Geology Boards Study Tips

It's so weird for me when I receive emails asking for studying tips. Nakakatawa kasi, di ba? Sa top notcher na kayo magtanong, lol. But I guess, kung may maitutulong din naman ako, why not?

I decided to write some parts of this in Filipino. Para naman 'di ako ma-pressure sa letseng grammar. Anyway...

I've asked colleagues kung sino na ba yung bagong members of the board (PRC website not loading earlier for me). It turns out, sila Dr. Billedo pa rin and Dr. Austria (Sir Pena, you're missed! 😔😔). Knowing this, may maiaambag naman siguro ako regarding my experience last 2017. 

1. Be familiar with the members of the board.

Nung una, hesitant din ako umattend sa pa-event ni UP kung saan ipapakilala nila yung gumawa ng exams. Hindi ko gusto yung mga ganung events, daming tao pero kasi lahat sinasabi na may mapupulot ka dun and pwede magtanong sa kanila.

Knowing their backgrounds, most likely, ii-incorporate nila yung mga yun sa exams. Nandun pa nun si Sir Pena so gigil talaga kami sa GOP nung Day 1. Ewan ko kung may ibi-break akong oath about sharing dun sa tidbits nung exam last 2017 pero yung mga tanungan nun re: GOP ganito:

* si X formation ay part ng Zamboanga-Misamis Occidental na may age na early to middle Miocene. Anong formation yung counterpart nya when it comes to age sa Marinduque Islands?

Legit, napa-WTF ako nung nabasa ko yun. Haha. Moving on.

2. Give yourself enough time to study.

 Ito yung biggest ragret ko nung bago at pagkatapos kong mag-board. Pagkatapos pa lang ata ng graduation nung iba ng March-April, nag-aaral na sila. Ito yung wise move siguro or depende sa retention capacity and capability mo. Ako, Octoberian ako, wala talaga akong excuse kung bakit di ako nakapag-aral ng maayos kasi the following year na ako nag-take.

Ganito yung study plan ko:

August - 2nd week of October - 1 hr a day of reading

3rd -4th week of October - 8 hours a day

Kung gusto niyo talaga na lahat nabasa niyo, start early. Basic pero most of us are procrastinators.

3. Read the Geology BibleS

Kung aattend kayo ng CWM review, maririnig-rinig niyo mula sa kawalan yung pagbasa ng Earth Mat. Hindi ko masabi na recommended ni CWM kasi di ako sure kung nabanggit ba nila 'to pero lagi kong naririnig to nun. 

Wala naman problema si Earth Mat. Yung writing style nga lang nya sobrang serious. At least nung tina-try ko kunwari na basahin yung Structural Geology ni Fossen, napapatawa nya pa ako ng slight. 'Di mo mai-experience yung ganun sa Earth Mat.

Binasa ko pa rin sya though AFTER basahin si Essentials. Big mistake. Parehas lang laman nila. Mas eloquently put lang talaga si Earth Mat tsaka di ko masyadong na-enjoy. Damang-dama ko yung bigat ng mundo nung binasaba ko yun. Nahihiya akong tawaging dumb-down version si Essentials pero baka sya yung Geology for Dummies.

So yung dalawa for Day 1 and of course, GOP. Hindi ka geologist ng Pilipinas kung di mo knows by heart and soul yung GOP. Char.

Sa totoo lang, 'di ko maalala sinong author nung Rocks and Minerals na libro na meron ako pero yun yung ubos lagi sa National Bookstore nun dati. Parang Amazing Race nun nung naghahanap ng libro na yun. Tinatamad akong halungkatin sa gamit ko pero parang yung Scholastic version yun. I-post ko na lang ulit kapag naglinis ako pero yun na yung pinaka-basic tapos may picture pa.

When it comes to Mineralogy, hands down and itataya ko pangalan ko, enough na si Introduction to Mineralogy ni Nesse. 'Pag natapos mo 'tong libro na 'to, mataas ang chance na makaka-survive ka sa Day 2. Sobrang thankful ko na ito yung napili kong tapusin.

Tip: If you can memorize chemical formulas, you should. May mga tanong dati na ganito: Sa Chlorite group, anong mineral ang may Zinc? Shookt ako, teh.

