Global Lithospheric Architecture Mapping II. The continents have been rifted, or broken up, and collided, or re-assembled, along major zones of weakness many times throughout Earth's history. Boundaries between such continental domains focus large-scale movements of fluids that can produce giant ore deposits. This study will provide new perspectives on the localisation of world-class economic deposits, the Earth resources on which society depends. Innovations in imaging the deep Earth beneath co ....Global Lithospheric Architecture Mapping II. The continents have been rifted, or broken up, and collided, or re-assembled, along major zones of weakness many times throughout Earth's history. Boundaries between such continental domains focus large-scale movements of fluids that can produce giant ore deposits. This study will provide new perspectives on the localisation of world-class economic deposits, the Earth resources on which society depends. Innovations in imaging the deep Earth beneath continents, and in numerical modelling, will maintain our high international profile in research relevant to National Priority 1.6 (Developing Deep Earth Resources). Unique 3D geological maps of regions down to 250km will make the composition of deep Earth regions newly accessible to geoscientists and all potential endusers.Read moreRead less
The early tectonic evolution of the Curnamona Province. This project aims to test the hypothesis that the Curnamona Province preserves evidence for an extension-related structural geology architecture. This will allow a comparison of the basin evolution, crustal architecture and mechanisms of basin development between the Curnamona Province and well-understood basins of the Mount Isa Inlier. The project is expected to add value to pre-existing databases, and deliver a plate tectonic and str ....The early tectonic evolution of the Curnamona Province. This project aims to test the hypothesis that the Curnamona Province preserves evidence for an extension-related structural geology architecture. This will allow a comparison of the basin evolution, crustal architecture and mechanisms of basin development between the Curnamona Province and well-understood basins of the Mount Isa Inlier. The project is expected to add value to pre-existing databases, and deliver a plate tectonic and structural framework to interpret basin evolution and constrain geochronology/geochemical analysis, and develop a three-dimesional crustal architecture. The results will provide new constraints on the evolution of the Australian plate, and how the Australian crust has evolved.Read moreRead less
Coupled subduction dynamics and continent deformations: understanding the Asian and Red Sea tectonics. Modeling slab pull forces and lithospheric deformation provides a new insight in the dynamics of plate tectonics. Unraveling the self-consistent formation of faults, rifts, shear zones and up to passive margin will further the understanding of our planet. Furthermore the application of these models to specific geological contexts will support the exploration and assessment of inaccessible Ear ....Coupled subduction dynamics and continent deformations: understanding the Asian and Red Sea tectonics. Modeling slab pull forces and lithospheric deformation provides a new insight in the dynamics of plate tectonics. Unraveling the self-consistent formation of faults, rifts, shear zones and up to passive margin will further the understanding of our planet. Furthermore the application of these models to specific geological contexts will support the exploration and assessment of inaccessible Earth's resources, such as hydrocarbons pools, located along the deep Australian continent margins, and diamonds and ore deposits, associated with continental shear zones, which potential is still to be fully discovered.Read moreRead less
Developing a new tectonothermal and mineralization history for the Capricorn Orogen, Western Australia: Assisting mineral exploration in greenfields terrains. Successful exploration models rely on the development of a reliable geological framework through which to understand the specific processes responsible for the formation of economic ore deposits. A framework cannot be constructed without robust age data. This Project will apply advanced geochronology, combined with regional- and deposit-sc ....Developing a new tectonothermal and mineralization history for the Capricorn Orogen, Western Australia: Assisting mineral exploration in greenfields terrains. Successful exploration models rely on the development of a reliable geological framework through which to understand the specific processes responsible for the formation of economic ore deposits. A framework cannot be constructed without robust age data. This Project will apply advanced geochronology, combined with regional- and deposit-scale field mapping, to formulate a new and improved stratigraphic and tectonic framework for a prospective greenfields region in Western Australia. Outcomes from this Project will lead to more effective exploration models and thereby better exploration targeting. Reducing uncertainty and risk in exploration is key to the discovery and development of deep Earth resources. Read moreRead less
Composition, structure and evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath southern Africa: improving area selection criteria for diamond exploration. The project will provide new insights into the detailed structure of the deep Earth (to about 250 km) and identify and predict zones of weakness that could focus kimberlite magmas that carry diamonds to the surface. A better understanding of the nature and location of these structures will lead to improved models for diamond exploration, enhancing th ....Composition, structure and evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath southern Africa: improving area selection criteria for diamond exploration. The project will provide new insights into the detailed structure of the deep Earth (to about 250 km) and identify and predict zones of weakness that could focus kimberlite magmas that carry diamonds to the surface. A better understanding of the nature and location of these structures will lead to improved models for diamond exploration, enhancing the prospect of finding new deposits in Australia and abroad. Innovations in integrating information from geochemistry and geophysics, development of 3D imaging techniques, and extrapolation to past geological scenarios will provide new exploration tools, and also maintain our high international profile in research relevant to the National Priority on Developing Deep Earth Resources.Read moreRead less
