In the primitive Earth, a wide range of phenomena including the initiation of biological activity and the formation of ore deposits were related to the mobilisation of mineralised fluids through the crust.

In the Archaean craton of the Pilbara (WA), we have identified, within its tectonic framework, a crustal-scale plumbing system that channelled large volumes of mineralised hydrothermal solutions.

Our objective is to understand the development of this plumbing system in relation to Archaean crustal geodynamics using a combination of structural geology, metamorphic petrology, geochronology, geochemistry, and the analysis of single-fluid inclusion using synchrotron and other X-ray sources.

This project, funded by the Australian Research Council from 2003 to 2005, involved an international and multidisciplinary team including Dr Patrice Rey (prinicipal Chief Investigator) and Dr Florence LeHebel (postodoral fellow) from the University of Sydney, Dr Jim Dunlap (CI) from the Australian National University, Dr Joel Brugger (CI) from the South Australia Museum, Dr Pascal Philippot (Partner Investigator) from the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, and Nicolas Thébaud Ph.D candidate from the IPGP and the University of Sydney.

Numerous colleagues provided important inputs amongst them Dr Van Kranendonk from the Geological Survey of Western Australia, Dr Geoff Clarke from the University of Sydney, Dr Norman Pearson and Prof. Bill Griffin from GEMOC - Macquarie University.

Dr P. Rey, Sydney 10 August 2004.