Heat flow analysis is of importance in understanding the gedynamics of tectonics and the chemical composition of the crust. We interrogate the global heat flow database for insights into the nature of the partition of continental heat flow between crustal and mantle .out.ibutions. Results show that while surface heat flow cannot be described with confidence as a simple linear function of heat production on a world-wide basis in Phanerozoic terrains, there exists in aggregate a clearly positive trend between the two valuables in Precambrian terrains. The contrast in the q-A relationships in Phanerozoic and Precambrian allows a first order estimate Of the variability of the heat flow components. Along with otherconsiderations, the relationship of q=38.6+4.5A regressed from Precambrian data set provides the following constraints on the average abundances of heat production elements for a crust of 30-50 km thickness: uranium (0. 5-1. 6)×10-6, thoritirn (1. 8-6.1)×10-6,and K2O 0. 6%-1. 9%.