3638ddc1-d722-4d25-a182-18377a027ac8 urn:uuid eng UTF-8 nonGeographicDataset nonGeographicDataset 2025-10-16T06:32:49 creation ISO 19115 2016 Constraints on continental crustal thickness and density structure 3638ddc1-d722-4d25-a182-18377a027ac8 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 {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-180.0, -90.0], [180.0, -90.0], [180.0, 90.0], [-180.0, 90.0], [-180.0, -90.0]]]} -180.0 180.0 -90.0 90.0 Australia’s Resources Framework Copper porphyry Crustal Structure EFTF – Exploring for the Future Geology Geophysics H-k stacking Lithospheric Geophysics Published_External Receiver functions Resource geoscience crustal architecture crustal thickness seismic refraction seismic velocity Extended Abstract for download (pdf) [1.7 MB] documentDigital Extended Abstract for download (pdf) [1.7 MB] PDF Download supplementary data file (pdf) [413 KB] documentDigital Download supplementary data file (pdf) [413 KB] ZIP