Initial lead isotope ratios from Archean volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) and lode gold deposits and neodymium isotope model ages from igneous rocks from the geological provinces that host these deposits identify systematic spatial and temporal patterns, both within and between the provinces. The Abitibi-Wawa Subprovince of the Superior Province is characterized by highly juvenile lead and neodymium. Most other Archean provinces, however, are characterized by more evolved isotopes, although domains within them can be characterized by juvenile isotope ratios. Metal endowment (measured as the quantity of metal contained in geological resources per unit surface area) of VHMS and komatiite-associated nickel sulfide (KANS) deposits is related to the isotopic character, and therefore the tectonic history, of provinces that host these deposits. Provinces with extensive juvenile crust have significantly higher endowment of VHMS deposits, possibly as a consequence of higher heat flow and extension-related faults. Provinces with evolved crust have higher endowment of KANS deposits, possibly because such crust provided either a source of sulfur or a stable substrate for komatiite emplacement. In any case, initial radiogenic isotope ratios can be useful in predicting the endowment of Archean terranes for VHMS and KANS deposits. Limited data suggest similar relationships may hold in younger terranes.

The Australian Proterozoic Large Igneous Provinces GIS Dataset is designed for display at a nominal 1:5 000 000 scale, showing the time-space distribution of Proterozoic Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) in Australia. Large Igneous Provinces are relatively rare magmatic events distinguished by exceptionally large volumes of mafic dominated magma emplaced over short geological periods of a few millions years or less. Five major LIPs have been recognised, or proposed, so far in Australia, beginning with the ~1780 Ma Hart LIP, followed by the ~1210 Ma Marnda Moorn LIP, the ~1070 Ma Warakurna LIP, the ~825 Ma Gairdner LIP, and the ~510 Ma Kalkarindji LIP. The early Cambrian Kalkarindji LIP is included in this Proterozoic compilation because of its size and importance. Only the youngest two of these LIPs (Gairdner and Kalkarindji) are established as comagmatic provinces based on both time correlation and geochemical equivalence. The other proposed LIPs (Hart, Marnda Moorn and Warakurna) are based on time equivalence alone. For further information on the five proposed Proterozoic LIPs refer to the guide to using the map of Australian Proterozoic Large Igneous Provinces (Geoscience Australia Record 2009/44). Earlier released extracts include two pdf maps of Australian Proterozoic Large Igneous Provinces and an accompanying Geoscience Australia Record. This release presents the Australian Proterozoic Large Igneous Provinces as a GIS dataset and it should be used in conjunction with the Australian Mafic Ultramafic Magmatic Events GIS Dataset released by Geoscience Australia in 2014 (<a href="https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/82166">link</a>). This file geodatabase that contains points, lines and polygons representing mafic and ultramafic rocks in Australia which have been placed in a magmatic event framework in time and space, primarily based on geochronological data. Together, these datasets provide comprehensive information on the evolution of mafic-ultramafic magmatism associated with the Australian continent, and will be of interest to explorers in the search of magmatic ore deposits of nickel, platinum-group elements, chromium, titanium, and vanadium.

Over the last fifteen years, Geoscience Australia, through its Onshore Energy Security Program, in conjunction with Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA), the Geological Survey of New South Wales (Industry & Investment NSW), the Australian Geodynamics Cooperative Research Centre, and the Predictive Mineral Discovery Cooperative Research Centre (pmd*CRC), has acquired several deep seismic reflection profiles, which, when combined, form an east-west transect about 870 km long in southeastern Australia. The seismic data vary from low-fold, dynamite-source to higher-fold, vibroseis-source data. The combined seismic profiles, from the western Eyre Peninsula to the Darling Basin, provide a near complete cross-section of the crust across the Gawler Craton, Adelaide Rift System, Curnamona Province, Koonenberry Belt and Darling Basin. The entire region is dominated by east-dipping faults, some of which originated as basin-bounding extensional faults, but most appear also to have a thrust sense of movement overprinting the extension. In the Gawler Craton, an inferred shallow, thin-skinned thrust belt occurs to the west of an inferred thick-skinned thrust belt. The boundary between the two thrust belts, the Kalinjala Mylonite Zone, was active at least during the Kimban Orogeny, with possible extensional movement at that time. The thrust movement possibly occurred during the ~1600 Ma Olarian Orogeny.

