Australia's make-up came from other continents: research

A new study shows that Australia was the result of an ancient collision between three distinct pieces of land

PhD student Kate Selway at the University of Adelaide's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences say that Northern, Western, and Central Australia were part of other continents some two billion years ago.

Back then - the researchers claim - if you were to stand at the edge of Alice Springs in Central Australia, you would have seen an ocean rather than land.

Using a geophysical technique called magnetotellurics, the scientists measured the electrical conductivity of different parts of Australia and found that Northern and Central Australia are separated by a boundary 150 kilometres deep.

Selway claims this is strong evidence of a massive collision zone.

She hopes that this will lead to finding new mineral deposits where the separate pieces joined to form Australia.

The research was carried out in collaboration with the Northern Territory Geological Survey.

Photography: Bugbog

Source: Discovery Channel Reports, August 17 edition