Ben Hines

GEOLOGIST - ADVENTURER - PHOTOGRAPHER

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Geology)

Cretaceous - Paleogene Palinspastic Reconstruction of the East Coast Basin

Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Paleogeographic reconstructions of the East Coast Basin generated through the integrated application of extensive field mapping, geochemical principles, including sedimentology and stratigraphy, apatite and zircon fission-track analysis, bulk rock geochemistry (XRF, XRD, source rock analyses & electron probe microanalysis) and paleontology to provide a holistic determination of environmental settings, changes in detrital provenance and diagenesis.

Supervised by Professor James Crampton & Dr. Kyle Bland

Master of Science (Geology) with First Class Honors

The Early Eocene Succession of Tora, New Zealand: Stratigraphy and Paleoclimate

Victoria University of Wellington

Integrated application of field mapping and stratigraphic studies to identify Early Eocene marine successions that were subsequently sampled, prepared, and analysed to produce a series of Eocene Mg/Ca paleotemperature records spanning several sites across New Zealand.

Supervised by Dr. Cliff Atkins, Dr. Chris Hollis & Professor Dr. Joel Baker

Licenses & Certifications

  • Class 1 (car) Drivers License (New Zealand, Victoria)

  • First Aid Certification (Australia)

  • Radiation Safety Licence (Queensland)

  • Advanced Open Water PADI Scuba Diving Qualification

  • Firearms Licence (New Zealand)

  • Sea Survival Certification

  • Four-Wheel Drive Certification (Current)

  • L1 Traffic Controller Certification 

  • AH1 Approved Handlers Licence (Class 1; explosive substances)

                  Affiliations & Memberships

  • Australian Institute of Geosciences

  • Geoscience Society of New Zealand

  • Research Adjunct Victoria University of Wellington

  • Geological Society of America

  • Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI)

  • Victoria University Geological Society 

    Peer-Reviewed Publications

  • Hines, B. R., Turnbull, D. G., Ashworth, L., McKnight, S. (2023). Geochemical Characteristics and Structural Setting of LCT Pegmatites of the Dorchap Dyke Swarm, Northeast Victoria, Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 70(6), pp. 763-800.

  • Hines, B.R., Atkins, C. B. & Crampton, J. C. (2023). Sedimentation on an evolving margin: Two cycles of subduction & characteristics of the sedimentary response on the southern Wairarapa. In: Nodder S.D. (compiler). Geosciences 2023: Field Trip Guides. Geoscience Society of New Zealand Miscellaneous Publication 164B. Geoscience Society of New Zealand, Wellington, pp. 5–65. ISSN: 2230-4495.

  • Hines, B. R., Seebeck, H., Crampton, J. S., Bland, K. J. & Strogen, D. P. (2022). Reconstructing a Neogene basin along the active Hikurangi subduction margin, New Zealand. Geological Society of America Bulletin. DOI: 10.1130/B36308.1

  • Hines, B. R., Gazley, M. F., Collins, K. S., Bland, K. J., Crampton, J. S., & Ventura, G. T. (2019). Chemostratigraphic resolution of widespread reducing conditions in the southwest Pacific Ocean during the Late Paleocene. Chemical Geology, DOI: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.11.020

  • Hines, B. R., Hollis, C. J., Atkins, C. B., Baker, J. A., Morgans, H. E. G., Strong, C. P. (2017). Reduction of oceanic temperature gradients in the Early Eocene Southwest Pacific Ocean. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. DOI. 10.1016/j.palaeo.2017.02.037.

  • Hines, B. R. (2015). Paleogene stratigraphy and paleoenvironment of the Tora coast. Geoscience Society of New Zealand Field Guide. Geoscience Society of New Zealand Miscallaneous Publication number 143b. 33 p. ISBN 978-1-877480-50-8.

  • Hines, B. R., Kulhanek, D. D., Hollis, C. J., Atkins, C. B. & Morgans, H. E. G. (2013). The Paleogene stratigraphy and paleoenvironment of Tora, southeast Wairarapa, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. DOI: 10.1080/00288306.2013.836112.