Day 2: Introduction to Mineralogy by William Nesse and Rocks and Minerals Guidebook.

Aside from the mentioned books here, for day 3, get crazy! Wala akong mare-recommend kasi sobrang random talaga. Better prep din for some metallurgy. May mga lumabas nun sa amin.

Kapag may naisip pa ako, dagdagan ko.

[Notes] Petroleum Geology Part 10

 Yung kailangan mong malaman every exam sa Petro - Philippines Edition

Forearc Basins

- Agusan-Davao Basin

- Bicol Shelf

- Central Luzon

- Ilocos Trough (walang pumick-up sa reporting kasi walang data)

- West Luzon Basin

- West Masbate-Iloilo Basin

Rift Basin

- Mindoro-Cuyo Basin

- Recto Bank Basin

- Northwest Palawan

- Southwest Palawan

- East Palawan

Back arc Basin

- Cotabato Basin

- Cagayan Basin

- Sulu Sea Basin

- Southeast Luzon Basin

- Visayan Basin

[Notes] Petroleum Geology Part 9

Three Main Stages of the Evolution of OM

1. Diagenesis

2. Catagenesis

3. Metagenesis

Diagenesis

- shallow depths

- microbial activity & compaction predominate

- transformation starts:

     *biochemical degradation

     *polycondensation

     *insolubilization

- first million years

- stage that composition of the kerogen & geochemical fossil is determined

Catagenesis

- OM increasing temperatures

- Microbial activity ceases

- oil, wet gas and methane is produced

- principal zone of oil and wet gas formation

Metagenesis

- occurs at great depths

- coal transformation to anthracite

- 200-400 million years

- cracking occurs in this stage

- no interest (dry gas & thermal methane)

- post-mature and pre-metamorphism stage

[Notes] Petroleum Geology Part 8

 Summary of Kerogen Type

Type I            Algal Kerogen (Alginite)

Type II           Formed from lipid components (Exinite)

Type III         Woody Kerogen (Vitrinite)

Type IV         Eroded or reworked OM (Inertinite)

Type I

- waxy & cuticular material

- derived largely from algal material enriched in lipids due to microbial alteration

- hydrogen-rich

- small volume of preserved OM

- Oil will be generated

Type II

- less waxy or cuticle material

- bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton & minor amounts of terrigenous OM like spores and pollens

- hydrogen-rich

- more abundant than Type I

- Oil and gas will be generated

Type III

- few, if any, ester groups or aliphatic chains

- terrestrial higher plants & their parts, ie. wood, cellulose, lignin, vitrinite & huminite

- hydrogen-poor

- along continental margin

- Gas will be generated (coal)

Type IV

-  highly-oxidized inertinitic

- either oxidation of OM during deposition or degradation due to diagenetic transformation

- OM from Type III

- only gas during the later stage of maturity

 

[Notes] Petroleum Geology Part 7

 Bitumen

- organic material in sed rocks which is SOLUBLE in ordinary organic solvents

- oil-like part of OM (mobile)

- product of the partial conversion of kerogen as a result of aging temperature and passing time

- lower molecular weight

Kerogen

- INSOLUBLE in ordinary organic solvents

- carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur

- most important

Types of Kerogen

Maceral                                Kerogen Type                            Original OM

Alginite                                         I                                       freshwater algae

Exinite                                          II                                        pollen spores

Cutinite                                         II                                       land-plant cuticle

Resinite                                        II                                        land-plant resins

Liptinite                                        II                                      all land-plant lipids; marine algae

Vitrinite                                        III                                      woody & cellulosic material from land                                                                                                         plants

Inertinite                                        IV                                    charcoal; highly-oxidized; reworked                                                                                                             materials of any origin

Detailed notes to follow......

