The National Geochemical Survey of Australia (NGSA) project aims to provide pre-competitive data and knowledge to support exploration for energy resources in Australia (www.ga.gov.au/ngsa) and is part of Geoscience Australia's Onshore Energy Security Program. The NGSA project, which is carried out in collaboration with the geological surveys of all States and the Northern Territory, will deliver the nation's first geochemical atlas, a comprehensive geochemical database and preliminary reports when it concludes in June 2011. Catchment outlet sediments (similar to floodplain sediments in most cases) were sampled during 2007-2009 near the outlet of 1186 catchments covering ~80% of the country (average sample density 1 sample per 5500 km2). Samples were collected at two depths: 0-10 cm below the surface (top outlet sediment, TOS) and between on average 60 and 80 cm depth (bottom outlet sediment, BOS). Samples were dried and sieved to either <2 mm (coarse) or <75 mm (fine) fractions, yielding four samples per site. The geochemical data presented here is from total element content analysis by x-ray diffraction after lithium borate fusion (for potassium) and collision cell inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry after lithium borate fusion followed by hydrofluoric and nitric acid digestion (for thorium and uranium). (.../... truncated)

Map(s) of Al (aluminium) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)

Map(s) of Bi (bismuth) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)

Map(s) of Cd (cadmium) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)

Map(s) of Cu (copper) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)

Map(s) of Dy (dysprosium) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)

Map(s) of Fe (iron) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)

Map(s) of Er (erbium) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)

Map(s) of K (potassium) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)

Map(s) of La (lanthanum) concentration (Total content, Aqua Regia soluble content, and/or Mobile Metal Ion soluble content) in Top Outlet Sediment (TOS) and/or Bottom Outlet Sediment (BOS) samples, dry-sieved to <2 mm and/or <75 um grain size fractions. Source: The Geochemical Atlas of Australia (Caritat and Cooper, 2011)