Summary of forward gravity and flexure modelling of the New Caledonia Trough to highlight temporal variations in lithospheric rigidity during its evolution.

As part of initiatives by the Australian and Queensland Governments to support energy security and mineral exploration, a deep seismic reflection and magnetotelluric survey was conducted in 2007 to establish the architecture and geodynamic framework of north Queensland. With additional support from AuScope, nearly 1400 km of seismic data were acquired along four lines, extending from near Cloncurry in the west to almost the Queensland coast.

The Georgina-Arunta deep seismic reflection line (09GA-GA1) has provided an image of the entire crust in this part of central Australia. At a first approximation, beneath the Neoproterozoic-Devonian sedimentary basins, the crust can be divided into four distinct regions, namely, the Aileron, Irindina and Davenport Provinces, and the Ooratippra Seismic Province. Each of these regions is separated from each other by major, crustal-scale faults. The observed crustal architecture has implications for geodynamic models for the evolution of the region, implying amalgamation of these crustal blocks in the Paleoproterozoic and major shortening and basin inversion in the Paleozoic.

As part of initiatives by the Australian and Queensland Governments to support energy security and mineral exploration, a deep seismic reflection survey was conducted in 2007 to establish the architecture and geodynamic framework of north Queensland. With additional support from AuScope, nearly 1400 km of seismic data were acquired along four lines, extending from near Cloncurry in the west to almost the Queensland coast. Important results based on the interpretation of the deep seismic data include: (1) A major, west-dipping, Paleo-proterozoic (or older) crustal boundary, which we interpret as a suture, separates relatively homogenous, thick crust of the Mt Isa Province from thinner, two layered crust to the east. This boundary is also imaged by magnetotelluric data and 3D inversion of aeromagnetic and gravity data. (2) East of the Mt Isa Province the lower crust is highly reflective and has been subdivided into three mappable seismic provinces (Numil, Abingdon and Agwamin) which are not exposed at the surface. Nd model ages from granites sampled at the surface above the western Numil and central Abingdon Seismic Provinces have very similar Nd model ages, suggesting that both provinces may have had a very similar geological history. By contrast, granites sampled above the eastern Agwamin Seismic Province have much younger Nd model ages, implying a significantly younger component in the lower crust; we consider that the Agwamin Seismic Province contains a strong Grenvillean-age component.

In 2009, as part of its Onshore Energy Security Program, Geoscience Australia, in conjunction with the Northern Territory Geological Survey, acquired 373 km of vibroseis-source, deep seismic reflection, magnetotelluric and gravity data along a single north-south traverse from the Todd River in the south to nearly 30 km north of the Sandover Highway in the north. This traverse, 09GA-GA1, is referred to as the Georgina-Arunta seismic line, extends from the northeastern Amadeus Basin, across the Casey Inlier, Irindina and Aileron provinces of the Arunta Region and Georgina Basin to the southernmost Davenport Province. Here, we report the results of an initial geological interpretation of the seismic and magnetotelluric data, and discuss some preliminary geodynamic implications.

Beginning in the Archean, the continent of Australia evolved to its present configuration through the accretion and assembly of several smaller continental blocks and terranes at its edges. Australia grew usually by convergent plate margin processes, such as arc-continent collision, continent-continent collision or through accretionary processes at subduction zones. The accretion of several island arcs to the Australian continent, through arc-continent collisions, played an important role in this process, and the geodynamic implications of some Archean and Proterozoic island arcs recognised in Australia will be discussed here.

Six deep seismic reflection profiles totalling ~900 km were acquired across the Mount Isa Province in 2006 (Figure 1). Each vibe point was recorded to ~20 s TWT (two-way travel time), which equates to ~60 km depth. The aims of the survey were to develop a 3D model and a geodynamic history of the province, link deep crustal structure with known mineral deposits, and demonstrate the potential of deep seismic surveys in mineral exploration