[Notes] Petroleum Geology Part 6

Oil & Gas

- comes from organic matter (OM) through transformation involving heat and geologic time

Source Rocks

- capable of generating oil & gas

- must be:

        * rich in organic content

        * mature enough to expel the oil or gas

Organic Matter

- material composed of organic molecules

- all organic matter was originally atmospheric CO2

3.1 -3.3 BYA - oldest form of organic life

3.7 - 4 BYA - oldest know rocks

Pre-Cambrian to Devonian - marine phytoplankton

Devonian - increasing amount from terrestrial sources

4 Contributors of OM

1. Phytoplankton

2. Zooplanktons

3. Higher plants

4. Bacteria

Sequence of OM

- Production

- Accumulation

- Preservation

Production of OM

- controlled by LIGHT, TEMPERATURE & CHEMICAL COMPOSITION of sea water

- 60 to 80 meters (large part of biological production)

- coastal waters 2x as that of open seas productivity

Accumulation & Preservation of OM

- restricted to an aquatic environment

- to high energy level causes erosion & high sed rate

- to low, little sed supplied to bury the OM

- anoxic environment

- fine-grained more favorable

- continental shelf: lagoons, estuaries and deep basins

[Notes] Petroleum Geology Part 5

 Viscosity

- Internal friction of fluid

Color

- light (paraffinic oils)

- brown to black (asphalt base oil)

*Apologies again. My notes are terrible. Haha

Carbonate Reservoirs

*Limestone and dolomite

* 40% world oil reserves (as of 2017, but you can check)

*30% world gas reserves (as of 2017, but you can check)

(all other in sandstone reservoirs)

Carbonates

- shallow, tropical, marine waters

- saturated w/ CaCO3

- Factors controlling carbonate sedimentation

    *warmth

    *light

    *water movement

-begins as skeletal assemblage

Non-skeletal components of carbonate reservoir rocks

* lime muds

* coated grains

* fecal pellets

* lumps

* detrital grains

Carbonate Rock Classification

* Boundstone - components were bound together

* Grainstone - lacks mud; grain supported

* Packstone - grains supported

* Wackestone - more than 10% grains

* Mudstone - less than 10% grains

Carbonate depositional model

1. Carbonate shelf model - commonest, very shallow

2. Carbonate ramp model - no prominent break in slope; much less common

3. Carbonate shelf model - thru time

[Notes] Petroleum Geology Part 4

 Basic Component

- Mixture of hydrocarbons

- Hydrocarbons series

        * paraffine or methane series

        *naphthene series

Natural Gas

- Hydrocarbons not condensable at 20 degrees C

3 Distinct Origins of Natural Gas

- By-product of the generation of oil

- modification of coal

- formed by low-temperature alteration of organic matter (marsh gas)

API Gravities

>30            light

30-22        medium

<22            heavy

Again, sorry for this. Really weird fragments of notes.

[Notes] Petroleum Geology Part 3

Permeability

- Property of a medium that allows fluid to pass thru without change in the structure or displacement of its parts

<1.0-15                Poor to fair

15-50                    Moderate

50-250                Good

250-1000            Very good

>1000                  Excellent

Cap rock or seal

- ductile sed rocks (clay and shales)

I am really sorry about this notes. I couldn't figure out why the hell I wrote it this way back then. Haha. I'm such an idiot but I still hope that you'll get something out from this.

[Notes] Petroleum Geology Part 2

 Porosity = (bulk volume - grain volume)/bulk volume x 100

Range of Porosity in %

1. 0-5 - negligible
2. 5-10 - poor
3. 10-15 - fair
4. 15-20 - good
5. 20+ - very good

Nature of Porosity

1. Primary

- rock possesses this at the end of its depositional phase

- void of unaltered, fractured or dissolved grains

- depends on:

        * degree of uniformity

        * shapes of grains

        * packing

        * effects of compaction, during and after deposition

2. Secondary

- additional void space due to post-depositional or diagenetic processes

Rock samples

1. Sandstones - compaction, contact-solution and redeposition and to cementation

2. Carbonates - modification by solution, recrystallization, fracturing and cementation

[Notes] Petroleum Geology

 Oil Fields

• Galoc Production Company (Galoc SC-14)
• Blade Petroleum (Cadlao SC-6)
• West Linapacan (Pitkin SC-14)
• Philodrill Corp (Matinloc Complex SC-14)
• Philodrill Corp (Nido SC-14)

Gas Fields

• Malampaya
• San Antonio
• Libertad

Field Sampling

• Source and Reservoir Rocks
• Oil Samples
• Gas Samples

Petroleum Geochemistry

- application of chemical tools in the assessment of indigenous petroleum resource potential

Factors

1. Type of Organic Matter
2. Age and depositional Environment
3. Maturity
4. Biodegradation

Tools in Petroleum Exploration

- Geophysical Studies seismic

1. seismic survey

2. Geophysical data increase signal to noise ratio

Loneliness during Quarantine

 There's a lot of things to be happy about. At the same time, there are also a lot of things that I can't just simply shrugged off.

