<div>Report on expression of interest, assessment and identification process of case studies to be included in the Exploring for the Future Geoscience Knowledge Sharing Project Remote Community Education Module and Building Relationships with Aboriginal Peoples Modules. &nbsp;The Geoscience Knowledge Sharing Project is a pilot study to discover best practices to improve engagement with non-technical stakeholders. </div>

<div>NDI Carrara 1 is a deep stratigraphic drill hole completed in 2020 as part of the MinEx CRC National Drilling Initiative (NDI) in collaboration with Geoscience Australia and the Northern Territory Geological Survey. It is the first stratigraphic test of the Carrara Sub-basin, a depocentre newly discovered in the South Nicholson region based on interpretation from seismic surveys (L210 in 2017 and L212 in 2019) acquired as part of the Exploring for the Future program. The drill hole intersected approximately 1120 m of Proterozoic sedimentary rocks unconformably overlain by 630 m of Georgina Basin carbonates.&nbsp;</div><div>Geoscience Australia has undertaken a range of investigations on the lithology, stratigraphy and geotechnical properties of NDI Carrara 1 as well as undertaking a range of analyses of about 500 physical samples recovered through the entire core. Analyses included geochronology, isotope studies, mineralogy, inorganic and organic geochemistry, petrophysics, geomechanics, thermal maturity and petroleum systems investigations.</div><div>Rock-Eval pyrolysis raw data undertaken by Geoscience Australia were reported in Butcher et al. (2021) on selected rock samples to establish their total organic carbon content, hydrocarbon-generating potential and thermal maturity. Interpretation of the Rock-Eval pyrolysis data concluded that a large portion of rocks within the Proterozoic section displayed unreliable Tmax values due to poorly defined S2 peaks resulting from high thermal maturity and low hydrogen content. In order to obtain more reliable Tmax values, Rock-Eval pyrolysis of selected isolated kerogens, where organic matter is concentrated and mineral matrix effects are removed, were conducted and the resulting data are presented in this report.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div>

<div>The National Geochemical Survey of Australia (NGSA) is Australia’s only internally consistent, continental-scale geochemical atlas and dataset. The present dataset contains additional mineralogical data obtained on NGSA samples selected from the Barkly-Isa-Georgetown (BIG) region of northeastern Australia for the second partial data release of the Heavy Mineral Map of Australia (HMMA) project. The HMMA project, a collaborative project between Geoscience Australia and Curtin University underpinned by a pilot project establishing its feasibility, is part of the Australian Government-funded Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program.</div><div>One-hundred and eighty eight NGSA sediment samples were selected from the HMMA project within the EFTF’s BIG polygon plus an approximately one-degree buffer. The samples were taken on average from 60 to 80 cm depth in floodplain landforms, dried and sieved to a 75-430 µm grainsize fraction, and the contained heavy minerals (HMs; i.e., those with a specific gravity > 2.9 g/cm3) were separated by dense fluids and mounted on cylindrical epoxy mounts. After polishing and carbon-coating, the mounts were subjected to automated mineralogical analysis on a TESCAN® Integrated Mineral Analyzer (TIMA). Using scanning electron microscopy and backscatter electron imaging integrated with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, the TIMA identified 151 different HMs in the BIG area. The dataset, consisting of over 18 million individual mineral grains, was quality controlled and validated by an expert team. The data released here can be visualised, explored and downloaded using an online, bespoke mineral network analysis (MNA) tool built on a cloud-based platform. Preliminary analysis suggests that copper minerals cuprite and chalcopyrite may be indicative of base-metal/copper mineralisation in the area. Accompanying this report are two data files of TIMA results, and a minerals vocabulary file. </div><div>When completed in 2023, it is hoped the HMMA project will positively impact mineral exploration and prospectivity modelling around Australia, as well as have other applications in earth and environmental sciences.</div>

<div>Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future program provides precompetitive information to inform decision-making by government, community and industry on the sustainable development of Australia's mineral, energy and groundwater resources.</div><div><br></div><div>In order to gain insights into the resource potential of the South Nicholson region, a key region of focus for EFTF, National Drilling Initiative (NDI) Carrara&nbsp;1 stratigraphic drill hole was completed in late 2020, as a collaboration between Geoscience Australia, the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS), and the MinEx CRC. NDI Carrara&nbsp;1 is the first drill hole to intersect the, as yet, undifferentiated Proterozoic rocks of the newly defined Carrara Sub-Basin within the South Nicholson region. NDI Carrara&nbsp;1 is located on the western flank of the Carrara Sub-basin, reaching a total depth of 1751&nbsp;m, intersecting ca. 630&nbsp;m of Cambrian Georgina Basin overlying ca. 1100&nbsp;m of Proterozoic carbonates, black shales and minor siliciclastics.</div><div><br></div><div>Geoscience Australia is undertaking a range of investigations on the lithology, stratigraphy and geotechnical properties of NDI Carrara&nbsp;1 based on wireline data, as well as undertaking a range of analyses of over 400 physical samples recovered through the entire core. These analyses include geochronology, isotopic studies, mineralogy, inorganic and organic geochemistry, petrophysics, geomechanics, thermal maturity, and petroleum systems investigations. Hylogger™ data is available at the NTGS Geoscience Exploration and Mining Information System (GEMIS) webpage.</div><div><br></div><div>This data release presents results for analyses on selected rock samples from NDI Carrara 1, conducted by the Mawson Analytical Spectrometry Services, University of Adelaide, under contract to Geoscience Australia. These results include:</div><div><br></div><div>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carbon (δ13C), oxygen (δ18O) and strontium (87Sr/86Sr) isotopes on carbonate bearing samples, and</div><div>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Trace element data on the leachates prepared for 87Sr/86Sr ratio analyses.</div><div><br></div>

