The dynamic strength of continents and how they break apart. Sedimentary basins formed as a result of continental extension are the source of many oil and gas and geothermal resources. The geometries of the deepest part of these basins and their temporal and thermal evolution, are essential for basin prospectivity, but can seldom be investigated directly. This Australia-based project is expected to overhaul how we understand continental deformation, which is a crucial, but relatively vaguely und ....The dynamic strength of continents and how they break apart. Sedimentary basins formed as a result of continental extension are the source of many oil and gas and geothermal resources. The geometries of the deepest part of these basins and their temporal and thermal evolution, are essential for basin prospectivity, but can seldom be investigated directly. This Australia-based project is expected to overhaul how we understand continental deformation, which is a crucial, but relatively vaguely understood, component of plate tectonics. By modelling continental extension, the project will improve our understanding of basin development, deep geometry, and heat distribution, providing the basis for new applied and specific research projects directed at enhancing energy resource exploration. Read moreRead less
Proterozoic tectonic evolution of Australia and India. Recent studies cast doubt on reconstructions of the Neoproterozoic supercontinent Rodinia, and on the tectonic coherence of East Gondwanaland (Australia, Antarctica and India). Within Australia, the relative positions of the major crustal blocks during most of the Proterozoic era remain largely unverified. Fossil magnetism in rocks of different ages from the major crustal blocks of Australia and India will be used to determine whether the ....Proterozoic tectonic evolution of Australia and India. Recent studies cast doubt on reconstructions of the Neoproterozoic supercontinent Rodinia, and on the tectonic coherence of East Gondwanaland (Australia, Antarctica and India). Within Australia, the relative positions of the major crustal blocks during most of the Proterozoic era remain largely unverified. Fossil magnetism in rocks of different ages from the major crustal blocks of Australia and India will be used to determine whether the blocks were together or were separated by large oceans during Proterozoic time. The results will place fundamental constraints on the geological, palaeogeographic, and palaeobiological evolution of Australia, Rodinia, and the early Earth as a whole.Read moreRead less
Integrating Stress and Strain Data from the North West Shelf, Australia: Implications for Hydrocarbon Seal Integrity. Many exploration wells in the Australian North West Shelf encounter residual columns from which hydrocarbons have leaked due to fault reactivation. Recently there has been a significant increase in our knowledge of contemporary stress (from data such as borehole breakouts)
and strain (from fault reactivation styles) on the North West Shelf.
This project will integrate informati ....Integrating Stress and Strain Data from the North West Shelf, Australia: Implications for Hydrocarbon Seal Integrity. Many exploration wells in the Australian North West Shelf encounter residual columns from which hydrocarbons have leaked due to fault reactivation. Recently there has been a significant increase in our knowledge of contemporary stress (from data such as borehole breakouts)
and strain (from fault reactivation styles) on the North West Shelf.
This project will integrate information on stress and strain in order to investigate whether the current state-of-stress is consistent with
observed reactivation styles, and thus develop predictive models for
fault reactivation and hydrocarbon leakage based on the distribution of
stress and strain.Read moreRead less
The neo- and seismo-tectonics of northwestern Australia. Australia's two largest earthquakes occurred in NW Australia (magnitudes 7 and 7.9 in 1941 and 1906). Onshore and offshore geologic evidence indicates other such events in recent geological history. Our present seismic database records no such events. We propose to document the nature, frequency, intensity, distribution and possible causes of seismicity in NW Australia, through deployment of seismograph arrays. We will test the effects ....The neo- and seismo-tectonics of northwestern Australia. Australia's two largest earthquakes occurred in NW Australia (magnitudes 7 and 7.9 in 1941 and 1906). Onshore and offshore geologic evidence indicates other such events in recent geological history. Our present seismic database records no such events. We propose to document the nature, frequency, intensity, distribution and possible causes of seismicity in NW Australia, through deployment of seismograph arrays. We will test the effects of basement reactivation, determine the crustal structure beneath the cratonic mass, examine onshore and offshore faults, determine local and regional stress orientations and investigate implications for petroleum production in the region, and whether natural resource extraction causes local seismicity.Read moreRead less
Accessory REE-phosphates as tracers of heat and fluids in time and space. This project will provide fundamental information vital for the widespread application of a new and developing technique for dating rocks and ore bodies that formed at geologically low temperatures. The technique will benefit the Australian mining industry by improving models for the formation of ore deposits, thereby reducing the financial risk involved in discovering new resources. Results will highlight the value of ano ....Accessory REE-phosphates as tracers of heat and fluids in time and space. This project will provide fundamental information vital for the widespread application of a new and developing technique for dating rocks and ore bodies that formed at geologically low temperatures. The technique will benefit the Australian mining industry by improving models for the formation of ore deposits, thereby reducing the financial risk involved in discovering new resources. Results will highlight the value of another Australian invention - the SHRIMP - in resolving both fundamental and applied geological problems, encouraging the uptake of this technology overseas. Outcomes from this project will enhance Australia's scientific reputation as a world leader in geochronology and economic geology.Read moreRead less
