GA record by Geoscience Australia relating to the research findings for the F.I.R.E- D.S.T project - specifically relating to Case Study Three (MtHall 2001). Project deliverable 4.1.5 Part 3 of 3 parts

This Record describes techniques which can be used to predict surface deformation caused by natural or anthropogenic subsurface fluid changes. Using predictive (forward) models, simulations have been developed to estimate the range of surface deformation caused by the Coal Seam Gas (CSG) extraction operations in the Surat Basin. The objectives of this research were to: - Develop a predictive model that enables Geoscience Australia to estimate the magnitude and areal extent of surface deformation caused by natural or anthropogenic fluid activities. - Report the capability, accuracy and limitations of the predictive model. - Apply the predictive model to Coal Seam Gas operations in the Surat Basin, Queensland. - Describe the monitoring techniques capable of measuring subsurface fluid changes - Discuss how geodetic data can be used to constrain the poroelastic properties of reservoirs.

Editors; Hoatson, D.M. and Lewis, B.C. Authors: Hoatson, D.M., Miezitis, Y., Jaireth, S. and Huston, D.L. The major aims of this report are to review the distribution, geological characteristics, resources, and potential of PGEs in Australia, and provide a mineral-systems-based framework for successful low-risk exploration. A mineral-system approach has been used to classify ~500 PGE deposits and occurrences documented in this report. This approach focuses on mineral-forming processes critical to the formation of a particular deposit. It differs from descriptive classifications in that it can be used to predict new areas and types of PGE mineralisation. The classification used is hierarchical in structure, with the highest-level category of deposits called 'Mineral-System Class'. There are twelve major classes that fall within the broad-mineral systems: Orthomagmatic (classes 1 to 7), Hydrothermal-Metamorphic (class 8), Regolith-Laterite (class 9), Placer (class 10), Astrobleme-related (class 11), and a final class with minor or unknown economic importance (class 12). This report concludes that, as seen globally, mineralised stratabound layers in Precambrian layered mafic-ultramafic intrusions in Australia are considered to have high potential for a major economic PGE resource. Such layers are attractive targets as they display: lateral continuity; have uniform grades (1 g/t to 6 g/t Pt+Pd+Au) and thicknesses; contain a significant component of the elements Pt, Pd, Rh, Au; and have potential for large-tonnage multi-element deposits (PGEs, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Au). Large Igneous Provinces may also provide opportunities for major economic PGE resource discoveries, despite the challenges of: defining favourable mineralised environments across large areas and under cover; lack of reliable geochronological and geochemical data for identifying different phases of the magmatic system; and a general perception that the global type example (Norilsk-Talnakh in Russia) may be a 'unique' mineral system.

Landslides are a complex geological hazard triggered by a combination of factors depending on their magnitude and type (Figure 1). There are a number of methodologies employed for landslide susceptibility mapping around the world. The method adopted should vary according to the individual characteristics of the landslide being considered. The method of landslide susceptibility mapping adopted here was developed using an existing method, the InfoVal method (van Westen 1997), adapting it for use with the open source software QGIS. QGIS was chosen as the GIS system due to its use by other natural hazard scientists in Papua New Guinea and in the region, and because it is free and open source.

Results from the 2012 SPAC (Spatial Autocorrelation) survey that collected data at 25 sites in Newcastle and 2 in Sydney are presented. Two approaches to the analysis of the SPAC data were compared as well as comparison with the results of direct measurement.