I've been stuck at home since March 15, with a little less than 10 days wherein I volunteered to work in the office. No one really wants to report there by choice but time and time again, whenever I miss the hustle and bustle of Makati, I would gladly take every opportunity that comes my way just to go outside.

I miss my old life. I miss commuting. I miss hanging out with coworkers. I miss bitching about the amount of people on the streets. I miss visiting friends and families. I live alone and I can definitely say that the virtual world is not for me. Sure, I can still have meaningful interactions online. Hell, I've met a lot of interesting and smart people for the past seven months and even built strong friendships and relationships along the way but we're born to have physical relationships.

Those moments wherein I can hug and kiss my parents (I can't even visit them because of their age), my friends even? I greatly long for now. I hated grocery shopping back then, even to just go out and buy something on the local sari-sari stores, but now, I even take daily walks just to get some fresh air and stretch my body.

This pandemic is taking a toll on my mental health. I wonder how people are doing right now. I hope everything's alright with you all.

COVID-19 in the Philippines is so SAD

 It has been awhile since the last time that I upload a reviewer here or any geology-related shit. I was actually preparing a reviewer related to GOP but for some reason, I haven't had the energy to actually finish it.

I feel like I am stuck in some kind of a limbo; not knowing what's in store for me in the future because I can't really do much about anything because of the current situation. University is close, my office is not allowing people anymore to work there because of increasing cases in the building and my daily language lesson is getting harder and harder as time progresses. I applied for a new online course but I feel like learning doesn't even interest me now unlike before. I don't like throwing around psychology-related words because I always aim to be as politically-correct as possible but I think this must be depression. The whole quarantine thing since March is really taking its toll on me.

All my plans I've set prior to this whole COVID thing looks bleak. I am not excited anymore about the future because, to be honest, can we still have THAT future wherein we can be as care-free as we want?

Here in the Philippines, the current administration always say that we shouldn't be blaming anyone for this except ourselves, the citizens. I find this insulting and insensitive; a great slap in the face of the Filipino people. They always say that if we are not "pasaways" (which can be translated in English as uncontrollable, hard-headed, stubborn and contrarian), the cases will not be as high as it is right now. But let's go back a couple of months ago, let's say as early as February. Everyone is calling out to ban all travels from China but Duque and Duterte said that everything's under control and that they don't want to offend this country who's taking some of our territories in the West Philippine Sea. They say that, "Prevention is always better than cure," and I think this current administration failed the Filipino people in that matter.

From there, it all went downhill so fast. Cases continue to increase, Chinese citizens can still freely fly in here whenever they want, government officials throwing parties and not really care about social distancing (these people are the ones who tested positive for the virus most of the time). It became really annoying to hear the news everyday; seeing this administration not have any solid plans to fight the virus, the health professionals exposing government officials who want to be prioritize for testing, the missing funds, the new law that threatens the democracy of the country (and bills being pass everyday to keep the Filipinos from fighting this confining regime) and the show and all the fake news that these clowns are putting up for the public.

To be honest, I am in awe of these people. I am not afraid of them or their capability to kill me because of how I think and feel for them, but I am in awe by the mere fact that they feel untouchable. I think they have this blind notion that all of this will last forever and that they are unshakable and inviolable as long as they want. They think and decide as if everything will not have a consequence because they are currently in power. I don't know but if we're going to look back in history, everyone has a downfall.

I just hope that everything will be over very soon. The virus subsiding, this administration calming the f down and making plans for the people and our health professionals finally having the rest that they deserve.

Oh, before I forget. I don't think that the common people are the pasaways. Let's just look at the cases and the people that are currently infected.

Geology Board Exam Reviewer - GOP The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary Quiz Set G

As I can't really commit to a 100-item practice set, I'll do quizzes of specific course subject of Geology.
Answer key will be provided on May 31, 2020. Thank you.

