Overview of the Deep Crustal Seismic surveys conducted by Geoscience Australia and funded through the Onshore Energy Security Program since it's commencement in 2006 to September 2009.

The potential for geochemical reactions to cause aquifer clogging or detrimental water quality changes was assessed for a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) target in the Darling River floodplain. The assessment used ambient groundwater quality from the target Calivil Formation aquifer, as well as from the shallow unconfined aquifers; Darling River source water quality; and mineralogy and geochemistry of sonic-cored aquifer samples. PHREEQC was used to examine the impact of mixing and interaction between these end-members. There is considerable variability in the redox state within the Calivil aquifer, with groundwater pe values ranging from -6 to 8. PHREEQC simulations using the median pe value of 3 resulted in super-saturation with respect to Fe(OH)3 . Hence, injection of an oxygenated source water into anoxic zones within the target aquifer can result in iron clogging due to precipitation of any source water dissolved iron and any Fe(II) oxidation in the sediments (in pyrite or displaced from exchange sites). The amount of Fe(II) within the storage zone available to be oxidised is unknown and may be limited given that Fe(III) oxides were present in the core material. The aquifer material contains species that may be released during MAR, including aluminium, arsenic, fluoride, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium and uranium. Injection of source water with elevated dissolved organic carbon (DOC) could enhance metal and metalloid release through reductive dissolution of iron oxides within the storage zone. The fate of any mobilised trace species would be dictated by storage zone redox conditions. Arsenic and molybdenum are likely to be adsorbed to any iron oxide surfaces under oxic conditions. Uranium and selenium are likely to reprecipitate in anoxic zones. This provides the opportunity for natural treatment within the storage zone to control mobilised trace metal species.

This disc contains PDF scans of uranium-related reports held by GA from the Australian Atomic Energy Commission archives. These reports date mostly from the 70s, with some which are much older (as early as 1901) but none newer than the early 80s. The reports are a mix of exploration reports, geological and geographical maps, proposals, feasibility studies, estimations, reserve information, drill hole data and drill cross section files. These reports pertain to the South Alligator Valley, Katherine RIver and other uranium fields within Pine Creek region. It is one of four discs containing reports concerning uranium in the Northern Territory.

Australia's Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) span most of Earth's geological history, ranging from Early Archean to Recent. LIPs in continental Australia are represented by continental flood basalts, fragments of oceanic plateaux, layered mafic-ultramafic intrusions, sill complexes and dyke swarms. It is only in the last decade that geologists have started to focus on LIPs in Australia, mainly from the perspective of their mineral potential, particularly after the discovery of the Nebo-Babel Ni-Cu-PGE deposit in the West Musgrave Province, central Australia. The list of LIPs increased by including other well-known igneous provinces, such as the Fortescue, Warakurna, Hart-Carson, Kalkarindji (formerly known as Antrim Plateau Volcanics) and various dyke swarms (e.g., Widgiemooltha, Marnda Moorn, Gairdner). The Bunbury Basalt, although only covering a small area in the Cape Naturaliste-Cape Leeuwin peninsula, joined the list of LIPs, due to its age links with the huge Kerguelen oceanic plateau magmatism. As indicated by the world-class Nebo-Babel deposit and further discoveries in the West Musgrave and in the Kimberley region, the mineral potential of LIPs is very high. In the case of orthomagmatic mineral systems, the selection of areas or specific intrusions requires focusing on isotope systematics and trace- and major-element geochemical trends to filter out mafic-ultramafic intrusions that may not have undergone sulphur saturation from those that have experienced sulphur saturation from processes, such as crustal contamination. In eastern Australia, there are two major volcanic provinces: the Early Cretaceous Whitsunday volcanic province, which is a good example of a silicic LIP, and a 4400 km long belt characterised by recent (youngest volcano is 4600 years ago) intraplate alkaline volcanism. The mineral potential associated with these provinces is as yet not fully assessed.

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

Australia's Identified Mineral Resources is an annual nation-wide assessment of Australia's ore reserves and mineral resources.

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

ABSTRACT: Building on method developments achieved during a series of precursor pilot projects, the National Geochemical Survey of Australia (NGSA) project targets catchment outlet (overbank) sediments as a uniform sampling medium. These transported, fine-grained materials are collected (from a shallow and a deeper level) near the lowest point of 1390 catchments, which cover 91% of the country. Dry and moist Munsell® colour, soil pH and electrical conductivity and pH of 1:5 (soil:water) slurries are recorded and laser particle size analysis and infrared spectroscopy are performed. The dried samples are sieved into two grain-size fractions (<2 mm and <75 mm) that are analysed by x-ray fluorescence (XRF) and inductively-coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) (multi-element, total analyses), by ICP-MS after aqua regia digestion (multi-element, including low level gold), and specialised methods for platinum group elements, fluorine and selenium. At the time of writing, 78% of the samples have been collected and most analyses are completed for the first 25% of samples. The project is due for completion in June 2011.