Owen Missen
@scimissionowen.bsky.social
Lecturer in Environmental Geology at Earth Sciences and CODES at UTAS, focusing on Critical Element distribution and mobility! New minerals are cool! I also enjoy hiking and tennis. Views my own.
September 13, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Plenty of new followers here, so let me introduce myself!
I'm Owen - passionate about all things environmental geology and (unusual) minerals. I work at @utas.edu.au in a lecturing role, an amazingly varied job with fieldwork, teaching, labwork, writing, amazing colleagues and plenty of flexibility!
I'm Owen - passionate about all things environmental geology and (unusual) minerals. I work at @utas.edu.au in a lecturing role, an amazingly varied job with fieldwork, teaching, labwork, writing, amazing colleagues and plenty of flexibility!
January 29, 2025 at 6:07 AM
Plenty of new followers here, so let me introduce myself!
I'm Owen - passionate about all things environmental geology and (unusual) minerals. I work at @utas.edu.au in a lecturing role, an amazingly varied job with fieldwork, teaching, labwork, writing, amazing colleagues and plenty of flexibility!
I'm Owen - passionate about all things environmental geology and (unusual) minerals. I work at @utas.edu.au in a lecturing role, an amazingly varied job with fieldwork, teaching, labwork, writing, amazing colleagues and plenty of flexibility!
Mid #IAGS2024 symposium field trip to Hallett Cove! stunning coastal landscape featuring everything from folded sediments to amphitheatres to glacial deposits and erratics, plus wildlife - seal flipper shown! thanks to Mario from Geol Survey SA and Jarred from Uni of Adelaide for leading the trip!
October 16, 2024 at 10:51 PM
Mid #IAGS2024 symposium field trip to Hallett Cove! stunning coastal landscape featuring everything from folded sediments to amphitheatres to glacial deposits and erratics, plus wildlife - seal flipper shown! thanks to Mario from Geol Survey SA and Jarred from Uni of Adelaide for leading the trip!
At #IAGS2024 conference in Adelaide, chaired by the wonderful @geo-anna.bsky.social ! We've already covered plenty of ground (pardon the pun) today, from regolith to drilling to groundwater to mine waste!
October 14, 2024 at 5:02 AM
At #IAGS2024 conference in Adelaide, chaired by the wonderful @geo-anna.bsky.social ! We've already covered plenty of ground (pardon the pun) today, from regolith to drilling to groundwater to mine waste!
Here's a shareable flyer for the Symposium too 😊
June 10, 2024 at 2:16 AM
Here's a shareable flyer for the Symposium too 😊
a first for me in southern hemisphere, and a stunning one at that - southern lights / Aurora Australis from Hobart! amazing to see such colours closer to the equator than the poles.
May 11, 2024 at 2:08 PM
a first for me in southern hemisphere, and a stunning one at that - southern lights / Aurora Australis from Hobart! amazing to see such colours closer to the equator than the poles.
Was great to run the CODES @utas.bsky.social stall at the Galley Museum Open Day, Queenstown, Tasmania last week! Plenty of interesting chats about Tasmania's amazing rocks and minerals and great to see many school students interested in minerals. Thanks to all involved in organising the event!
April 24, 2024 at 12:55 AM
Was great to run the CODES @utas.bsky.social stall at the Galley Museum Open Day, Queenstown, Tasmania last week! Plenty of interesting chats about Tasmania's amazing rocks and minerals and great to see many school students interested in minerals. Thanks to all involved in organising the event!