Geology of the Philippines

The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary

Set G

 

1. A conduct of marine geophysical survey with GLORIA (Geological Long-Range Inclined Asdic) and an offshore fieldwork in Halmahera Island appear to confirm the southward propagation of this geologic structure towards the Moluccas Collision Zone.

a. Philippine Mobile Belt

b. Philippine Fault

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

2. It represents an arc-continental collision.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

3. Dating of these rocks is essentially based on the ages of pelagic sediments covering them.

a. Metamorphic rocks

b. Ophiolites and ophiolitic rocks

c. Magmatic rocks and active volcanic arcs

d. Sedimentary basins

 

4. This is the morphological expression of the westward subduction of the Philippine Seas Plate under the eastern Philippine Arc.

a. Philippine Mobile Belt

b. Philippine Fault

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

5. This category of metamorphic formations is represented by those rocks that can be found in North Palawan, Mindoro, Panay, and neighboring islands belonging to the Palawan-Mindoro Microcontinent.

a. pre-Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of continental origin

b. Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of insular arc affinity

 

6. The thickness of the sedimentary fill of this east-dipping subduction zone varies between 250 and 2,600 m.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

7. According to McCaffrey (1991), this active collision represents a present-day example of the emplacement of ophiolites by slivers (obduction).

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

8. The displacement rate of the Philippine Sea Plate is _______________.

a. 5 cm/yr

b. 6 cm/yr

c. 7 cm/yr

d. 8 cm/yr

 

9. This trench appears to be linked with the Negros Trench by a left-lateral strike slip feature cutting across the Zamboanga Peninsula.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

10. The two corresponding active volcanic arcs of this collision consequently collided as well.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

11. A bathymetric link between this subduction zone and the Manila Trench is represented by a shallow trough that passes northeast off Palawan Island.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

12. A double-vergent arc-arc collision.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

13. There is a corresponding active volcanic arc on the western margin of Mindanao for this trench.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

Answer key is here. I advise that you check it out after finishing all sets.

Thanks.

Geology Board Exam Reviewer - GOP The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary Quiz Set F

As I can't really commit to a 100-item practice set, I'll do quizzes of specific course subject of Geology.
Answer key will be provided on May 24, 2020. Thank you.

Geology of the Philippines

The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary

Set F

 

1. The Philippines is marked by this/these active collision zone/s ______________________.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. all of the above

 

2. These metamorphic formations are distributed sporadically within the whole archipelago.

a. pre-Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of continental origin

b. Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of insular arc affinity

 

3. In pre-1980 literature, these rocks were previously referred to as ultramafic complexes or undifferentiated Cretaceous-Paleogene basement.

a. Metamorphic rocks

b. Ophiolites and ophiolitic rocks

c. Magmatic rocks and active volcanic arcs

d. Sedimentary basins

 

4. This geologic structure is generally considered young and probably created not earlier than 5 Ma.

a. Manila Trench

b. Philippine Fault

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

5. This is the group of land masses that apparently originated from sub-equatorial regions.

a. Philippine Mobile Belt

b. Philippine Fault

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

6. This collision passes into the Manila Trench-Luzon Arc system.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

7. This metamorphic group is essentially basic to ultrabasic in character.

a. pre-Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of continental origin

b. Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of insular arc affinity

 

8. An active volcanic chain is traceable for this subduction zone, with Canlaon Volcano as an example.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

9. The _______________ is an actively deforming zone between two active subduction systems.

a. Philippine Mobile Belt

b. Philippine Fault

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

10. This usually occurs with pre-Tertiary metamorphic rocks and represent basement on which magmatic arcs were developed.

a. Metamorphic rocks

b. Ophiolites and ophiolitic rocks

c. Magmatic rocks and active volcanic arcs

d. Sedimentary basins

 

Answer key is here. I advise that you check it out after finishing all sets.

Thanks.

 

Geology Board Exam Reviewer - GOP The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary Quiz Set E

As I can't really commit to a 100-item practice set, I'll do quizzes of specific course subject of Geology.
Answer key will be provided on May 24, 2020. Thank you.

