Contact Information
Dept. of Geography, Geology and Anthropology
Indiana State University
159 Science Building
Terre Haute, IN 47809

Phone:
   812-237-2444
Fax:
   812-237-8029
E-mail

Site Maintained By:
   Jared Kluesner



 

 Sandra S. Brake

Associate Professor of Geology
Specialties: Environmental Geology,                Economic Geology, Geochemistry and
Geomicrobiology of Acid Mine Drainage Systems Ph.D., Colorado School of Mines
Educational Excellence Teaching Award, Arts & Sciences, 1999
Joined the department in 1995

E-mail Dr. Brake
sbrake@isugw.indstate.edu

GEOL 160 – Intro to Earth & Sky
Supervisor GEOL 160 Labs
GEOL 270 – Historical Geology
GEOL 360 – Astronomy
GEOL 380 – Mineralogy
GEOL 382 - Petrology
GEOL 389 - Introduction to Field Geology
GEOL 455/555 – Groundwater Hydrology
GEOL 483/583 – Economic Geology
GEOL 664 – Regional Geology

Selected Publications

Jensen, R.R., Brake, S.S., and Mattox, J.M., 2004, Statistical analysis of element uptake in plants grown on fly-ash amended soils: Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, v. 86, p. 219-230.

Brake, S.S., Jensen, R.R., and Mattox, J.M., 2004, Effects of coal fly ash amended soils on trace element uptake in plants: Environmental Geology, v. 45, p. 680-689.

Brake, S.S., Hasiotis, S.R., and Dannelly, H.K., 2004, Diatoms in acid mine drainage and their role in the formation of iron-rich stromatolites: Geomicrobiology, v. 21. no. 5, p. 331-340.

Brake, S.S., Hasiotis, S.T., Dannelly, H.K., and Connors, K.A., 2002, Eukaryotic stromatolite builders in acid mine drainage: Implications for Precambrian iron formations and oxygenation of the atmosphere?: Geology, v. 30, p. 599-602

Brake, S.S., Dannelly, H.K., and Connors, K.A., 2001, Controls on the nature and distribution of an alga in coal mine-waste environments and its potential impact on water quality: Environ. Geol., v. 40, p. 458-469.

Brake, S. S., Dannelly, H.K., Connors, K.A., and Hasiotis, S.T., 2001, Influence of water chemistry on the distribution of an acidophilic protozoan in an acid mine drainage system at the abandoned Green Valley coal mine, Indiana, U.S.A.: Applied Geochem., v. 16, p. 1641-1652.

Brake, S.S., Connors, K.A., and Romberger, S.B., 2001, A river runs through it: Impact of acid mine drainage on the geochemistry of West Little Sugar Creek pre- and post reclamation at the Green Valley coal mine, Indiana, U.S.A.: Environ. Geol., v. 40, p. 1471-1481.

Brake, S.S., and Romberger, S.B., 2000, Precious metal transport and deposition at the New Savage Mine, Comstock district, Nevada, in Cluer, K., Price, J., Struhsacker, E., Hardyman, R., and Morris, C., eds., Geology and ore deposits 2000: The Great Basin and beyond: Symposium Proceedings, Geol. Soc. Nevada, p. 177-186.

 

Recent Published Abstracts *Indicates undergraduate coauthor

Shepherd*, B.S., McLean, M.A., and Brake, S.S., 2004, Fungal diversity in eukaryote-dominated biofilms in acid mine drainage:  Geol. Soc. America Annual Meeting, v. 25, no. 5.

Unger*, D.L., Brake, S.S., Wolf, S.F., and Mattox, J., 2004, Influence of increased hydrologic input on the water chemistry of an acid mine drainage system:  Geol. Soc. America Anneal Meeting, v. 36, no. 5.

Ervin*, J.F., Thomas*, A., Unger*, D.L., McLean, M.A., Wolf, S.F., and Brake, S.S., 2004, Trace metal uptake and acid tolerance of plant species growing in an acid mine drainage seep:  Geol. Soc. America Annual Meeting, v. 26, no. 5.

Unger, D.L.*, Bird, J.R., Wolf, S.F., Mattox, J.M., and Brake, S.S., 2004, Effects of increased hydrologic input on AMD water chemistry at the Green Valley Mine, Indiana: Geol. Soc. America, North-Central Sect., v. 36, no. 3.

Shepherd, B.S.*, Wolf, S.F., Dannelly, H.K., Brake S.S., and Adamic, J.*, 2004, A quantitative comparison of the benefits of Euglena mutabilis and a similar species of euglena in acid mine drainage systems: Geol. soc. America, North-Central Sect., v. 36, no. 3.

Brake, S.S., Hasiotis, S.T., and Rogers, J.R., 2003, Microstructures and microorganisms in the macrofabric of iron stromatolites, Green Valley Mine, Indiana: Geol. Soc. America Annual Meeting, v. 34, no.7,p.150.

Unger, D.L.*, Brake, S.S., Wolf, S.F., Mattox, J.M., and Hasiotis, S.T., 2003, Investigation of water chemistry and preciptate composition in an acid mine drainage system at the Green Valley coal mine site, Indiana: Geol. Soc. America Annual Meeting, v.34,no.7,p.239.

Shepherd, B.S.*, Wolf, S.F., Dannelly, H.K., Brake, S.S., Vencel, J., and Bradberry, H., 2003, An evaluation of the potential benefits of an acidophilic protozoan in acid mine drainage systems: Geol. Soc. America Annual Meeting, v.34,no.7,p.149.

