North Pilbara National Geoscience Mapping Accord project (1995-2000) - Scientific highlights

This paper describes the highlights of AGSO's work in the North Pilbara Project, a joint AGSO-Western Australia Geological Survey (GSWA) effort conducted under the National Geoscience Mapping Accord (NGMA) between 1995 and 2000. One of the principal drivers for AGSO's research in the Pilbara was the possible inapplicability of exploration models and genetic interpretations of Archaean mineral deposits because these models were commonly based upon late Archaean examples. One of our goals was to document the differences between the late Archaean and the early-mid Archaean mineral systems, and to develop regional thematic synthesis datasets so that more robust models could be developed to encompass the entire Archaean era. These datasets, together with our research into new exploration tools, have, and continue to assist exploration in the Pilbara. Our results also have applications to other terranes.