  • Collins, K. S., Klapaukh, R., Crampton, J. S., Gazley, M. F., Schipper, C. I., Maksimenko, A., & Hines, B. R. (2021). Going round the twist—an empirical analysis of shell coiling in helicospiral gastropods. Paleobiology, DOI: 10.1017/pab.2021.8

  • Crampton, J. S., Mortimer, N., Bland, K. J., Strogen, D. P., Sagar, M., Hines, B. R., P. R. King & Seebeck, H. (2019). Cretaceous termination of subduction at the Zealandia margin of Gondwana: The view from the paleo-trench. Gondwana Research70, DOI: 10.1016/j.gr.2019.01.010

  • Dallanave, E., Agnini, C., Bachtadse, V., Muttoni, G., Crampton, J. S., Strong, C. P., Hines, B. R., Hollis, C. J., & Slotnick, B. S. (2014). Early to middle Eocene magneto-biochronology of the southwest Pacific Ocean and climate influence on sedimentation: Insights from the Mead Stream section, New Zealand. Geological Society of America Bulletin, DOI: 10.1130/B31147-1

  • Dallanave, E., Bachtadse, V., Crouch, E. M., Tauxe, L., Shepherd, C. L., Morgans, H. E. G., Hollis, C. J., Hines, B. R., Sugisaki, S. (2016). Constraining early to middle Eocene climate evolution of the southwest Pacific and Southern Ocean. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2015.11.010.

  • Dallanave, E., Bachtadse, V., Agnini, C., Muttoni, G., Hollis, C. J., Hines B. R., Morgans H. E. G, Strong C. P, Tauxe L, Crampton J. S. (2014). Early-middle Eocene magneto-biochronology of the Southern Pacific Ocean: new data from the South Island of New Zealand. Rend. Online Soc. Geol. It., Vol. 31 (2014), pp. 50-51, Società Geologica Italiana, Roma 2014 DOI: 10.3301/ROL.2014.40.

  • Hollis, C. J., Hines, B. R., Littler, K., Villasante-Marcos, V., Strong, C. P., Kulhanek, D. K., Zachos, J. C., Eggins, S. M., Northcote, L. & Phillips, A. (2015). Onset of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum in the southern Pacific Ocean (DSDP Site 277, Campbell Plateau). Climates of the Past Discussions (11), 243-278, DOI:10.5194/cpd-11-243-2015.

  • Hollis, C. J., Taylor, K. W. R.., Handley, L., Pancost, R. D., Huber, M., Creech, J. B., Hines, B. R., Crouch, E. M., Morgans, H. E. G., Crampton, J. S., Gibbs, S., Pearson, P. N. & Zachos, J. C. (2012). Early Paleogene temperature history of the Southwest Pacific Ocean: Reconciling proxies and models. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. Vol. 349-350, pp. 53-66. DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2012.06.024

  • Hollis, C. J., Pascher, K., Hines. B. R., Littler, K., Kulhanek, D. K., Strong, C. P., Zachos, J. C., Eggins, S. M. & Phillips, A. (2014). Was the Early Eocene ocean unbearably warm or are the proxies unbelievably wrong? Rend. Online Soc. Geol. It., Vol. 31 (2014), pp. 109-110, Società Geologica Italiana, Roma 2014. (DOI: 10.3301/ROL.2014.71)

  • Rainsley, E., Turney, C. S., Golledge, N. R., Wilmshurst, J. M., McGlone, M. S., Hogg, A. G., Thomas, Z. A., Flett, V., Palmer, J. G., Jones, R. T., de Wet, G., Hutchinson, D. K., Lipson, M. J., Fenwick, P., Hines, B. R. Binetti, U., Fogwill, C. J. (2018). Pleistocene glacial history of the New Zealand subantarctic islands. Climate of the Past Discussions. DOI: 10.5194/cp-2018-52.

  • Seebeck, H., Strogen, D., King, P., Nicol, A., Hines, B., & O’Brien, G. (2018). Cretaceous to present-day tectonic reconstructions of Zealandia. The APPEA Journal58(2), DOI: 10.1071/AJ17117.

  • Seebeck, H., Strogen, D. P., Nicol, A., Hines, B. R., & Bland, K. J. (2023). A tectonic reconstruction model for Aotearoa-New Zealand from the mid-Late Cretaceous to the present day. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 1-24

  • Strogen, D. P., Seebeck, H., Hines, B. R., Bland, K. J. & Crampton, J. S. (2022). Palaeogeographic evolution of Zealandia: mid-Cretaceous to present. New Zealand Journal of Geology & Geophysics. DOI: 10.1080/00288306.2022.2115520

  • Turney, C., McGlone, M., Palmer, J. Fogwill, C., Hogg, A., Thomas, Z., Lipson, M., Wilmshurst, J., Fenwick, P., Jones, R., Hines, B. & Clark, G. (2015). Intensification of Southern Hemisphere Westerly Winds during the First Millennium CE: Evidence from the Subantarctic Campbell and Auckland Islands (50-52˚S). Journal of Quaternary Science, DOI: 10.1002/jqs.2828.