Dannelly, H.K., Brake, S.S., and Hasiotis, S., 2003, Characterization of the biofilm of stromatolite-like structures from acid mine drainage [abs.]; American Soc. for Microbiology, 103rd General Meeting.

Brake, S.S., Jensen, R.R., and Mattox, J.M., 2002, SMART Grant 2001: Measuring the effects of coal fly ash amended soils on the uptake of metals and stress in plants [invited abs.] Indiana Soc. Mining and Reclamation Annual Meeting.

Brake, S.S., Hasiotis, S.T., Dannelly, H.K., and Short, S.E.*, 2002, Diatoms in coal-related acid mine drainage [abs.]: Geol. Soc. America Annual Meetings (in review).

Arango, I., Brake, S.S., and Dannelly, H.K., 2002, Seasonal influences on the distribution of a beneficial protozoan in acid mine drainage [abs.]: Geol. Soc. America Annual Meetings, v.34, no.6, p493.

Mattox, J.M.*, Brake, S.S., Jensen, R.R., 2002, Temporal changes in trace metal uptake measured in plants grown in coal fly ash amended soils [abs.]: Geol. Soc. America Annual Meeting, v.34, no.6, p.417.

Mattox, J.M.*, Brake, S.S., Jensen, R.R., and Short S.E., 2002, Stressed out? Assessing trace metal uptake and stress in plants grown in coal fly ash-amended soils [abs.]: Geol. Soc. America, North-Central Sect., v. 34, no.2.

Arango, I., and Brake, S.S., 2002, Iron removal from acid mine drainage by an acidophilic protozoan [abs.]: Geol. Soc. America, North-Central Sect., v. 34, no.2.

Short, S.E.*, Speer, J., Wolf, S.F., Jackson, S.L., and Brake, S.S., 2002, Use of dendrochemistry to evaluate element uptake in black walnut trees growing on a coal waste pile in Indiana [abs.]: Geol. Soc. America Annual Meeting, v.34, no.6, p.259.

Brake, S.S., Hasiotis, S.T., and Short, S.E.*, 2001, Microbial eukaryotic ecology and preservation in an acid mine drainage system: Geol. Soc. America Annual Meeting, Abst. with Programs, v. 33, p. A365.

Brake, S.S., Connors, K.A., and Dannelly, K., 2001, Metal attenuation associated with a photosynthetic protozoan in acid mine drainage [Invited abs.]: Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

Arango, I., and Brake, S.S., 2001, Analysis of iron uptake and oxygenic photosynthesis by a beneficial acidophilic alga in acid mine drainage: Geol. Soc. America Annual Meeting, Abst. with Programs, v. 33, p. A5.

Mattox, J.M.*, Short, S.E.*, Jensen, R.R., and Brake, S.S., 2001, Preliminary analysis of the effects of coal fly ash-amended soils on the uptake of metals and stress in plants [Invited abs.]: Indiana Soc. Mining and Reclamation Annual Meeting.

Hasiotis, S.T., Brake, S.S., Dannelly, H.K., and Duncan, A., 2001, Eukaryote-dominated microbial communities that build iron stromatolites in acid mine drainage, western Indiana: An analog for Proterozoic banded iron formations and oxygenation of the early atmosphere? [Extended abs.]: 32ND Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.

Hasiotis, S.T., Brake, S.S., and Dannelly, H.K., 2001, An ecosystem engineer in acid mine drainage systems, western Indiana: Euglena mutabilis, an oxygenic, photosynthesizing, stromatolite-building protozoan making life possible for others: Geol. Soc. America, North-Central Sect., Abst. with Programs, v. 33.

Arango, I., Dannelly, H.K., and Brake, S.S., 2001, Measuring the rate of iron removal by an acidophilic protozoan, Euglena mutabilis, living in coal-related acid mine drainage: Geol. Soc. America, North-Central Sect., Abst. with Programs, v. 33.

Brake, S.S., Connors, K.A., Wells, T.J., and Mattox, J.M.*, 2000, Naturally occurring precipitate removal of contaminants from acid mine drainage at the Green Valley coal mine site, Vigo County, Indiana: Geol. Soc. America, North-Central Sect., Abst. with Programs, v. 32, p. A6.

Brake, S.S., Wells, T.J., Hasiotis, S.T., and Dannelly, H.K., 2000, Influence of water chemistry on the spatial distribution of a beneficial acidophilic protozoan in acid mine drainage: Geol. Soc. America Annual Meeting, Abst. with Programs, v. 32, p. A283.

Shumway, M., Dannelly, H.K., and Brake, S.S., 2000, Iron sequestering by Euglena mutabilis from acid mine drainage: 2000 General Meeting, American Soc. Microbiol.

Connors, K.A., Noble, D.C., Brake, S.S., Thomas, W.D., and Fleck, R.J., 1999, Gold and mercury mineralization associated with middle Miocene bimodal volcanism and faulting in the Goldbanks district, Pershing county, Nevada [extended abs.]: EOS, Trans. American Geophys. Union, 1999 Spring Meeting, v. 80, p. S372.

Brake, S.S., Ressel, M.W., Connors, K.A., Noble, D.C., and Weiss, S.I., 1998, Auto-alteration of dikes of the Matalla-Sta. Rosa center, Peru, the Carlin Trend and Bare Mtn., NV, by closed-system crystallization of CO2- and S-bearing magmas: Geol. Soc. America Annual Meeting, Abst. with Programs, v. 30, p. 377.

Brake, S.S., and Romberger, S.B., 1996, Precious metal transport and deposition: A case study of fluid inclusions and alteration assemblages at the New Savage Mine, Comstock District, Nevada: Geol. Soc. America, Abst. with Programs, v. 28, p. A152.