Magnetic mineral enrichment and transport in coastal environments: Tauranga Harbour, Northeastern, New Zealand

Abstract

The present PhD thesis was written at the Faculty of Geosciences, Universität Bremen, and Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Waikato, New Zealand. The major aim of this thesis is to develop the potential of environmental magnetic methods, i.e. the application of rock magnetic measurements in a sedimentological context, for coastal zone research. We combined a range of laboratory based magnetic and non-magnetic methods with hydrodynamic modelling in the aim to identify and explain heavy mineral rich zones in and around a meso-tidal estuarine lagoon of Tauranga Harbour and in the nearshore Bay of Plenty located on the northeast coast of New Zealand. This thesis presents a comprehensive study on the distribution pattern and formation mechanisms of magnetite rich zones in estuary and near-shore environments and explores the responsible hydrodynamic conditions.