Sedimentology & Ancient Environments (ERTH2003)

Course overview

Sediments and sedimentary rocks are the most abundant geological materials at the Earth's surface. From river systems, coral reefs and deep sea fans, sedimentary sequences are critical archives of the past, recording climatic, tectonic and biological processes through time. They also host important resources including water, hydrocarbons, coal and many base metal deposits. A thorough understanding of sediments, sedimentary processes and sedimentary sequences (stratigraphy) is vital for students studying Geological Science and extremely useful for students undertaking programs in marine science, geography, paleontology and archaeology. This course will explore the processes that cause sediments to be produced, transported and deposited. We will examine the composition of sedimentary rocks introducing the traditional petrological microscope and possibly hands on experience of advanced techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy and geochemical analysis using X-ray Fluorescence. We also will undertake two field trips to observe modern and ancient sedimentary environments and develop the tools for interpreting them.

Sedimentary rocks are those that are formed at the Earth's surface, generally by the settling of mineral or organic matter in water or air. A number of processes produce sediments, including the weathering of older rocks, biologicalﾠprecipitation of mineralised skeletons and cellulose, thus producing features such asﾠcoral reefs or coal deposits, and abiological chemical precipitates such as rock salt. Stratigraphy is the study of layered sedimentary rocks and theirﾠrelative ages. The study of these layers provides fundamental history of the Earth' surface. Understanding the processes that create, transport and deposit sediments aids understanding of geomorphology and evolution of Earth's surface environments through the Quaternary.ﾠ

A thorough understanding of sedimentary rocks and stratigraphic principles is vital for most aspects of geological studies from environmental science, economic geology, hydrocarbon exploration, geosequestration, hydrogeology, palaeo-environmental reconstruction, palaeoclimatology, physical anthropology and civil engineering. It is fundamental for palaeontological and archaeological studies. ERTH2003 examines sediment composition and characteristics, the petrology ofﾠsedimentary rocks, the formation of sedimentary structures, interpretation of depositional environments and processes, and theﾠrelationships of sedimentary rocks to broaderﾠgeological history throughﾠthe principles of basic stratigraphy.

This course lays the foundation for second year Earth Science courses ERTH2050 (Field Geology), ERTH2002 (Palaeobiology)ﾠand ERTH2004 (Structural Geology) and the 3rd/4th level subjects ERTH3105ﾠ(Sedimentary Basins), ERTH3120 (Marine Geoscience and Tectonics) and ERTH3212 (Coral Reefs: Past, Present & Future). Hence, the course serves a diverse multi-disciplinary cohort of students, including geologists, geomorphologists, environmental scientists, archaeologists and engineers.

There will be two day trip field trips around the Brisbane area on weekends, dates TBA. There will be an alternative assessment activity available if you cannot attend the field trips, though it is strongly recommended to attend. Students will be responsible for their own transportation to the field trips.

This course is recommended particularly for those wishing to pursueﾠEarthﾠScience,ﾠCoastal and Ocean Science, or Archaeological Science majors in the Bachelor of Science program.

Course requirements

Assumed background

This course assumes prior knowledgeﾠat the introductory level of Earth materials and processes. It assumes that students are familiar with certian material covered in either ERTH1000 or ERTH1501. The specific concepts are introduced in week 1 and materials will be made available for a quick introduction or re-familiarisation with the material. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contactﾠthe course coordinator.

Recommended prerequisites

We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:

ERTH1000 or ERTH1501

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

Please check mySI-net to ensure there has notﾠbeen a time change closer to the start of semester.

There will be a weekend day field trip for this course, date TBA. This will be updated by the first week of class. Alternative assessment will be available if you cannot attend the trip.