The Timor Sea and its tropical marine environment support significant and growing economic activity including oil and gas exploration. To reduce uncertainty in decision making regarding the sustainable use and ongoing protection of these marine resources, environmental managers and resource users require sound scientific information on the composition and stability of seabed environments and their biological assemblages. Surveys SOL4934 and SOL5117 to the eastern Joseph Bonaparte Gulf were undertaken in August and September 2009 and July and August 2010 respectively, in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Marine Science, with research collaborations from the RAN Australian Hydrographic Office, the Geological Survey of Canada and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. The purpose of these surveys were to develop biophysical maps, and deliver data and information products pertaining to complex seabed environment of the Van Diemen Rise and identify potential geohazards and unique, sensitive environments that relate to offshore infrastructure. This dataset comprises mineral specific surface area measurements made on seabed sediments. Some relevant publications are listed below: 1. Heap, A.D., Przeslawski, R., Radke, L., Trafford, J., Battershill, C. and Shipboard Party. 2010. Seabed environments of the eastern Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, Northern Australia: SOL4934 Post Survey Report. Geoscience Australia Record 2010/09, pp.81. 2. Anderson, T.J., Nichol, S., Radke, L., Heap, A.D., Battershill, C., Hughes, M., Siwabessy, P.J., Barrie, V., Alvarez de Glasby, B., Tran, M., Daniell, J. & Shipboard Party, 2011b. Seabed Environments of the Eastern Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, Northern Australia: GA0325/Sol5117 - Post-Survey Report. Geoscience Australia, Record 2011/08, 58pp. 3. Radke, L.C., Li, J., Douglas, G., Przeslawski, R., Nichol, S, Siwabessy, J., Huang, Z., Trafford, J., Watson, T. and Whiteway, T. Characterising sediments of a tropical sediment-starved continental shelf using cluster analysis of physical and geochemical variables. Environmental Chemistry, in press

Geoscience Australia marine reconnaissance survey TAN0713 to the Lord Howe Rise offshore eastern Australia was completed as part of the Federal Government's Offshore Energy Security Program between 7 October and 22 November 2007 using the New Zealand Government's research vessel Tangaroa. The survey was designed to sample key, deep-sea environments on the east Australian margin (a relatively poorly-studied shelf region in terms of sedimentology and benthic habitats) to better define the Capel and Faust basins, which are two major sedimentary basins beneath the Lord Howe Rise. Samples recovered on the survey contribute to a better understanding of the geology of the basins and assist with an appraisal of their petroleum potential. They also add to the inventory of baseline data on deep-sea sediments in Australia. The principal scientific objectives of the survey were to: (1) characterise the physical properties of the seabed associated with the Capel and Faust basins and Gifford Guyot; (2) investigate the geological history of the Capel and Faust basins from a geophysical and geological perspective; and (3) characterise the abiotic and biotic relationships on an offshore submerged plateau, a seamount, and locations where fluid escape features were evident. This dataset comprises mineraology data (e.g. concentrations of bulk carbonate, calcite, aragonite, halite, quartz) from seanbed sediments (0-2cm). Some relevant publications which pertain to these datasets include: 1. Heap, A.D., Hughes, M., Anderson, T., Nichol, S., Hashimoto, T., Daniell, J., Przeslawski, R., Payne, D., Radke, L., and Shipboard Party, (2009). Seabed Environments and Subsurface Geology of the Capel and Faust basins and Gifford Guyot, Eastern Australia - post survey report. Geoscience Australia, Record 2009/22, 166pp. 2. Radke, L.C. Heap, A.D., Douglas, G., Nichol, S., Trafford, J., Li, J., and Przeslawski, R. 2011. A geochemical characterization of deep-sea floor sediments of the northern Lord Howe Rise. Deep Sea Research II 58: 909-921