Geology of the Philippines

The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary

Set E

 

1. This is an elongated bathymetric depression that reaches depths of 5,100 m in the latitude of Manila.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

2. It represents an active orogenic belt resulting from the collision of the western edge of the Philippine Sea Plate and the continental margin of Eurasia.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

3. This lithologic unit in the Philippines can be divided into two categories of, (1) pre-Cretaceous of continental origin and, (2) Cretaceous of insular arc affinity.

a. Metamorphic rocks

b. Ophiolites and ophiolitic rocks

c. Magmatic rocks and active volcanic arcs

d. Sedimentary basins

 

4. The origins and mode of emplacement of these rocks are still the subject of controversy.

a. Metamorphic rocks

b. Ophiolites and ophiolitic rocks

c. Magmatic rocks and active volcanic arcs

d. Sedimentary basins

 

5. It represents the morphological expression of the subduction of the oceanic crust of the South China Sea under the Luzon Arc.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

6. A structure that plays significant role in the Neogene tectonic evolution of the Philippine Archipelago.

a. Philippine Mobile Belt

b. Philippine Fault

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

7. A well-developed accretionary prism exists for this east-dipping subduction zone.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

8. Characterized by the transformation of the subduction of the South China Sea Plate under the Luzon Arc.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

9. The age of the rocks belonging to this metamorphic group does not extend beyond Paleogene.

a. pre-Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of continental origin

b. Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of insular arc affinity

 

10. The corresponding volcanic arc of this structure does not exist.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

Answer key is here. I advise that you check it out after finishing all sets.

Thanks.

 

Geology Board Exam Reviewer - GOP The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary Quiz Set D

As I can't really commit to a 100-item practice set, I'll do quizzes of specific course subject of Geology.
Answer key will be provided on May 24, 2020. Thank you.

Geology of the Philippines

The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary

Set D

 

1. A forearc basin is developed between the accretionary prism of this subduction zone and Luzon Island.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

2. The volcanic arc corresponding to this geologic structure can be traced from Bicol to Leyte but unclear in Mindanao.

a. Manila Trench

b. Philippine Fault

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

3. The ________________ enters into collision with the central portion of the Philippine Mobile Belt.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

4. The _____________ volcanic arc is linked to the Negros Trench.

a. Luzon

b. East-Philippine

c. Negros-Panay

d. Sulu-Zamboanga

e. Cotabato

 

5. The termination of this east-dipping subduction zone passes into the collision zone of Mindoro-Panay.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

6. The Philippines is generally interpreted as a collage of _____________________.

a. insular arcs

b. ophiolitic suites

c. continental rocks of Eurasian affinity

d. all of the above

 

7. The subduction along this trench is young as shown by a poorly developed Benioff Zone.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

 

8. The western slab of this collision dives down to a depth of more than 600 km, one of the deepest in the world.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

9. The ______________ volcanic arc is associated with the Philippine Trench

a. Luzon

b. East-Philippine

c. Negros-Panay

d. Sulu-Zamboanga

e. Cotabato

 

10. This is an east-dipping subduction zone opposite of the East Luzon trough.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

Answer key is here. I advise that you check it out after finishing all sets.

Thanks.

Geology Board Exam Reviewer - GOP The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary Quiz Set C

As I can't really commit to a 100-item practice set, I'll do quizzes of specific course subject of Geology.
Answer key will be provided on May 24, 2020. Thank you.

Geology of the Philippines

The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary

Set C

 

1. This collision was initiated within Miocene time, right after the cessation of the accretion of the South China Sea oceanic crust.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

2. These metamorphic formations include the Caramay Schist, Halcon, Buruanga and Romblon Metamorphic Complexes and Tungauan Schist.

a. pre-Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of continental origin

b. Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of insular arc affinity

 

3. The ______________ volcanic arc corresponds to the Manila Trench

a. Luzon

b. East-Philippine

c. Negros-Panay

d. Sulu-Zamboanga

e. Cotabato

 

4. A west-dipping subduction zone, Lewis and Hayes (1983) proposed that this is a nascent subduction zone propagating northwards.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

5. The Philippine Mobile Belt (PMB) is an actively deforming zone created between the two plates of ________________.

a. Philippine Sea Plate, Pacific Plate

b. Philippine Sea Plate, Indo-Australian Plate

c. Philippine Sea Plate, Eurasian Plate

d. Eurasian Plate, Pacific Plate

 