ASX Announcements

Science Reports

  • Bache, F., Sutherland, R., Mortimer, N., Browne, G. H., Lawrence, M. J. F., Black, J. A., Flowers, M., Rouillard, P., Pallentin, A., Woelz, S., Wilcox, S., Hines, B., Jury, S., Roop, H. (2014). Tangaroa TAN1312 Voyage Report: dredging Reinga and Aotea basins to constrain seismic stratigraphy and petroleum systems (DRASP), NW New Zealand. GNS Science report 2014/05. 136 p.

  • Bland, K. J., Morgans, H. E. G., Hines, B. R. & Crampton, J. S. (2014). Outcrop analogues for the offshore East Coast and Pegasus basins: field trip to the southern Hawke's Bay-Wairarapa areas, 28th-31st January 2014. GNS Science Consultancy Report 2014/12. 81 p.

  • Bland, K. J., Ventura, G. T., Hines, B. R. &. Crampton, J. S. (2013). Record of sample collection from a potential Waipawa Formation outcrop at the Opouwae River Mouth, Te Kaukau Point, southeastern Wairarapa, 31 July 2013, for micropalentological and source rock analyses. GNS Science Internal Report 2013/09. 26p.

  • Clowes, C. D., Bland, K. J., Morgans, H. E. G., Hines, B. R. (2016). Record of geological observations and sample collection from Late Cretaceous- Early Miocene strata in southern Hawke's Bay, 04-08 April 2016. GNS Science Internal Report 2016/14.  56 p. 

  • Ventura, G. T., Hines, B. R., Clowes, C., Field, B. D. (2016). Section log, initial micropaleontological and geochemical analyses, and gamma ray scintillometer data for the Whangai and Waipawa formations at Okau Stream, eastern Wairarapa, GNS Science Internal Report 2016/05.  48 p. 

  • Ventura, G. T., Hines, B. R., Clowes, C. D. (2016). Source rock pyrolysis properties of four Waipawa Formation sections in Wairarapa and southern Hawke’s Bay: interim results, GNS Science Internal Report 2016/06. 12p + 1 appendix. 

Conference Presentations

  • Hines, B. R., Charlier, B. L. A., Atkins, C. B., Hannah, M. J., Crampton, J. S., Grant, G. R., Hopkins, J. L., Carroll, D., Clowes, C., Bland, K. J., Collins, K. S. & Casidy, J. (2024). Plio-Pleistocene paleoceanographic changes in the southern North Island: Implications from strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) stratigraphy. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand, 26th–28th November 2024.

  • Hines, B. R. (2024). Anatomy of a complex pegmatite. Digging Deeper, Brisbane, Australia, 20th–22nd November 2024.

  • Hines, B. R. (2024). Jones, R. & Killen, D. (2024). Spodumene in Li-Cs-Ta Pegmatites: a first for Queensland. Digging Deeper, Brisbane, Australia, 20th–22nd November 2024.

  • Hines, B. R. (2024). Dorchap Range & Buchanan’s Creek: comparing two Li-Cs-Ta pegmatite systems that are a billion years and 2000km apart. Australian Institute of Geoscientists & Geological Society of Australia Technical Series, Brisbane, Australia, 9th July 2024.

  • Hines, B. R. (2024). Geochemistry & Paragenesis of LCT Pegmatites of the Buchanan Creek area, Georgetown. EGRU Charters Towers, April 2024.

  • Hines, B. R. (2023). Critical Minerals in Queensland’s Mine Wastes. Digging Deeper, Brisbane, Australia, 23rd November 2023.

  • Hines, B. R., Atkins, C. B., Charlier, B. L. A., Hannah, M. J., Crampton, J. S., Grant, G. R., Hopkins, J. L., Carroll, D., Bland, K. J. & Collins, K. S. (2023). Strontium Isotope (87/86Sr) Dating of the Base Nukumaruan Stage Boundary, New Zealand. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, 13th – 16th November 2023.

  • Hines, B. R., Atkins, C. B., Charlier, B. L. A., Hannah, M. J., Crampton, J. S., Grant, G. R., Hopkins, J. L., Carroll, D., Bland, K. J., Collins, K. S. & Whitten, C. (2023). Strontium Isotope (87/86Sr) Stratigraphy: Applications in the New Zealand Geological Record. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, 13th – 16th November 2023.

  • Hines, B. R. (2023). Insights into Victoria’s lithium potential: drilling the Dorchap Dyke Swarm. Australian Institute of Geoscientists Victorian Minerals Round-up, Ballarat, Australia, 22nd June 2023.

