regolith', CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2003, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Australia, pp. 287-291.
• Carey, M, McPhail, D & Taufen, P 2003, 'Groundwater flow in playa lake environments: impact on gold and pathfinder element distributions in groundwaters surrounding mesothermal gold deposits, St.Ives area, Eastern Goldfields, Western Australia', Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis, vol. 3, pp. 57-71.
• Dowell, K, Mavrogenes, J, McPhail, D et al. 2002, 'Origin and Timing of Formation of Precious Black Opal Nobbies at Lightning Ridge', Regolith and Landscapes in Eastern Australia Conference 2002, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Bentley, WA, pp. 18-20.
• Kimber, W, Clarke, J & McPhail, D 2002, 'Regolith Geology and Groundwater Characteristics of the Pinjarra Lakes, North West Eyre Peninsula, South Australia', Regolith and Landscapes in Eastern Australia Conference 2002, ed. Ian C Roach, CRC LEME, Bentley, WA, pp. 81-83.
• Brugger, J, McPhail, D & Spiccia, L 2002, 'A spectrophotometric study of aqueous copper(I)-chloride complexes in LiCl solutions between 100°C and 250°C.', Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 66, no. 20, pp. 3615-3633.
• Orlic, I, Siegele, R, Menon, D et al. 2002, 'Heavy metal pathways and archives in biological tissue', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research: Section B, vol. B190, pp. 439-444.
• Brugger, J, McPhail, D, Black, D et al. 2001, 'Complexation of metal ions in brines: application of electronic spectoscopy in the study of the Cu(II)-LiCl-H₂O system between 25 and 90 ^oC', Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 65, pp. 2691-2708.
• Cooke, D & McPhail, D 2001, 'Epithermal Au-Ag-Te Mineralization, Acupan,Baguio district, Philippines: Numerical Simulations of Mineral Deposition', Economic Geology; Bulletin of the Society of Economic Geologists, vol. 96, pp. 109-131.
• McPhail, D, Green, D & Hooper, W 2001, 'Hydrogeology and geochemistry of sediment banks contaminated with mine tailings in the King River, Tasmania', in V.A.Gostin (ed.), Gondwana to Greenhouse: Australian environmental geoscience, Geological Society of Australia, Australia, pp. 95-109.
• Liu, W, McPhail, D & Brugger, J 2001, 'An Experimental Study of Copper(I)-Chloride and Copper(I)-Acetate Complexing in Hydrothermal Solutions between 50oC and 250oC and Vapor-Saturated Pressure', Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 65, no. 17, pp. 2937-2948.

Projects and Grants

Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.

• Biogeochemical drivers of uranium isotope fractionation in regolith and groundwater (Primary Investigator)