Google Links

Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Prepare for field work
  2. Recognise geological structures and processes
  3. Identify common rocks and minerals
  4. Identify common soil types and their properties
  5. Relate local geology to flora and fauna and land use
  6. Maintain a safe work environment
  7. Report data and finalise documentation

Range Statement

This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.

Legislation, regulations, standards, codes, workplace procedures and requirements include the latest version of one or more of:

federal legislation such as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, Australian Heritage Council Act, Native Title Act and National Environmental Protection Measures

state/territory government legislation and local government by-laws, policies, regulations and plans dealing with land use, acquisition and planning; environmental protection; cultural/heritage sites; vegetation management; nature conservation and wildlife/plant protection; water management; soil conservation; pollution and contaminated sites; fisheries, forestry and mining operations

legislation, standards and codes of practice for work health and safety (WHS), handling of dangerous goods

Australian and international standards covering environmental management such as AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set; testing of soils such as AS 1289 series

registration/licensing and/or accreditation requirements

workplace or regulator’s procedures for sampling and in-field testing

workplace documents, such as standard operating procedures (SOPs), work schedules, recording and reporting procedures, equipment manuals and warranties; safety data sheets (SDS) and safety procedures; waste minimisation, containment, processing and safe disposal procedures.

Equipment and materials include one or more of:

survey equipment, compass, global positioning system (GPS), maps and aerial photos

tape measure, clinometers and theodolite

hammers, picks, shovel, scoops, buckets, bags, sieves and sample containers

coring/excavation equipment (e.g. auger)

hand lens and microscope

pH meter and conductivity meter

chemical field test kits

worksheets, sampling/test methods

portable computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

Common landformsinclude one or more of:

mounds, hills, ridges, cliffs, valleys, rivers, peninsulas and numerous other structural and size-scaled (i.e. ponds vs. lakes, hills vs. mountains) elements, including various kinds of inland and oceanic water bodies and sub-surface features

geological features characterised by physical attributes, such as elevation, slope, orientation, stratification, rock exposure and soil type.

Geological processesinclude one or more of:

plate tectonics

glaciation

vulcanism

action of wind and water

weathering

mass wasting or erosion

action of groundwater and surface water.

Physical properties of common rocks and minerals include one or more of:

composition, texture and structure

colour, streak, crystal form, habit, cleavage, fracture and hardness.

Common soilpropertiesinclude one or more of:

colour

structure (i.e. size and shape of aggregate particles)

texture (i.e. varying percentages of sand, silt or clay, and organic matter)

water retention and water repellence

depth to bedrock

pH

chemical properties (e.g. nitrates, sulphates, phosphates and carbonates)

electrical resistivity and conductivity.

Soil degradationincludes one or more of:

forms of erosion, such as gully, sheet, landslide, tunnel and stream bank

erosion agents, such as wind, water, heating and cooling of rocks, freezing of water in cracks, plant roots, upheaval of trees and chemicals

weathering

decomposition of organic material

salinity

acidification

structural degradation

soil pollution (e.g. hydrocarbons and heavy metals).

Hazards include one or more of:

sunlight, dust, noise and heat

extreme weather conditions (e.g. fire, flood and storms)

manual/handling of heavy equipment or materials

crushing, entanglement and cuts associated with moving machinery

vehicular traffic on roads and sites

injuries caused by falling objects and working conditions, such as uneven surfaces, heights, slopes, wet surfaces, trenches and confined spaces

biohazards (e.g. microbiological organisms in soils)

chemical hazards/contaminants in soils.

WHS requirements include:

compliance with relevant federal/state/territory WHS legislation at all times

assuming that samples are potentially hazardous and applying standard precautions

accessing and applying current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and state/territory Departments of Health, where relevant.


Performance Evidence

Evidence of competence in this unit must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include demonstration of:

recognising and accurately describing the geological landforms and associated geological processes for at least two (2) different sites

identifying and accurately describing the common rocks, minerals and soil types associated with at least two (2) different sites

planning and organising resources for efficient field work

following legislative requirements, standard methods, workplace procedures and/or instructions governing geological sampling and in-field testing

interpreting topographical maps and aerial photos; simple geological maps; classification charts and tables for rocks, minerals and soils

recognising common geological landforms and explaining their formation

identifying handheld specimens of common rocks and minerals

obtaining and classifying samples of common soils

collecting, collating and accurately recording simple geological information for a site

relating local geology to the flora and fauna present and land-use at the site

seeking advice when issues/problems are beyond scope of competence/responsibility

reporting field data in the required formats and expected timeframe

safely using, maintaining, transporting and storing equipment and/or materials and disposing of waste

following procedures for working safely, minimising environmental impacts and responding to emergency incidents and accidents.


Knowledge Evidence

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge of:

an overview of major fields of geology

basic structure of the earth, including the core, crust and major components

basic geomorphology and landforms, including agents of erosion and transportation, stability of rocks and minerals in different environments and depositional processes

regolith, including physical and chemical weathering, climactic effects, stability of minerals, weathering processes, soil formation, common soil types and composition

rock cycle

introduction to igneous rocks, including origin of magma, movement of magma, volcanic, plutonic, types of volcanoes and simple tectonic setting

introduction to sedimentary rocks, including clastic, chemical, organic types, grain size and composition, sorting, roundness, lithification, sedimentary structures and environments of deposition

introduction to metamorphic rocks, including regional, contact, dynamic metamorphic zones, rock textures and fabrics

structural geology concepts including: folds, faults, tilts and uplifts

overview of geological time, including eras, periods, relative time, stratigraphic methods for establishing relative ages of strata, and radiometric dating

introduction to palaeontology, including preservation of fossils and their role in dating strata

introduction to the links between local geology, climate, topography and living components of ecosystems

geological sampling and in-field test methods routinely used in job role, including:

pre-use checks and safe operating procedures for sampling/test equipment

sampling procedures

purpose, principles and measurement steps of test

calculation steps to give results in appropriate units and precision

expected values for sample type

relevant hazards; health, safety and environment requirements.