Petrological and Geophysical Constraints on the Architecture of Australia's Lithospheric Mantle
Channel: GeoscienceAustralia
Date: 2023-06-09

Geophysical studies on Australia’s lithospheric mantle have highlighted the important role that lithospheric thickness and composition play in the distribution of ore deposits.

To further advance our understanding of Australia’s lithospheric mantle using natural datasets we have experimentally developed new geothermobarometric techniques that allow the pressure and temperature histories of mantle xenoliths to be resolved, and collected and analysed over 20,000 mantle xenoliths/xenocrysts from over 40 volcanic pipes across the Australian continent. New data has been used to reconstruct the paleo lithosphere asthenosphere boundary (LAB) and lithological/geochemical profiles for the Kimberley Craton and Gawler Craton. When combined with updated geophysical datasets, such as magnetotellurics and seismic receiver functions, the lithological/geochemical profiles provide important insights into the compositions of conductive anomalies and geophysical discontinuities, including the elusive mid-lithosphere discontinuity.