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Constraints on continental crustal thickness and density structure

Created 16/10/2025

Updated 16/10/2025

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Output Type: Exploring for the Future Extended Abstract

Short Abstract: The continental crust directly hosts or underlies almost all mineral resources on which society depends. Despite its obvious importance its structure is poorly characterised. In particular, its density is surprisingly poorly constrained because it is difficult to directly image from the surface. Here we collate a global database of crustal thickness and velocity constraints. In combination with a compilation of published laboratory experimental constraints on seismic velocity at a range of pressures, we develop a scheme with which to convert seismic velocities into density as a function of pressure and temperature. We apply this approach to the Australian crystalline basement. We find that the Australian crust is highly heterogeneous, ranging in bulk density from 2.7—3.0 g cm-3. Finally, we explore the utility of our database for testing hypotheses about the location and endowment of mineral resources using porphyry copper deposits as an example. Our results provide an improved framework with which to explore the subsidence and thermal evolution of sedimentary basins, as well as probing relationships between deposit types and crustal architecture.

Citation: Stephenson, S.N., Hoggard, M.J., Haynes, M.W., Czarnota, K. & Hejrani, B., 2024. Constraints on continental crustal thickness and density structure. In: Czarnota, K. (ed.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, https://doi.org/10.26186/149336

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Additional Info

Field Value
Title Constraints on continental crustal thickness and density structure
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/3638ddc1-d722-4d25-a182-18377a027ac8
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia Data
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 09/08/2024
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
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}
Data Portal Geoscience Australia

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Geoscience Australia "Constraints on continental crustal thickness and density structure". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/constraints-on-continental-crustal-thickness-and-density-structure