This is a physical collection of photographic materials created by staff of Geoscience Australia (GA) and its predecessor organisations in the course of their work between the early 1920s and the early 21st century. <b>Value: </b>Historic and scientific significance. Many sites visited are remote and have rarely been revisited. Some images are of people from First Nations, flora and fauna of Australia, its territories and other countries. <b>Scope: </b> Geographical scope is largely Australia, pre- and post-Independence Papua New Guinea, and the Australian Antarctic Territory, but other countries and territories are represented. Thematic scope varies considerably, covering a diverse range of operations of a geological survey, including land and marine surveys, field installations, rock and fossil specimens (in situ, laboratory and under microscope), buildings, passport photographs, etc. The majority of the physical image collection (photos, negatives and glass plates) is still hardcopy only and stored in an access restricted room. This collection requires extensive work to develop a comprehensive catalogue of its contents and explore options for digitisation. <b>Queries can be directed to Records Management Unit (RMU) via the <a href="https://supportworkplace.ga.gov.au/CherwellPortal/Geoscience/">Support Workplace tool</a>. </b> More recent mages received from business area's and departing staff members have been digitised and are stored in HPRM folders: P14/50 - GA Image Collection (A20/615, A20/614, A20/598, A18/111) A spreadsheet containing metadata (D2019-4576) for these images (previously delivered via a now decommissioned database), can be viewed via the Download tab. Note: This HVC record is currently only visible to internal GA staff. <b>If anyone has any additional photographic collections that reflect the history of Geoscience Australia (or its predecessor organisations) the Records Management Unit would be very interested in chatting to you.</b>

This collection supports the compilation of national mineral resource and production statistics, and mineral prospectivity analysis. The collection includes the location of Australian mineral occurrences and mineral deposit descriptions, with geological, resource and production data. This information is stored in two Geoscience Australia databases, the Mineral Deposits & Occurrences Database (OZMIN) and the Mineral Occurrence Locations (MINLOC) database. The collection also includes a number of supporting Geographic Information System (GIS) datasets (e.g., mineral prospectivity datasets, ports, power stations); maps and reports. <b>Value:</b> Data related to the known location and production of mineral resources supports decisions related to resource and economic development. <b>Scope: </b>The collection covers the Australian continent and is updated annually. It now contains data on over one thousand major and historically significant mineral deposits for 60 mineral commodities (including coal).

This collection includes Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations from short-term occupations at multiple locations across Australia and its external territories, including the Australian Antarctic Territory. <b>Value: </b> The datasets within this collection are available to support a myriad of scientific applications, including research into the crustal deformation of the Australian continent. <b>Scope: </b> Data from selected areas of interest across Australia and its external territories, including the Australian Antarctic Territory. Over time there has been a focus on areas with increased risk of seismic activity or areas with observed natural or anthropogenic deformation. <b>Access: </b> The datasets within this collection are currently stored offline, to access please send a request to gnss@ga.gov.au

This collection includes Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations from long-term continuous or semi continuous reference stations at multiple locations across Australia and its external territories, including the Australian Antarctic Territory. <b>Value:</b> The datasets within this collection are provided on an openly accessible basis to support a myriad of scientific and societal positioning applications in Australia. These include the development and maintenance of the Australian Geospatial Reference System (AGRS); the densification of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF); crustal deformation studies; atmospheric studies; and the delivery of precise positioning services to Australian businesses. <b>Scope: </b> Data from reference stations across Australia and its external territories, including the Australian Antarctica Territory. <b>Access: </b> To access the datasets and query station information visit the <a href="https://gnss.ga.gov.au./">Global Navigation Satellite System Data Centre</a>

Radiogenic isotopes decay at known rates and can be used to interpret ages for minerals, rocks and geologic processes. Different isotopic systems provide information related to different time periods and geologic processes, systems include: U-Pb and Ar/Ar, Sm-Nd, Pb-Pb, Lu-Hf, Rb-Sr and Re-Os isotopes. The GEOCHRON database stores full analytical U-Pb age data from Geoscience Australia's (GA) Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro-Probe (SHRIMP) program. The ISOTOPE database is designed to expand GA's ability to deliver isotopic datasets, and stores compiled age and isotopic data from a range of published and unpublished (GA and non-GA) sources. OZCHRON is a depreciated predecessor to GEOCHRON and ISOTOPE, the information once available in OZCHRON is in the process of migration to the two current databases. The ISOTOPE compilation includes sample and bibliographic links through the A, FGDM, and GEOREF databases. The data structure currently supports summary ages (e.g., U-Pb and Ar/Ar) through the INTERPRETED_AGES tables, as well as extended system-specific tables for Sm-Nd, Pb-Pb, Lu-Hf and O- isotopes. The data structure is designed to be extensible to adapt to evolving requirements for the storage of isotopic data. ISOTOPE and the data holdings were initially developed as part of the Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program - particularly to support the delivery of an Isotopic Atlas of Australia. During development of ISOTOPE, some key considerations in compiling and storing diverse, multi-purpose isotopic datasets were developed: 1) Improved sample characterisation and bibliographic links. Often, the usefulness of an isotopic dataset is limited by the metadata available for the parent sample. Better harvesting of fundamental sample data (and better integration with related national datasets such as Australian Geological Provinces and the Australian Stratigraphic Units Database) simplifies the process of filtering an isotopic data compilation using spatial, geological and bibliographic criteria, as well as facilitating 'audits' targeting missing isotopic data. 2) Generalised, extensible structures for isotopic data. The need for system-specific tables for isotopic analyses does not preclude the development of generalised data-structures that reflect universal relationships. GA has modelled relational tables linking system-specific Sessions, Analyses, and interpreted data-Groups, which has proven adequate for all of the Isotopic Atlas layers developed thus far. 3) Dual delivery of 'derived' isotopic data. In some systems, it is critical to capture the published data (i.e. isotopic measurements and derived values, as presented by the original author) and generate an additional set of derived values from the same measurements, calculated using a single set of reference parameters (e.g. decay constant, depleted-mantle values, etc.) that permit 'normalised' portrayal of the data compilation-wide. 4) Flexibility in data delivery mode. In radiogenic isotope geochronology (e.g. U-Pb, Ar-Ar), careful compilation and attribution of 'interpreted ages' can meet the needs of much of the user-base, even without an explicit link to the constituent analyses. In contrast, isotope geochemistry (especially microbeam-based methods such as Lu-Hf via laser ablation) is usually focused on the individual measurements, without which interpreted 'sample-averages' have limited value. Data delivery should reflect key differences of this kind. <b>Value: </b>Used to provide ages and isotope geochemistry data for minerals, rocks and geologic processes. <b>Scope: </b>Australian jurisdictions and international collaborative programs involving Geoscience Australia