A Pan African-aged suture zone in western Madagascar: Tracking the lost Mozambique Ocean. The aims of the project are to identify and locate a major suture in western Madagascar i.e, between Africa and Madagascar. The precise age of this suture will ba dated using U/Pb zircon geochronology, Ar / Ar analysis combined with on-site fieldwork. The project also aims to provide a coherent geotectonic framework for the Madagascar microcontinent both north and south of the Ranotsara Shear Zone. The p ....A Pan African-aged suture zone in western Madagascar: Tracking the lost Mozambique Ocean. The aims of the project are to identify and locate a major suture in western Madagascar i.e, between Africa and Madagascar. The precise age of this suture will ba dated using U/Pb zircon geochronology, Ar / Ar analysis combined with on-site fieldwork. The project also aims to provide a coherent geotectonic framework for the Madagascar microcontinent both north and south of the Ranotsara Shear Zone. The project has significant implications for the reconstruction and continental configuration of both Gondwanaland and Rodinia.Read moreRead less
Evolution of a two billion year subduction zone: Insights from the integration of microstructure and geochronology. The dynamic evolution of the earth is fundamentally linked to its thermal history. Since, the internal heat production of the earth has changed over time, plate tectonic processes may also have changed over earth history. The manner and timing of this change is highly controversial. We aim to address the nature of tectonic processes 2 billion years ago by studying one of the wor ....Evolution of a two billion year subduction zone: Insights from the integration of microstructure and geochronology. The dynamic evolution of the earth is fundamentally linked to its thermal history. Since, the internal heat production of the earth has changed over time, plate tectonic processes may also have changed over earth history. The manner and timing of this change is highly controversial. We aim to address the nature of tectonic processes 2 billion years ago by studying one of the world's oldest subduction zones (the Usagarian belt in Tanzania). The geometry, kinematics and deformation history of the subduction complex will be integrated with radiometric age dating to quantify the style and rates of ancient tectonic processes.Read moreRead less
Crustal-Scale Fluid Flow in Deep Intracontinental Settings: Conditions, Sources and Deformational Responses. Fluids are important agents of heat and mass transport in the Earth's crust. They play a key role in the mobilisation of metals and as such play a crucial role in the generation of ore deposits. The outcomes of this project will result in a greater understanding of the mechanisms and sources of fluid generation and mobilisation in deep-crustal settings. These outcomes can be related direc ....Crustal-Scale Fluid Flow in Deep Intracontinental Settings: Conditions, Sources and Deformational Responses. Fluids are important agents of heat and mass transport in the Earth's crust. They play a key role in the mobilisation of metals and as such play a crucial role in the generation of ore deposits. The outcomes of this project will result in a greater understanding of the mechanisms and sources of fluid generation and mobilisation in deep-crustal settings. These outcomes can be related directly to the understanding of the controls on the transport and deposition of metals and hence the formation of mineral resources which are vital to maintaining a strong Australian economy.Read moreRead less
Application of the Wavelet Transform to Isostatic Analyses in Australia. Existing methods of determining the Earth's isostatic response assume ideal but unrealistic conditions. This project will develop a new technique for isostatic analysis, using the two-dimensional wavelet transform. This tool can resolve spectral components of geophysical data in the space domain, thus avoiding the problems arising during the conventional Fourier analysis. With innovative processing methods, maps of the crus ....Application of the Wavelet Transform to Isostatic Analyses in Australia. Existing methods of determining the Earth's isostatic response assume ideal but unrealistic conditions. This project will develop a new technique for isostatic analysis, using the two-dimensional wavelet transform. This tool can resolve spectral components of geophysical data in the space domain, thus avoiding the problems arising during the conventional Fourier analysis. With innovative processing methods, maps of the crustal thickness from gravity and topography data can be generated, a task usually reserved for costly seismic experiments. Analysis of the wavelet power spectrum would also benefit the exploration industry by identifying previously unknown sedimentary basins.Read moreRead less
Tectonothermal and mineralization history of banded iron formations of the north Pilbara Craton. Iron ore is Australia's largest single export commodity, accounting for 8% ($12.8 billion) of total merchandise exports in 2006. Most of that value comes from the Pilbara region of Australia. Discovery rates of new deposits have declined over the past two decades, while many mines are nearing the end of production. Exploration expenditure has also declined. There is therefore an urgent need to reinvi ....Tectonothermal and mineralization history of banded iron formations of the north Pilbara Craton. Iron ore is Australia's largest single export commodity, accounting for 8% ($12.8 billion) of total merchandise exports in 2006. Most of that value comes from the Pilbara region of Australia. Discovery rates of new deposits have declined over the past two decades, while many mines are nearing the end of production. Exploration expenditure has also declined. There is therefore an urgent need to reinvigorate exploration to maintain an industry that underpins much of Australia's regional wealth. Outcomes of the project will provide exploration with improved geological tools with which to develop superior exploration models and thereby better direct exploration strategies.Read moreRead less