  • Hines, B. R. & Turnbull, D. G. (2023). Drilling into Victoria’s Lithium Potential: Preliminary insights from diamond drilling the Dorchap Dyke Swarm. Australian Institute of Geoscientists Victorian Minerals Round-up, Ballarat, Australia, 22nd June 2023.

  • Hines, B. R., (2022). Old Goldfields & New Discoveries: Strategic mineral exploration in Northeast Victoria. Australian Institute of Geoscientists Victorian Minerals Round-up, Macedon, Australia, 23rd June 2022.  

  • Hines, B. R. & Mayer, J. (2018). The East Coast Basin, one of the last frontiers: insights from geochemistry and basin modelling. New Zealand Petroleum Conference, Wellington, New Zealand. 27th – 28th March 2018.

  • Hines, B. R., Seebeck, H., Crampton, J. S. & Bland, K. J. (2017). Filling the blank wedge of Zealandia: Cretaceous to Paleogene reconstruction of the East Coast Basin, New Zealand. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, Auckland, New Zealand. 6th – 8th December 2017.

  • Hines, B. R., Crampton, J. S., Bland, K. J. & Seward, D. (2016). Palinspastic reconstruction of the East Coast Basin, New Zealand. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado. 25th-28th September 2016.

  • Hines, B. R., Gazley, M. F., Ventura, G. T., Collins, K. S., Bland, K. J. & Crampton, J. S. (2016). Sequence and chemo-stratigraphic framework for the Waipawa Formation, East Coast Basin, New Zealand: controls on Paleocene black shale deposition in the southwest Pacific. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado. 25th-28th September 2016.

  • Hines, B. R., Ventura, G. T., Gazley, M. F., Bland, K. J., Crampton, J. S. & Collins, K. S. (2015). Chemostratigraphic framework for changing depositional conditions of prospective Late Cretaceous – Paleogene marine source rocks of the East Coast Basin, New Zealand. Eastern Australasian Basins Symposium, Melbourne, Australia, September 2015.

  • Hines, B. R., Gazley, M. F., Bland, K., Ventura, G. T., Crampton, J. S. & Collins, K. S. (2015). Geochemical insights into the depositional conditions of prospective Late Cretaceous – Paleogene marine source rocks of the East Coast Basin, New Zealand. American Association of Petroleum Geologists workshop: Analogues for Modern depositional environments. Wellington, New Zealand. 19th-23rd April 2015.

  • Hines, B. R., Gazley, M. F., Collins, K. S., Crampton, J. S., Ventura, G. T., Bland, K. J. & Seward, D. (2015). Crossing the Strait: Reconciling Paleogene stratigraphic linkages between Wairarapa and Marlborough. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, Wellington, New Zealand. 23rd-25th November 2015.

  • Hines, B. R., Collins, K. S., Neil, H. L. & Gazley, M. F. (2015). Cenozoic sea temperature exhibited by crassatellid molluscs. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, Wellington, New Zealand. 23rd-25th November 2015.

  • Hines B. R., Hollis, C. J., Atkins, C. B., Baker, J. A., Morgans, H. E. G. & Strong, C. P. (2015). Decreased temperature gradients across the Southwest Pacific Ocean during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum. Urbino Summer School for Paleoclimate, Urbino, Italy. 14th July – 2nd August 2015.

  • Hines, B. R., Gazley, M. F., Crampton, J. S., Bland, K. & Seward, D. (2014). Developing a chemostratigraphic framework for the Whangai Formation. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, New Plymouth, New Zealand. 24th-27th November 2014.

  • Hines, B. R. & Collins. K. S. (2013). Determination of Neogene Mg/Ca seawater ratios and Mg/Ca calibrations for extinct foraminiferal lineages. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, Christchurch, New Zealand. 24th-27th November 2013.

  • Hines, B. R., Hollis, C. J., Atkins, C. B., Baker, J., Morgans, H. E. G. & Kulhanek, D. K. (2012). Early Eocene Mg/Ca Paleothermometry of the Central East Coast Basin. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, Hamilton, New Zealand. 25th-28th November 2012.

  • Hines, B. R., Atkins, C., Hollis, C. J., Morgans, H. E. G., Kulhanek, D. & Baker, J. (2011). The Early Eocene Succession at Tora, Wairarapa: Stratigraphy and Paleoclimate. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, Nelson, New Zealand. 27th November - 1st December 2011.

