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
Deep Crustal Section Through a Late Archaean Orogen (Greenland): Archaean Crustal Sutures, Abyssal Peridotites and Gold. Did plate tectonics operate in Earth's early times - the Archaean (before 2500 million years ago)? This is important for understanding Australia's rich Archaean gold mineralisation. Using plate tectonics, young mountains like the European Alps formed when once distant continents collided. The project will investigate the origins of a deeply-eroded, superbly-exposed Archaean Gr ....Deep Crustal Section Through a Late Archaean Orogen (Greenland): Archaean Crustal Sutures, Abyssal Peridotites and Gold. Did plate tectonics operate in Earth's early times - the Archaean (before 2500 million years ago)? This is important for understanding Australia's rich Archaean gold mineralisation. Using plate tectonics, young mountains like the European Alps formed when once distant continents collided. The project will investigate the origins of a deeply-eroded, superbly-exposed Archaean Greenland mountain belt and its gold mineralisation. This is to establish whether it represents a deep section through an Archaean continent-continent collision formed via ancient plate tectonics and also to provide insight into Australia's important Archaean gold deposits and to produce models to help search for more gold.Read moreRead less
The Genesis and Tectonic Setting of Iron Oxide Associated Mineralisation in Germany and South Australia. FeOx associated mineralisations are not restricted to Olympic Dam and Ernest Henry types but occur in various geological settings, e.g. the Mt Painter and Olary region, S A. Ocurrences in Central Europe (Erzgebirge, Harz/Calvörde) contain U and other metals, their structural setting is well recorded. Together with the Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany, and the University of Nancy, France, these ....The Genesis and Tectonic Setting of Iron Oxide Associated Mineralisation in Germany and South Australia. FeOx associated mineralisations are not restricted to Olympic Dam and Ernest Henry types but occur in various geological settings, e.g. the Mt Painter and Olary region, S A. Ocurrences in Central Europe (Erzgebirge, Harz/Calvörde) contain U and other metals, their structural setting is well recorded. Together with the Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany, and the University of Nancy, France, these mineralisations shall be investigated with modern geological and geochemical methods to develop a unifying model for the genesis of iron oxide associated U-metal-REE deposits. This will help identifying exploration targets and distinguish different types of mineralisation upon their genetic setting.Read moreRead less
The enigmatic link between crustal growth and supercontinent formation. This project links with major energy and resource initiatives from the Australian Government. It will provide detailed geological information that will help constrain our understanding of the deep structure of the Earth in northern and central Australia. This knowledge will assist in mineral and energy resource exploration of these highly prospective regions. The information will also link with other ARC-funded geological st ....The enigmatic link between crustal growth and supercontinent formation. This project links with major energy and resource initiatives from the Australian Government. It will provide detailed geological information that will help constrain our understanding of the deep structure of the Earth in northern and central Australia. This knowledge will assist in mineral and energy resource exploration of these highly prospective regions. The information will also link with other ARC-funded geological studies, to help understand how a large, but enigmatic, part of the Australian continental grew rapidly, almost 2 billion years ago.
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A test for Pangean breakup models. This project addresses a core issue of planetary-geology, with project outcomes providing an unparalleled synthesis of global-scale Earth processes that highlight hitherto unsuspected links between peripheral orogenic systems and Pangean breakup. The project directly addresses the key problem 'How do the continents work?', outlined by the National Committee of Earth Sciences. It links internationally to [ERAS], a multi-national proposal to investigate accretion ....A test for Pangean breakup models. This project addresses a core issue of planetary-geology, with project outcomes providing an unparalleled synthesis of global-scale Earth processes that highlight hitherto unsuspected links between peripheral orogenic systems and Pangean breakup. The project directly addresses the key problem 'How do the continents work?', outlined by the National Committee of Earth Sciences. It links internationally to [ERAS], a multi-national proposal to investigate accretionary orogens through geologic time, and nationally via the seed-funded ARC Network (AEON) to ACcess, RSES (ANU) and with a National Key Centre, (GEMOC), with whom the University of Newcastle is a research partner. 2PhD projects are involved.Read moreRead less
Tectonic paradox of the E margin of the Australian plate, 120 - 45 Ma. Available geological evidence indicates that massive extension of continental crust occurred from 120-45 million years ago at the eastern margin of the Australian plate. In contrast, global plate movement models indicate that there was convergence between the Pacific and Australian plates, implying subduction and island arc magmatism. We propose a marine research expedition to dredge rocks from scarps of the submarine ridges ....Tectonic paradox of the E margin of the Australian plate, 120 - 45 Ma. Available geological evidence indicates that massive extension of continental crust occurred from 120-45 million years ago at the eastern margin of the Australian plate. In contrast, global plate movement models indicate that there was convergence between the Pacific and Australian plates, implying subduction and island arc magmatism. We propose a marine research expedition to dredge rocks from scarps of the submarine ridges east of Australia. Geochemical signatures and dating of the dredged rocks should elucidate the geological evolution of this region, improve our understanding of eastern Australian geology, and better define Australia's Maritime Jurisdiction Zone along the eastern seaboard.Read moreRead less
Role of Crustal Processes in Archaean Cratonisation: A Case Study from the East Pilbara Granite-Greenstone Terrain, W.A. The formation of stable cratons is a fundamental aspect of continental evolution, and often follows a protracted, episodic history of crustal reworking. This project will examine the geology of the Early Archaean (>3200 million years) East Pilbara Granite-Greenstone Terrain, in order to evaluate the extent to which the uniquely Early Archaean, large-scale 'dome-and-keel' crust ....Role of Crustal Processes in Archaean Cratonisation: A Case Study from the East Pilbara Granite-Greenstone Terrain, W.A. The formation of stable cratons is a fundamental aspect of continental evolution, and often follows a protracted, episodic history of crustal reworking. This project will examine the geology of the Early Archaean (>3200 million years) East Pilbara Granite-Greenstone Terrain, in order to evaluate the extent to which the uniquely Early Archaean, large-scale 'dome-and-keel' crustal architecture contributed to the thermal and mechanical stabilisation of the Earth's oldest craton. The results will have important implications for the influence of radiogenic heat production redistribution on the intensity, style and duration of tectonic activity predating cratonisation of continental lithosphere throughout the Earth's history.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
How responsive are continental interiors to the geodynamic evolution of plate margins? An Australian case study. The outcomes of this project will advance our understanding of the evolution and dynamics of the Australian plate by improving knowledge of the way plate driving forces shaped the continental interior. This will lead to a refinement of existing geological models describing the history of the Australian continent, and will provide a valuable backdrop for the current focus on the cont ....How responsive are continental interiors to the geodynamic evolution of plate margins? An Australian case study. The outcomes of this project will advance our understanding of the evolution and dynamics of the Australian plate by improving knowledge of the way plate driving forces shaped the continental interior. This will lead to a refinement of existing geological models describing the history of the Australian continent, and will provide a valuable backdrop for the current focus on the contemporary state of the Australian plate. The study will also provide a framework for petroleum exploration models in the central Australian basins, since they rely crucially on the thermal and structural datasets that will be produced in this project.Read moreRead less