Understanding the stratigraphic and structural architecture of late Archean basins and the context of their gold deposits. Gold mined from Archean rocks contributed $4.0 billion to Australia's export income in 2006 and provided the backbone of support for many remote communities. However, production has fallen 40% since 1997 and will be exhausted within 15 years unless major new discoveries are made. The potential to find additional gold deposits remains high, but urgently requires new data and ....Understanding the stratigraphic and structural architecture of late Archean basins and the context of their gold deposits. Gold mined from Archean rocks contributed $4.0 billion to Australia's export income in 2006 and provided the backbone of support for many remote communities. However, production has fallen 40% since 1997 and will be exhausted within 15 years unless major new discoveries are made. The potential to find additional gold deposits remains high, but urgently requires new data and improved exploration techniques to assist in their discovery. The results of this integrated multidisciplinary project will help to arrest the declining discovery rate and thereby sustain this important Australian industry.Read moreRead less
Global Lithosphere Architecture Mapping. Compositional domains in the subcontinental lithospheric mantle reflect the processes of continental assembly and breakup through Earth's history. Their boundaries may focus the fluid movements that produce giant ore deposits. Mapping these boundaries will provide fundamental insights into Earth processes and a basis for the targeting of mineral exploration. We will integrate mantle petrology, tectonic synthesis and geophysical analysis to produce the f ....Global Lithosphere Architecture Mapping. Compositional domains in the subcontinental lithospheric mantle reflect the processes of continental assembly and breakup through Earth's history. Their boundaries may focus the fluid movements that produce giant ore deposits. Mapping these boundaries will provide fundamental insights into Earth processes and a basis for the targeting of mineral exploration. We will integrate mantle petrology, tectonic synthesis and geophysical analysis to produce the first maps of the architecture of the continental lithosphere, to depths of ca 250 km. These maps will provide a unique perspective on global dynamics and continental evolution, and on the relationships between lithosphere domains and large-scale mineralisation.Read moreRead less