  • Bache, F., Sutherland, R., Stagpoole, V., Browne, G., Lawrence, M. J. F., Mortimer, N., Herzer, R., Black, J., Hines, B., Roop, H., Flowers, M., Rouillard, P., Collot, J. & Patriat, M. (2014). Geological overview of the Reinga Basin, NW New Zealand: key observations and new constraints. Advantage NZ: 2014 Geotechnical Petroleum Forum, Wellington, New Zealand. 1st-4th April 2014.

  • Bland, K., Clowes, C., Field, B., Hines, B., Ventura, T, Morgans, H., Strogen, D. & Sykes, R. (2016). Onshore petroleum seeps in the southern East Coast Basin, and their stratigraphic occurrences: an overview from recent fieldwork. Petroleum Geoscience Workshop, Lower Hutt, New Zealand. 22-23rd September 2016.

  • Field, B. D., Hines, B. R., Clowes, C., Rechden, R., Ventura, G. T., Hollis, C. J. & Sykes, R. (2016) Using Milankovitch cyclicity for stratigraphic correlation and prediction of petroleum generative potential in the Waipawa Formation, East Coast Basin. Advantage NZ Conference, Auckland, New Zealand. April 2016.

  • Gazley, M. F., Collins, K. S., Hines., B. R., Fisher, L. A. & McFarlane, A. (2015). Application of multivariate statistics and cluster analysis to mineral exploration and mine geology. New Zealand Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand, August, 2015.

  • Dallanave, E., Agnini, C., Bachtadse, V., Muttoni, G., Crampton, J. S., Strong, P., Hines, B. R., Hollis, C. J. & Slotnick, B. S. (2014). Early to middle Eocene magneto-biochronology of the southwest Pacific Ocean and climate influence on sedimentation: new data from the Mead Stream section (Marlborough, New Zealand). In AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts.

  • Hollis, C. J., Pascher, K., Shepard, C., Hines, B. R., Morgans, H. E. G., Strong, C. P., Naafs, D. & Pancost, R. (2016). The tolerable warmness of the Eocene hyperthermal ocean. International Conference on Paleoceanography, Utrecht, the Netherlands. 29th August – 2nd September 2016.

    Hollis, C. J., Taylor, K. W. T., Pancost, R. D., Hines, B. R., Littler, K., Zachos, J. C., Kulhanek, D. K. & Strong, C. P. (2012). Early Paleogene temperature history of the Southwest Pacific Ocean. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, Hamilton, New Zealand. 25th-28th November 2012.

  • Kearney, L., Christy, A., Belosouva, E., Cathey, H., Kontonikas-Charos, A., Hines, B., Jones, R., Tapu, A. & Lisitsin, V. (2024). From data to discovery: Refinement and verification of the TIMA phase library for characterising Queensland mineral deposits. Digging Deeper, Brisbane, Australia, 20th–22nd November 2024.

  • Kulhanek, D K., Hollis, C. J., Hines, B. R., Littler, K., Strong, C. P., Zachos, J. C. & Vilasante-Marcos, V. (2015). A new Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum record from Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 277 (Campbell Plateau): A window into calcareous nannofossil response in the southern high latitudes. International Nannoplankkton Association meeting, March 2015.

  • Slotnick, B. S., Dickens, G. R., Hollis, C. J., Crampton, J. S., Strong, C., Zachos, J. C., Hines, B. R. & Philips, A. (2013). Integrating South Pacific carbon cycling and climate history from Late Paleocene to Middle Eocene: an upper slope transect from eastern New Zealand. In AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts (Vol. 1, p. 07).

  • Turnbull, D. G. & Hines, B. R. (2019). The Buckland Goldfield – A new perspective. Australian Institute of Geoscientists Victorian Minerals Round-up, Macedon, Australia, 20th June 2019.

  • Ventura, G. T., Hines, B. R., Field, B. D., Bland, K. J., Strogen, D. P., Clowes, C. & Sykes, R. (2015). Paleoenvironmental and diagenetic controls on the petroleum generation characteristics of the Late Paleocene Waipawa Formation of the East Coast Basin, New Zealand. New Zealand Geosciences Conference, Wellington, New Zealand. 23rd-25th November 2015.

     Awards & Scholarships

  • Sarah Beanland Memorial Scholarship (GNS Science)

  • OMV NZ Ltd. Student Scholarship (OMV New Zealand Ltd.)

  • John Gamble Award in Geology (Victoria University)

  • Young Researcher Grant (Geoscience Society of New Zealand)

  • Australasian Antarctic Expedition Scholarship (University of New South Wales)