2022: Vincent Gallagher

Vincent Gallagher, 2022 Cameron-Hall Copper Medal

The 2022 Cameron-Hall Copper medal is awarded to Vincent Gallagher as the lead author of the most outstanding scientific publication in our journal Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis for the paper that appeared in Volume 22 entitled "Tellus regional stream water geochemistry: environmental and mineral exploration applications" written by Vincent Gallagher, Eric C. Grunsky, Mairead M. Fitzsimons, Margaret A. Browne, Sophie Lilburn and James Symons.

This paper describes the analysis of a Tellus regional stream water geochemistry survey in Ireland to assess its potential for mineral exploration and environmental impacts. Interpolated geochemical maps and multivariate statistical analysis, including principal component analysis and random forest classification, demonstrated broad geogenic control of stream water chemistry, with both bedrock and subsoil contributing to the patterns observed. Anthropogenic inputs to stream water in the survey area came mainly from agricultural sources. Comparison of these data with stream sediment and topsoil geochemistry showed that stream water geochemistry has strong potential for use in mineral exploration, with the same base metal and gold pathfinder anomalies apparent in all three data sets.

Gallagher, V., Grunsky, E.C., Fitzsimons, M.M., Browne, M.A., Liburn, S., and Symons, J. 2022. Tellus regional stream water geochemistry: environmental and mineral exploration applications. Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis. https://doi.org/10.1144/geochem2021-050