Aims and outcomes

The aim of this course is to give students an introduction to sediment and sedimentary rocks and their interpretation as well as a grounding in the most basic stratigraphic principles. The course will introduce students to the main groups of sedimentary rocks and unconsolidated sediments concentrating on siliciclastic and carbonate types. Students will learn how to identify mineral and biological components of sedimentary rocks, classify rock types and understand their origins. Additionally, they will learn to interpret sedimentary structures so as to better understand depositional and geomorphic principles and the environmental significance of sedimentary rocks. Students will be introduced to key sedimentary environments, their important depositional processes and their recognition in the rock record as well as the subsequent processes that alter sedimentary rocks as they are buried in the subsurface (diagenesis). These processes have practical implications for the hydrocarbon and geosequestration industries, hydrogeology and interpretations of past environments and climates (Earth history, palaeontology, palaeoclimatology, physical archaeology). Sedimentary rocks provide the fundamental basis for understanding climate change on Earth. Students attending this course will be taught fundamental concepts in stratigraphy, including conventions and procedures, which allow rock sequences to be placed into a temporal framework to provide context for the Earth history that they record.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Online Quizzes

• Online

Mode

Written

Category

Quiz

Weight

10%

Due date

Quiz 1: 21/03/2025 2:00 pm

Quiz 2: 28/03/2025 2:00 pm

Quiz 3: 17/04/2025 2:00 pm

Quiz 4: 9/05/2025 2:00 pm

Quiz 5: 30/05/2025 2:00 pm

Task description

Submission guidelines

Submit online in Blackboard

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

See the Additional assessment information section further below for information relating to extension and deferral applications.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 

Stratigraphic Column Report

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation

Weight

15%

Due date

30/05/2025 12:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific.

See the conditions definitions

Task description

Submission guidelines

Reports will be submitted using Turnitin via Blackboard.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

This assessment cannot be extended past the scheduled date of the end of semester final exam as aspects of the report are covered in the exam.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 

Practical Exam

• In-person

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

35%

Due date

14/04/2025

The exam is due at the end of the scheduled prac time in Week 8.

Task description

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Submitted in your practical session

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

See the Additional assessment information section further below for information relating to extension and deferral applications.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 

End of Semester Final Exam

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

40%

Due date

End of Semester Exam Period

7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

See the Additional assessment information section further below for information relating to extension and deferral applications

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.

Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.

If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.

Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes.

To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.

Additional assessment information

Additional information for all assessment items will be provided on Blackboard, including an 'Assessment at a Glance' document to help you keep track of your time and obligations during the semester.ﾠ

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The assessment tasks in this course evaluate students’ abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Assessment Submission

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure the on time, correct and complete submission of all assessment items.

Please ensure you receive and save the submission confirmation for all submitted items, you may be asked to produce this as evidence of your submission.

Turnitin

All written assessment must be submitted via the appropriate Turnitin submission portal, which can be found within the Blackboard site. You are responsible for ensuring that your submission is complete. It is wise to re-enter the Turnitin portal and confirm that your submission is there and that it has not been altered during the submission process.

By submitting work through Turnitin you are deemed to have accepted the following declaration “I certify that this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted, either previously or concurrently, in whole or in part, to this University or any other educational institution, for marking or assessment”.

In the case of a Blackboard outage, please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to confirm the outage with ITS.

Assessment/Attendance

Please notify your Course Coordinator as soon as you become aware of any issue that may affect your ability to meet the assessment/attendance requirements of the course. Theﾠmy.UQﾠwebsite and the Course Profile for your course also provide information about your course requirements, the rules associated with your courses and services offered by the University.

A note for repeating students in this course

Any student who enrols in a courseﾠmust notﾠbe given exemption or partial credit from their previous attempt(s) for any individual piece of assessment.ﾠInstead, the student must successfully complete all of the learning activities and assessment items within the study period of enrolmentﾠ(PPL Assessment - Procedures).

If the same assessment item is set from one year to the next, repeating students are allowed to submit the same work they submitted in previous attempts at the course. Where possible SENV recommends that you use the feedback you received in your last attempt to improve parts of the item where you lost marks. Resubmission of an altered or unaltered assessment item by a repeating student (where the same assessment has been set) will not be considered as self-plagiarism.

