Gawler Craton: ARC Linkage Grant
Developing a Tectonic Framework for the Gawler Craton
Paving the way for Successful Mineral Exploration Programs
The Australian Research Council (ARC) announced on 15 October 2003 that it has approved funding for a collaborative research project entitled “Developing a Tectonic Framework for the Gawler Craton: Paving the way for Successful Mineral Exploration Programs”.
|
Year |
ARC Contribution |
PIRSA Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | $150,000 | $54,825 |
| 2005 | $150,000 | $54,825 |
| 2006 | $150,000 | $60,100 |
| 2007 | $51,444 | $59,650 |
| 2008 | $75,000 | $62,500 |
| Total | $576,444 | $291,900 |
Project Aim
The aim of this project is to develop a coherent integrated tectonic framework for the evolution of the late Archaean to Mesoproterozoic Gawler Craton in Southern Australia. This region is internationally known for hosting the immense Olympic Dam Fe-oxide Cu-U-Au-REE deposit, and the significance of the craton as a target for mineral exploration has been further enhanced by the recently discovered Prominent Hill prospect. However despite containing a number of highly prospective rock systems such as the late Archaean Harris Greenstone Belt and the eastern Gawler Craton Cu-Au province in comparison with other Australian terrains of late Archaean and/or Palaeoproterozoic age (e.g. Yilgarn Craton, North Australian Craton, Curnamona Province), the volume of mineral exploration activity is comparatively small.
Background
The development of effective mineral exploration strategies in complex basement terrains is increasingly reliant on highly integrated data-rich tectonic models that describe the full terrain history. Such tectonic models allow a systems-based approach to mineral exploration, where the potential for certain styles of mineralisation can be ranked against terrain evolution variables such as denudation depth and magmatic styles which directly affect the likelihood of deposit generation and preservation.
This project forms a major part of the Gawler Craton Team’s five year strategic plan to develop effective exploration strategies for the Gawler Craton. In turn, the Gawler Craton Strategic Plan is a strong component in the vision of Minerals and Energy to generate $100 million dollars per annum in mineral exploration investment in South Australia by 2007.
Research Partnerships
The project partners involve: (1) the Continental Evolution Research Group in Geology and Geophysics at the University of Adelaide, (2) the Australian Crustal Research Centre at Monash University and (3) Minerals and Energy of the Department of Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (as Industry Partner). Together the partners in this project will focus a strong multi-skilled team targeted at developing a comprehensive framework for the tectonic evolution of the Gawler Craton.
Collaborators
The main collaborators in this project are:
The University of Adelaide
- Dr Martin Hand
- Dr Graham Heinson
- Dr Karin Barovich
- Dr Nick Direen
Monash University
- Dr Bruce Schaefer
- Dr Peter Betts
- Dr Steven Beresford
Primary Industries and Resources, South Australia
- Dr Martin Fairclough
- Page URL: http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/minerals/geological_survey_of_sa/geology/geological_provinces/gawler_craton/gawler_agc_linkgage
- Page Last Modified: November 8, 2011