Unearthing the Marginal Terranes of the South Australian Craton: Keystone of Proterozoic Australia. This project will investigate the buried geology of vast regions of northern South Australia that is likely to be compatible with rocks that host enormous mineral wealth including the giant Broken Hill and Olympic Dam deposits. We will access these buried rocks using a program of on-shore scientific drilling that will provide the ground truth for multi-million dollar federal and state government ....Unearthing the Marginal Terranes of the South Australian Craton: Keystone of Proterozoic Australia. This project will investigate the buried geology of vast regions of northern South Australia that is likely to be compatible with rocks that host enormous mineral wealth including the giant Broken Hill and Olympic Dam deposits. We will access these buried rocks using a program of on-shore scientific drilling that will provide the ground truth for multi-million dollar federal and state government funded geophysical data acquisition. Results will help identify prospective mineral belts and determine the processes responsible for their formation.Read moreRead less
Neoproterozoic global geodynamic and climatic events: were they linked? This project will study a unique cluster of global geodynamic and climatic events 850-700 million years ago that will help us to understand the interactions between the Earth's deep mantle, its crust, and its atmospheric climate. Academic values aside, the work will bring direct benefit to the Australian industry. Knowledge on the distribution of the Neoproterozoic plume events will provide new exploration targets for Ni-Cu- ....Neoproterozoic global geodynamic and climatic events: were they linked? This project will study a unique cluster of global geodynamic and climatic events 850-700 million years ago that will help us to understand the interactions between the Earth's deep mantle, its crust, and its atmospheric climate. Academic values aside, the work will bring direct benefit to the Australian industry. Knowledge on the distribution of the Neoproterozoic plume events will provide new exploration targets for Ni-Cu-PGE and V-Ti deposits. Better constrained palaeogeography will help to locate mineral-rich crustal provinces that were once connected. Understanding climatic consequences of global geodynamic events will help to better understand and respond to climate changes. Read moreRead less
Tectonic mode switches and the nature of orogenesis. Tectonic mode switches coincide with short periods of time during which base and precious metals, as well as diamond-bearing kimberlites are emplaced into the continental crust. Our research is aimed at uncovering why this should be so, thereby perhaps solving a riddle that is at the present little more than an oddity in respect to mineral exploration. If we can understand the underlying science we may be able to provide practical benefits t ....Tectonic mode switches and the nature of orogenesis. Tectonic mode switches coincide with short periods of time during which base and precious metals, as well as diamond-bearing kimberlites are emplaced into the continental crust. Our research is aimed at uncovering why this should be so, thereby perhaps solving a riddle that is at the present little more than an oddity in respect to mineral exploration. If we can understand the underlying science we may be able to provide practical benefits to mineral explorers. The project uses modelling and simulation research infrastructure provided by the AuScope NCRIS initiative, and benefits the community by returning data to this organization.Read moreRead less
Numerical modelling of deformation partitioning and its role in metamorphism, tectonism and mineralization. Targeting blind mineralization is the biggest problem facing the Australian mining industry. The modelling developed in this project will integrate deformation, fluid and chemical processes and provide a means for understanding the deformation partitioning that localizes epigenetic ore regionally as well as along portions of large-scale structures. Applying this to known ore deposits may ....Numerical modelling of deformation partitioning and its role in metamorphism, tectonism and mineralization. Targeting blind mineralization is the biggest problem facing the Australian mining industry. The modelling developed in this project will integrate deformation, fluid and chemical processes and provide a means for understanding the deformation partitioning that localizes epigenetic ore regionally as well as along portions of large-scale structures. Applying this to known ore deposits may delineate adjacent plus regionally distributed zones where the deformation event responsible for mineralization is locally present at sufficient intensity to form ore. This would allow targeted deep drilling in ground with no ore close to the surface saving millions in drilling costs and dramatically increasing the financial viability of this industry. Read moreRead less
Defects and Deformation in Olivine: From Molecules to Mantle. This project establishes the role of hydrogen in controlling olivine deformation, plate tectonics and mantle geodynamics. The unique application of innovative nanoscale simulation, microscale observation and geophysical characterisation ensures that results will have far-reaching impact in the Australian and International Earth Science community. In particular, our results will enable greater understanding of water migration in the m ....Defects and Deformation in Olivine: From Molecules to Mantle. This project establishes the role of hydrogen in controlling olivine deformation, plate tectonics and mantle geodynamics. The unique application of innovative nanoscale simulation, microscale observation and geophysical characterisation ensures that results will have far-reaching impact in the Australian and International Earth Science community. In particular, our results will enable greater understanding of water migration in the mantle, the formation of deep Earth mineral resources and lead to significant improvements in the interpretation of geophysical variations in Earth's lithosphere.Read moreRead less