6. The start of this collision is associated with the kinematic reorganization of the Philippine Sea Plate at around 4 Ma.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

7. This collision was initiated within Miocene time, right after the cessation of the accretion of the South China Sea oceanic crust.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

8. A late Miocene age was determined for the start of this collision.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

9. The oldest known rocks of this type are found in Cebu Island and is dated Late Cretaceous.

a. Metamorphic rocks

b. Ophiolites and ophiolitic rocks

c. Magmatic rocks and active volcanic arcs

d. Sedimentary basins

 

10. This is rifted from the Asian mainland during Late Cretaceous-Late Eocene time.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

Answer key is here. I advise that you check it out after finishing all sets.

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

Geology Board Exam Reviewer - GOP The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary Quiz Set B

As I can't really commit to a 100-item practice set, I'll do quizzes of specific course subject of Geology.
Answer key will be provided on May 24, 2020. Thank you.

Geology of the Philippines

The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary

Set B

 

1. The Manila Trench-Luzon Arc system passes into the __________________.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

2. This metamorphic group is characterized petrographically by the abundance of silica.

a. pre-Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of continental origin

b. Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of insular arc affinity

 

3. The ______________ arc is well defined only from Bicol to Leyte but cannot be traced in Eastern Mindanao.

a. Luzon

b. East-Philippine

c. Negros-Panay

d. Sulu-Zamboanga

e. Cotabato

 

4. An east-dipping subduction zone that runs parallel to the western coasts of Panay and Negros Islands.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

5. The southern closure of this structure is still poorly known.

a. Philippine Mobile Belt

b. Philippine Fault

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

6. The boundary of between the _________________ and the eastern margin of the ______________ is a complex system of subduction zones, collision zones and marginal sea basin openings.

a. Philippine Sea Plate, Pacific Plate

b. Philippine Sea Plate, Indo-Australian Plate

c. Philippine Sea Plate, Eurasian Plate

d. Eurasian Plate, Pacific Plate

 

7. This represent a continent-arc collision.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

8. The rotation and spreading of this plate during Eocene to Miocene times is the reason for the present position of the Philippine Mobile Belt.

a. Pacific Plate

b. Eurasian Plate

c. Indo-Australian Plate

d. Philippine Sea Plate

 

9. These lithologic units represent the pre-Tertiary basement of the Philippines.

I. Metamorphic rocks

II. Ophiolites and ophiolitic rocks

III. Magmatic rocks and active volcanic arcs

IV. Sedimentary basins

 

a. I & II

b. II & III

c. III & IV

d. I & III

 

10. The presence of these that cannot be associated with any of the active subduction zones indicates the evolution of the Philippine archipelago through continuous volcanic activity throughout the Cenozoic.

a. Metamorphic rocks

b. Ophiolites and ophiolitic rocks

c. Magmatic rocks and active volcanic arcs

d. Sedimentary basins

Answer key is here. I advise that you check it out after finishing all sets.

Thanks.

 

 

 

Geology Board Exam Reviewer - GOP The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary Quiz Set A

As I can't really commit to a 100-item practice set, I'll do quizzes of specific course subject of Geology.
Answer key will be provided on May 24, 2020. Thank you.

Geology of the Philippines

The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary

Set A

 

1. A linear feature located northeast of Luzon Island.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

2. This is a poorly known east-dipping subduction zone which seems to disappear southwards into the Moluccas Sea.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

3. The corresponding arcs (Sangihe and Halmahera) of this collision are presently separated by at least 100 km.

a. Taiwan

b. Mindoro-Panay

c. Moluccas Sea

d. Palawan Microcontinental Block

 

4. The ______________ arc is formed by the Sulu Trench.

a. Luzon

b. East-Philippine

c. Negros-Panay

d. Sulu-Zamboanga

e. Cotabato

 

5. This subduction zone consumes the oceanic crust of the Sulu Sea Basin.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

6. A poorly understood feature but appears in most maps as a transform fault.

a. Manila Trench

b. Philippine Fault

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

7. The _______________ is surrounded by subduction zones with opposing polarities.

a. Philippine Mobile Belt

b. Philippine Fault

c. Philippine Trench

d. East Luzon Trough

 