Despite signs of volume expansion due to radiation damage, (U,Pu)(Al,Fe)3C3 remains highly X-ray crystalline 60 years after its formation. This compound is a 'derivative-MAX phase', and compounds like this may explain constant low-levels of radionuclides observed in fauna. 2/3
April 19, 2024 at 2:42 AM
Despite signs of volume expansion due to radiation damage, (U,Pu)(Al,Fe)3C3 remains highly X-ray crystalline 60 years after its formation. This compound is a 'derivative-MAX phase', and compounds like this may explain constant low-levels of radionuclides observed in fauna. 2/3
Our study suggests that cobalt may be more mobile in surface environments than previously thought, and demonstrates the importance of analysing for nanoparticulate phases in weathering regolith environments. 6/7
April 2, 2024 at 10:56 AM
Our study suggests that cobalt may be more mobile in surface environments than previously thought, and demonstrates the importance of analysing for nanoparticulate phases in weathering regolith environments. 6/7
The three highest concentrations of extractable Co-based NPs were found in weathering regolith from the cobalt sulfarsenide locality Queen Sally, ~150 km north of Cloncurry, Queensland (average 1296 ± 31 ng NP Co per gram of regolith from 2.19 ± 0.04 × 10^8 NPs). 5/7
April 2, 2024 at 10:55 AM
The three highest concentrations of extractable Co-based NPs were found in weathering regolith from the cobalt sulfarsenide locality Queen Sally, ~150 km north of Cloncurry, Queensland (average 1296 ± 31 ng NP Co per gram of regolith from 2.19 ± 0.04 × 10^8 NPs). 5/7
We found that cobalt is closely associated with manganese in surface environments in the form of cobalt-manganese oxide nanoparticles - this association was observed in all deposits to varying amounts, not just lateritic ones. 4/7
April 2, 2024 at 10:54 AM
We found that cobalt is closely associated with manganese in surface environments in the form of cobalt-manganese oxide nanoparticles - this association was observed in all deposits to varying amounts, not just lateritic ones. 4/7
We collected samples from six Australian localities, encompassing regolith at two weathering cobalt sulfarsenide deposits, a cobaltian pyrite deposit, a siderite-hosted outcrop and two lateritic Mn–Co oxide outcrops. Lots of amazing landscapes to visit! 2/7
April 2, 2024 at 10:53 AM
We collected samples from six Australian localities, encompassing regolith at two weathering cobalt sulfarsenide deposits, a cobaltian pyrite deposit, a siderite-hosted outcrop and two lateritic Mn–Co oxide outcrops. Lots of amazing landscapes to visit! 2/7
Wortupaite is different from other natural zemannites - its framework cations are all Ni2+, whereas other zemannites have one 2+ cation and one 3+ cation. The charge difference is made up by an increase in channel cations, including an additional Ni2+ site!
7/9
7/9
February 21, 2024 at 6:17 AM
Wortupaite is different from other natural zemannites - its framework cations are all Ni2+, whereas other zemannites have one 2+ cation and one 3+ cation. The charge difference is made up by an increase in channel cations, including an additional Ni2+ site!
7/9
7/9
The name is derived from its type locality, Wortupa gold mine in Sth Australia, near Balcanoona station in the Flinders Ranges. The word 'wortupa' means 'shadow' in the indigenous language of the local Adnyamathanha, how it came to be the name of the small mine is uncertain.
4/9
4/9
February 21, 2024 at 6:15 AM
The name is derived from its type locality, Wortupa gold mine in Sth Australia, near Balcanoona station in the Flinders Ranges. The word 'wortupa' means 'shadow' in the indigenous language of the local Adnyamathanha, how it came to be the name of the small mine is uncertain.
4/9
4/9
I'm going to try doing a thread here too, hope it works!
Wortupaite was found on a now 124 year old specimen in the collections of Museums Victoria, demonstrating the value of a Museum collection in finding new minerals and species. It is found with melonite (NiTe2) and calcite (CaCO3).
3/9
Wortupaite was found on a now 124 year old specimen in the collections of Museums Victoria, demonstrating the value of a Museum collection in finding new minerals and species. It is found with melonite (NiTe2) and calcite (CaCO3).
3/9
February 21, 2024 at 6:14 AM
I'm going to try doing a thread here too, hope it works!
Wortupaite was found on a now 124 year old specimen in the collections of Museums Victoria, demonstrating the value of a Museum collection in finding new minerals and species. It is found with melonite (NiTe2) and calcite (CaCO3).
3/9
Wortupaite was found on a now 124 year old specimen in the collections of Museums Victoria, demonstrating the value of a Museum collection in finding new minerals and species. It is found with melonite (NiTe2) and calcite (CaCO3).