The dataset is made publicly available as a GIS at nominal 1:5 000 000 scale, and shows the time-space-event distribution of mafic-ultramafic magmatism in Australia from the early Archean to the present day. Development of this GIS has been a multi-year project and earlier released extracts (in viewable pdf form with accompanying Geoscience Australia Records) included compilations for the Archean magmatic record, the Proterozoic magmatic record, and the Australian Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs). Publication of the GIS completes the series with addition of the Phanerozoic magmatic record, and formalisation of the complete record of Archean-Phanerozoic magmatic events as a single series. The chronology of Australian mafic-ultramafic magmatism resolves into 74 magmatic events within, predominately, resolvable bands of ±10 million years. Each event is identified by geological units grouped by similar age - this coeval magmatism may or may not be genetically related and may be in response to different geodynamic environments. These magmatic events range in age from the Eoarchean ~3730 Ma ME 1 - Manfred Event, confined within a small remnant domain within the Yilgarn Craton, to the widespread record of Cenozoic magmatism in eastern Australia (ME 72 to ME 74). The magmatic events range in magnitude from the giant volumes of magma in Large Igneous Provinces, to events whose only known occurrence is an isolated record of dated mafic igneous rock in a single drillhole. The GIS makes it possible to focus on the location of any one of these magmatic events, or groups of magmatic events that may be of interest, and overlay context from any other information that users may have available. The delineation of magmatic events for this study is based on several hundred published ages of mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks from different isotopic systems and minerals. In addition to their ages and extents, primary recorded aspects of each magmatic event include the presence or absence of ultramafic components. Further to this, the presence or correlation of known magmatic-related mineralisation is highlighted in Time-Space-Event Charts of Australia (Appendix D, figures D1 and D2). The basis for mapping has been regional solid geology, interpreted basement geology and surface geology base maps made available by the State and Northern Territory geological surveys, providing insight into the total areal extent of the magmatic systems under cover. Also available to complement the Event GIS are the domains and element boundaries from the Australian Crustal Elements map. These boundaries which are which are based on geophysical extrapolation of crustal elements under the cover of continental basins, provide a framework of the shallow crustal structure of the continent, and are used in this guide. The Crustal Elements digital dataset is available for download from the Geoscience Australia website. Insight into the geodynamic development of the continent is provided by the magmatic event structure through time. The compilation draws attention to concentrations of mafic-ultramafic magmatism in the Archean from ~2820-2665 Ma, in the Proterozoic from ~1870-1590 Ma, and in the late Neoproterozoic-Phanerozoic from ~530-225 Ma. These three time spans contain 39 of the 74 magmatic events, 53% of the entire mafic-ultramafic magmatic event record of the continent. The periods in between have mafic-ultramafic magmatic records that are more dispersed in time. Other features of interest include the shared geographic and crustal element locations of Large Igneous Provinces and numerous events with smaller magma volumes. Read the rest of the Executive Summary in the document.

Geoscience Australia marine reconnaissance survey TAN0713 to the Lord Howe Rise offshore eastern Australia was completed as part of the Federal Government's Offshore Energy Security Program between 7 October and 22 November 2007 using the New Zealand Government's research vessel Tangaroa. The survey was designed to sample key, deep-sea environments on the east Australian margin (a relatively poorly-studied shelf region in terms of sedimentology and benthic habitats) to better define the Capel and Faust basins, which are two major sedimentary basins beneath the Lord Howe Rise. Samples recovered on the survey contribute to a better understanding of the geology of the basins and assist with an appraisal of their petroleum potential. They also add to the inventory of baseline data on deep-sea sediments in Australia. The principal scientific objectives of the survey were to: (1) characterise the physical properties of the seabed associated with the Capel and Faust basins and Gifford Guyot; (2) investigate the geological history of the Capel and Faust basins from a geophysical and geological perspective; and (3) characterise the abiotic and biotic relationships on an offshore submerged plateau, a seamount, and locations where fluid escape features were evident. This dataset comprises chlorin indices measured on seabed sediments (0-2 cm). Some relevant publications which pertain to these datasets include: 1. Heap, A.D., Hughes, M., Anderson, T., Nichol, S., Hashimoto, T., Daniell, J., Przeslawski, R., Payne, D., Radke, L., and Shipboard Party, (2009). Seabed Environments and Subsurface Geology of the Capel and Faust basins and Gifford Guyot, Eastern Australia - post survey report. Geoscience Australia, Record 2009/22, 166pp. 2. Radke, L.C. Heap, A.D., Douglas, G., Nichol, S., Trafford, J., Li, J., and Przeslawski, R. 2011. A geochemical characterization of deep-sea floor sediments of the northern Lord Howe Rise. Deep Sea Research II 58: 909-921

The integrity and strength of multi-technique terrestrial reference frames, such as realisations of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF), depend on the precisely measured and expressed local-tie connections between space geodetic observing systems at co-located observatories. Australia has several observatories which together host the full variety of space geodetic observation techniques, including Global Navigation Satellites Systems (GNSS), Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS) beacons. This report documents the technical aspects of the survey undertaken to determine the local-tie connections at the Katherine VLBI Observatory. The Observatory is located at the Charles Darwin University campus near Katherine in the Northern Territory. The Observatory has a 12 m radio telescope that is used for VLBI, co-located with two permanent GNSS sites, one of which contributes to the International GNSS Service (IGS) network. The survey was conducted in July 2010 by surveyors from Geoscience Australia. Precision classical geodetic observations were combined with geodetic GNSS observations to determine for the first time the relationship between the VLBI system invariant point (IVP) and the conventional reference points of the GNSS antennas and the surrounding survey control. The results of this survey have been provided to the International Earth Rotation Service (IERS) for inclusion in the next realisation of the ITRF.