Applications for Extensions to Assessment Due Dates

Extension requests are submitted online via my.UQ – applying for an extension. Extension requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with extension requests, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons, may be found at my.UQ.

Please note:

• Requests for an extension to an assessment due date must be submitted through your my.UQ portal and you must provide documentation of your circumstances, as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed. Your application must be submitted on or before the assessment item's due date and time.
• Applications for extension can take time to be processed so you should continue to work on your assessment item while awaiting a decision. We recommend that you submit any completed work by the due date, and this will be marked if your application is not approved. Should your application be approved, then you will be able to resubmit by the agreed revised due date.
• If an extension is approved, you will be notified via your my.UQ portal and the new date and time for submission provided. It is important that you check the revised date as it may differ from the date that you requested.
• If the basis of the application is a medical condition, applications should be accompanied by a medical certificate dated prior to the assignment due date. If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a written statement (Word document) outlining why you cannot provide the documentation. You must then upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
• If an extension is being sought on the basis of exceptional circumstances, it must be accompanied by supporting documentation (eg. Statutory declaration).
• For extensions based on a SAP you may be granted a maximum of 7 days (if no earlier maximum timeframe applies). See the Extension or Deferral availability section of each assessment for timeframes. Your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, additional extension requests for the assessment item will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
• An extension for an assessment item due within the teaching period in which the course is offered, must not exceed four weeks in total. If you are incapacitated for a period exceeding four weeks of the teaching period, you are advised to apply for Removal of Course.
• If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 4 weeks, you are advised to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might be eligible to withdraw without academic penalty - seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
• Students may be asked to submit evidence of work completed to date. Lack of adequate progress on your assessment item may result in an extension being denied.
• There are no provisions for exemption from an assessment item within UQ rules. If you are unable to submit an assessment piece then, under special circumstances, you may be granted an exemption, but may be required to submit alternative assessment to ensure all learning outcomes are met.

 Applications to defer an exam

In certain circumstances you can apply to take a deferred examination for in-semester and end-of-semester exams. You'll need to demonstrate through supporting documentation how unavoidable circumstances prevented you from sitting your exam. If you can’t, you can apply for a one-off discretionary deferred exam.

Deferred Exam requests are submitted online via mySi-net. Requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with deferred examinations, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons may be found at my.UQ.

Please note:

• Applications can be submitted no later than 5 calendar days after the date of the original exam.
• There are no provisions to defer a deferred exam. You need to be available to sit your deferred examination.
• Your deferred examination request(s) must have a status of "submitted" in mySI-net to be assessed.
• All applications for deferred in-semester examinations are assessed by the relevant school. Applications for deferred end-of-semester examinations are assessed by the Academic Services Division.
• You’ll receive an email to your student email account when the status of your application is updated.
• If you have a medical condition, mental health condition or disability and require alternative arrangements for your deferred exam you’ll need to complete the online alternative exam arrangements through my.UQ. This is in addition to your deferred examinations request. You need to submit this request on the same day as your request for a deferred exam or supplementary assessment. Contact Student Services if you need assistance completing your alternative exam arrangements request

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

Although Nichols is the required textbook for the course, you may wish to read chapters in one of the other texts instead or as well! Several choices are recommended so that you can find the best choice for your economic needs. All text and reference books are available in the Dorothy Hill Physical Sciences and Engineering Library in the Hawken Building. Some older editions of the above books may be available in the library and also willﾠcontain the relevant information. Other reference material, including useful internet sites and audio-visual material, will be announced when needed during the semester. Additional material is available on blackboard. Blackboard notes are not a substitute for attending the lectures and may not contain all of the material presented in the lectures as they may not anticipate student questions and interaction that can only occur in person! Earth Science is a discipline in constant evolutionﾠand lecture material for this course is updated every year to incorporate new findings and YOUR input and YOUR suggestions on how to improve this course. Please make use of all materials provided and recommended and most importantly, plan to attend all class contacts. You may be required to find appropriate sources for your study from among published papers and other resources online.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.