3/9
Pleased to share with you the new mineral wortupaite - I led the description and naming!
Wortupaite is the first tellurium-oxygen mineral to be described from an Australian locality, and is the 100th Te-O mineral. It also contains two critical metals and one strategic metal per Australia's list!! 🧪
Wortupaite is the first tellurium-oxygen mineral to be described from an Australian locality, and is the 100th Te-O mineral. It also contains two critical metals and one strategic metal per Australia's list!! 🧪
February 21, 2024 at 6:07 AM
Pleased to share with you the new mineral wortupaite - I led the description and naming!
Wortupaite is the first tellurium-oxygen mineral to be described from an Australian locality, and is the 100th Te-O mineral. It also contains two critical metals and one strategic metal per Australia's list!! 🧪
Wortupaite is the first tellurium-oxygen mineral to be described from an Australian locality, and is the 100th Te-O mineral. It also contains two critical metals and one strategic metal per Australia's list!! 🧪
Manuscript accepted! I'll share it soon! 🧪
February 14, 2024 at 6:06 AM
Manuscript accepted! I'll share it soon! 🧪
Presenting my work at Australian Mine Waste Symposium - great to discuss some of Tasmania's mine waste challenges and opportunities, as well as a discussion on trace element cycling - with a case study on cobalt! #AMWS
February 8, 2024 at 3:45 AM
Presenting my work at Australian Mine Waste Symposium - great to discuss some of Tasmania's mine waste challenges and opportunities, as well as a discussion on trace element cycling - with a case study on cobalt! #AMWS
Greg Dipple presents an excellent talk on his mineral carbonation work. Focus on developing commercial scale carbonation technologies currently. If you've got ultramafic tailings - consider if they can be used for carbonation and carbon accounting! #AMWS
February 6, 2024 at 1:35 AM
Greg Dipple presents an excellent talk on his mineral carbonation work. Focus on developing commercial scale carbonation technologies currently. If you've got ultramafic tailings - consider if they can be used for carbonation and carbon accounting! #AMWS
and we're off and away at the Australian Mine Waste Symposium #AMWS! A/prof Anita Parbhakar-Fox kicks us off - great turnout! the building at UQ where this symposium is being held includes industrial waste as building material - amazing!
February 5, 2024 at 11:21 PM
and we're off and away at the Australian Mine Waste Symposium #AMWS! A/prof Anita Parbhakar-Fox kicks us off - great turnout! the building at UQ where this symposium is being held includes industrial waste as building material - amazing!
in Brisbane for the Australian Mine Waste Symposium #AMWS! lots of posts incoming over the next two days as discuss all things mine waste!
February 5, 2024 at 10:53 PM
in Brisbane for the Australian Mine Waste Symposium #AMWS! lots of posts incoming over the next two days as discuss all things mine waste!
Lovely sight of Waratah Falls on the way to the field! is this Tasmania's best (or only) middle-of-town waterfall?
January 8, 2024 at 9:44 AM
Lovely sight of Waratah Falls on the way to the field! is this Tasmania's best (or only) middle-of-town waterfall?
well hello there!
Always love seeing a platypus in Hobart Rivulet, only a couple of kilometres from central Hobart!
Always love seeing a platypus in Hobart Rivulet, only a couple of kilometres from central Hobart!
January 6, 2024 at 11:09 AM
well hello there!
Always love seeing a platypus in Hobart Rivulet, only a couple of kilometres from central Hobart!
Always love seeing a platypus in Hobart Rivulet, only a couple of kilometres from central Hobart!
lovely! found the photo I was thinking of! more built up background compared to yours.
January 4, 2024 at 4:33 AM
lovely! found the photo I was thinking of! more built up background compared to yours.
I’m happy to share that I'm now working as Lecturer in Environmental Geology at @utas.bsky.social! Looking forward to many new research and teaching challenges in this most exciting area, combining critical metals and environmental geology😊
January 3, 2024 at 1:27 AM
I’m happy to share that I'm now working as Lecturer in Environmental Geology at @utas.bsky.social! Looking forward to many new research and teaching challenges in this most exciting area, combining critical metals and environmental geology😊