David Edward Leaman (1943 in Hobart, Australia – 18 January 2018) was an

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

, structural geologist, geohydrologist and geophysicist.Tasmanian Times, 11 April 2004

Training

David Leaman graduated from the

University of Tasmania The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is a public research university, primarily located in Tasmania, Australia. Founded in 1890, it is Australia's fourth oldest university. Christ College, one of the university's residential colleges, first prop ...

and studied in the Tasmanian Mines Department. His graduate research and early project work for the Department of Mines was related to engineering projects, groundwater assessments and fracture flow in crystalline rocks. He had been specifically trained as a government cadet for specialized engineering and hydrological projects. His title in the Mines Department was Groundwater and Engineering Geologist with the Geological Survey of Tasmania and he worked there from February 1966 till 1973. His doctoral thesis in 1970 derived from problems recognised in Midlands Tasmania and provided the first comprehensive descriptions of

dolerite Diabase (), also called dolerite () or microgabbro, is a mafic, holocrystalline, subvolcanic rock equivalent to volcanic basalt or plutonic gabbro. Diabase dikes and sills are typically shallow intrusive bodies and often exhibit fine-grain ...

intrusions coupled with a theory of emplacement. The understanding was important for basin and catchment studies and

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal is formed when ...

resource evaluations. The supervisor of this research was Prof. S. Warren Carey.

Endeavors

Leaman used to lecture and perform research at the

. From 1966 to 1981, he worked for the Geological Survey of Tasmania.Central Australian Basin Symposium - Author Biographies
His professional studies focus on

, igneous intrusions,

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies under ...

and the use of

gravity In physics, gravity () is a fundamental interaction which causes mutual attraction between all things with mass or energy. Gravity is, by far, the weakest of the four fundamental interactions, approximately 1038 times weaker than the stro ...

and magnetic geophysical methods. After 1981 he maintained a geophysics consulting firm, Leaman Geophysics. In this role he participated in discovering mineral deposits at North Hilton, Queensland, North Rosebery in Tasmania and coal in Queensland. He was involved in oil and gas exploration in Papua New Guinea and Bass Strait. He also assisted local communities and landowners who believed that forestry practices had effected or might effect their land. He was a lecturer at the University of Tasmania from 1972 to 2001 in the areas of

civil engineering Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewa ...

tectonics Tectonics (; ) are the processes that control the structure and properties of the Earth's crust and its evolution through time. These include the processes of mountain building, the growth and behavior of the strong, old cores of continents k ...

and environmental geology and led field excursion for applied geophysics. In this time he supervised Honours and Doctoral students as well. Funding cuts led to the termination of employment in 2001. He was a member of the Key Centre team for study of Ore Deposits. Leaman was secured by applicants for appeal to the Tasmanian Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal as their expert scientist to establish proof of the danger of logging and harvesting in the area of South Sister, near St. Marys, Tasmania. His long-term research and experience in holistic catchment assessment and his independence from government and industry groups was valued by many local communities and landowners. He sought to help such groups understand how changes in land use might impact upon their properties and local water resources. He was engaged to act as expert scientific witness in appeals concerning risks to water resources in Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia. Leaman lead walking tours and led the hiking group during the 2008 Hobart Mountain Festival, celebrating 172 years since

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended ...

first climbed Mount Wellington. He was a lecturer for the University of the Third Age at Kingborough after 1997. Leaman was a member of a number of societies and was President of the

Royal Society of Tasmania The Royal Society of Tasmania (RST) was formed in 1843. It was the first Royal Society outside the United Kingdom, and its mission is the advancement of knowledge. The work of the Royal Society of Tasmania includes: * Promoting Tasmanian historic ...

on two occasions.

Works

Leaman authored a number of guide books about Tasmania, including ''Walk into History in Southern Tasmania'', published in 1999 and ''Step into History in Tasmanian Reserves'', published in 2001. He co-authored ''Mount Wellington Walk Map and Notes'' with K. D. Corbett, published in 2004. He also wrote ''The Rock Which Makes Tasmania'', published in 2002, a comprehensive, authoritative work on the

Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of ...

dolerite that dominates the

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

of Tasmania;Geoscience Australia, Earth Science Week Activities 13 October 2002
other works include ''Water-Facts, Issues, Problems and Solutions'' (3rd edition 2007) and ''Earthly Secrets'' (2009). He published many academic papers, numerous industry reports and maps.

External links

Review of 'The Rock that Makes Tasmania' at Leatherwood Online
* * * * One of three winners *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leaman, David 1943 births 2018 deaths People from Hobart Australian geologists Australian geophysicists Structural geologists