Geoscience Australia (GA) has acquired Landsat satellite image data over Australia since 1979, from instruments including the Thematic Mapper (TM), Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). This data represents raw telemetry which has either been received directly at Geoscience Australia's (GAs) receiving stations (Alice Springs or - formerly - Hobart), or downloaded from the United States Geological Survey Organisation. The data is maintained in raw telemetry format as a baseline to downstream processes. While this data has been used extensively for numerous land and coastal mapping studies, its utility for accurate monitoring of environmental resources has been limited by the processing methods that have been traditionally used to correct for inherent geometric and radiometric distortions in EO imagery. To improve access to Australia's archive of Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI data, several collaborative projects have been undertaken in conjunction with industry, government and academic partners. These projects have enabled implementation of a more integrated approach to image data correction that incorporates normalising models to account for atmospheric effects, BRDF (Bi-directional Reflectance Distribution Function) and topographic shading (Li et al., 2012). The approach has been applied to Landsat TM/ETM+ and OLI imagery to create the surface reflectance products. <b>Value: </b>The Landsat Raw Data Archive is processed and further calibrated to input to development of information products toward an improved understanding of the distribution and status of environmental phenomena. <b>Scope: </b>Data is provided via the US Geological Survey's (USGS) Landsat program, following downlink and recording of the data at Alice Springs Antenna (operated by Geoscience Australia) or downloaded directly from USGS EROS

The national Marine Sediments collection is a scientific resource that includes information for samples collected within the Australian marine jurisdiction, including location, water depth, sampling method and sample descriptions. Data are provided from quantitative analyses of the samples, such as grain size, mud, sand, gravel and carbonate concentrations. Additional analyses on some samples include mineralogy, age determinations, geochemical properties, and physical attributes for down-core samples including bulk density, p-wave velocity, porosity and magnetic susceptibility. Images and graphics are presented, where available. MARS currently holds >40,000 sample and sub-sample records, and approximately 200,000 records describing the characteristics of these samples. New data are being added as they become available. <b>Value: </b>Seabed sediment data is used to characterise the surface geology of the sea floor, important in resource exploration, marine zone management and understanding the physical environment. <b>Scope: </b>Samples were collected from Australia's marine jurisdiction, including the Australian Antarctic Territory. >40,000 sample and sub-sample records, and approximately 200,000 records describing the characteristics of these samples.

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data measure variations in the conductivity of the ground by transmitting an electromagnetic signal from a system attached to a plane or helicopter. Depending on the AEM system used and the sub-surface conditions, AEM techniques can detect variations in the conductivity of the ground to a depth of several hundred metres. The responses recorded are commonly caused by the presence of electrically conductive materials such as salt or saline water, graphite, clays and sulphide minerals. <b>Value:</b> Data used for interpreting the geologic structure of the subsurface. This work can be used for the assessment of resource potential. <b>Scope:</b> Systematic coverage of large portions of the Australian continent.

3D structural and geological models that provide insight and understanding of the continents subsurface. The models capture 3D stratigraphy and architecture, including the depth to bedrock and the locations of different major rock units, faults and geological structures. <b>Value: </b>These models are valuable for exploration and reconstructions of Australia's evolution <b>Scope: </b>Contains a variety of 3D volumetric models and surfaces that were produced for specific projects at regional to continental scale.

The Geoscience Australia Rock Properties database stores the result measurements of scalar and vector petrophysical properties of rock and regolith specimens and hydrogeological data. Oracle database and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) web services. Links to Samples, Field Sites, Boreholes. <b>Value:</b> Essential for relating geophysical measurements to geology and hydrogeology and thereby constraining geological, geophysical and groundwater models of the Earth <b>Scope:</b> Data are sourced from all states and territories of Australia