8. This metamorphic group is characterized geographically by its restricted distribution in the western central Philippines.

a. pre-Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of continental origin

b. Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of insular arc affinity

 

9. The _______________ arc is related to the Cotabato Trench.

a. Luzon

b. East-Philippine

c. Negros-Panay

d. Sulu-Zamboanga

e. Cotabato

 

10. The subducted oceanic slab of this east-dipping subduction zone does not seem to exceed 100 km in depth.

a. Manila Trench

b. Cotabato Trench

c. Philippine Trench

d. Negros Trench

 

Answer key is here. I advise that you check it out after finishing all sets.

Thanks.

GOP: Regional Geodynamic Setting Quizzes Answer Keys

As promised, here are the links for the answer keys:

Quiz Set A

Quiz Set B

Quiz Set C

Quiz Set D

Quiz Set E

Quiz Set F

Will be uploading more reviewers soon.

Hasta la proxima.

Resource Material - Geology of the Philippines

Hi, guys! 

We're done with the Regional Geodynamic Setting quizzes. That's it for this portion of GOP.

As far as Filipino geologists are concern, our tectonics is one of the most active in the world (I'm kinda copying the intro of that chapter from Doc Au's book, Geology of the Philippines, 2nd Edition, lol. But there's no other way to describe our tectonics other than, "ACTIVE").

All of the questions from the quizzes came from that chapter alone. Sorry for all those plates question. When I was reviewing for the boards, I didn't memorized any of that. I should have, though. Haha.

Here are other resource materials from the internet:

For other types of Sedimentary Basins, [click here]

Helpful material for the difference between magnitude scales of volcanic eruptions [click here]

Next week, quizzes about Chapter 2 of GOP will be uploaded [The Philippines: A Complex Plate Boundary]

Hasta la proxima!

Geology of the Philippines Quiz Set F (Geology Reviewer)

As I can't really commit to a 100-item practice set, I'll do quizzes of specific course subject of Geology.
Answer key will be provided on May 17, 2020. Thank you.

Geology of the Philippines Quiz Set F

 

1. This divides the Sulu Sea Basin into two.

a. Cagayan de Sulu Ridge

b. Sulu-Zamboanga Arc

c. Celebes Sea Basin

d. North Palawan Block

 

2. The interaction between the Philippine Sea Plate and the southeastern edge of the Eurasian Plate created the _______________.

a. Bonin-Marianas-Yap Trench System

b. New Guinea insular arcs

c. Philippine Archipelago

d. Marianas Trench

 

3. Since ____, the mid-oceanic ridge separating the two continental blocks of India and Australia has become inactive.

a. 50 Ma

b. 43 Ma

c. 5 Ma

d. 3 Ma

 

4. This ridge is considered as a relict volcanic arc of Middle Eocene to Oligocene age.

a. Izu-Bonin

b. Palau-Kyushu

c. West-Marianas

d. Oki-Daito

 

5. The Pacific plate subducts under the ______________ along the Japan Trench.

a. Pacific Plate

b. Eurasian Plate

c. Indo-Australian Plate

d. Philippine Sea Plate

 

6. The oceanic basins of the Philippine Sea Plate are separated from each other by submarine ridges with axes generally oriented ___________.

a. N-S

b. E-W

c. NE-S

d. NW-S

 

7. This plate is composed of both continental and oceanic crust.

a. Pacific Plate

b. Eurasian Plate

c. Indo-Australian Plate

d. Philippine Sea Plate

 

8. The Pacific plate subducts under the ______________ along the Bonin-Marianas-Yap Trench System.

a. insular arcs

b. Eurasian Plate

c. Indo-Australian Plate

d. Philippine Sea Plate

 

9. A poorly known portion on the southern extremity of the Philippine Sea Plate where oceanic accretion appears to be occurring.

a. Parece Vela – Shikokiu Basin

b. Marianas Basin

c. West Philippine Basin

d. Ayu Basin

 

10. This plate is colliding with a complex zone of insular arcs which have been active since the Mesozoic.

a. Pacific Plate

b. Eurasian Plate

c. Indo-Australian Plate

d. Philippine Sea Plate