<div>A powerpoint presentation given by Ivan Schroder at Uncover Curnamona 2022. The presentation covers the activities and upcoming products of the Curnamona Geochemistry module (within the Darling Curnamona Delamerian Project of the Exploring for the Future Program)</div>

<div>Scientific studies undertaken on core from the Barnicarndy 1 well drilled in 2019 in the onshore Canning Basin in Western Australia as part of the Exploring for the Future program have shown that the well penetrated a thick section of the early Ordovician Nambeet Formation which contains abundant fossils reflective of deposition in an open marine environment. Although the calcareous shales are organically poor (average total organic carbon content 0.17 wt%) processing of 42 drill core samples recovered a plethora of acid-resistant, organic-walled microfossils. Seven core samples with the highest organic content were analysed for their molecular (biomarker) fossils and stable isotopic composition to provide insights into the type of organic matter preserved, and the redox conditions of the sediments during deposition.</div><div><br></div>This Abstract was submitted/presented to the 2022 Australian Organic Geochemistry Conference 27-29 November (https://events.csiro.au/Events/2022/October/5/Australian-Organic-Geochemistry-Conference)

<div>This report provides an assessment of the viability of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) as a potential supplementary water supply for the township of Wilcannia in the Upper Darling River Floodplain (UDRF) region of northwest New South Wales, Australia, in addition to existing emergency water supply bores and a proposed replacement weir across the Darling River. The Baaka is the traditional name for the Darling River by the Barkindji people. </div><div>This study was completed during the UDRF Project, as part of the Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program—an eight-year, $225 million Australian Government funded geoscience data and information acquisition program focused on better understanding the potential of mineral, energy and groundwater resources across Australia. </div><div>The UDRF region's heavy reliance on surface water results in inadequate water security during drought, affecting economic prospects, community welfare, and the environment. Geoscience Australia, in partnership with the New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), has undertaken the UDRF Project with the aim of improving groundwater system understanding, assessing groundwater-surface water connectivity, and investigating potential MAR options to enhance drought resilience. </div><div>A MAR scheme is a sustainable proposition in the area compared to groundwater extraction without replenishment, as the semi-confined aquifer doesn’t necessarily represent a viable water resource due to natural recharge of this aquifer taking hundreds of years. As part of the UDRF project, analyses of the hydrodynamic data show that the Darling River is strongly connected to the groundwater systems in the study area, specifically the shallow unconfined aquifers of the Menindee/Coonambidgal Formations and the semi-confined Calivil Formation. The permeable sand-rich unconfined aquifers facilitated groundwater recharge during high river flow periods. Groundwater quality assessments indicate fresh to moderately saline water in the shallower formations, with significantly higher salinity observed in the deeper Renmark Group.</div><div>Four areas potentially suitable for a MAR scheme were identified within the Darling River valley from 2 km to 30 km upstream of Wilcannia, and were delineated through the integrated interpretation of datasets including regional airborne electromagnetics (AEM), ground-based and borehole geophysics, hydrodynamics and hydrochemistry. The four MAR targets were identified based on AEM conductivity threshold of 0.06 S/m, and the borehole water chemistry supports a water quality of &lt;1,200 mg/L TDS (i.e. good to acceptable quality). For a MAR scheme, selecting an area with acceptable quality groundwater is important as the quality of the injected water can remain as acceptable following mixing with the in-situ groundwater. </div><div>Geophysical surveys, including surface magnetic resonance and downhole natural gamma and nuclear magnetic resonance logs, highlight the potential suitability of sand facies within the Calivil Formation as storage aquifer for MAR.&nbsp;Interpretation of AEM models across the four MAR targets suggests that the Calivil Formation aquifer extends beyond the target boundaries and could provide the storage capacity to hold injected water. Additional storage capacity from operating a MAR scheme can only be assessed by a local injection and extraction pilot study.</div><div>In a semi-confined aquifer such as the Calivil Formation, injection of water increases the hydraulic pressure and pushes the acceptable quality in-situ groundwater outwards from the injection sites, displacing the surrounding saline groundwater. The in-situ groundwater of acceptable quality then forms a buffer zone around the injected water, and this improves the recovery efficiency by minimising the flow of saline groundwater towards the extraction well. </div><div>MAR Target 1 is recommended as a potential pilot study area owing to its proximity to Wilcannia and the availability of existing utility infrastructure, such as electricity. Potential sites within the target area were identified for riverbank filtration and Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wells, considering proximity to the river, groundwater quality, and infrastructure requirements. Proposed ASR sites target the Calivil Formation aquifer, and two of these sites have Paleozoic bedrock directly underlying this storage aquifer. The bedrock acts as an aquitard and minimises the risk of saline groundwater ingress from the Renmark Group, which is present in a palaeovalley adjacent to the two proposed sites.&nbsp;</div><div>If MAR is to be further considered in the region the report offers recommendations for future studies, including the development of pilot ASR sites with drilling to more accurately characterise the sedimentary sequence and the aquifer lithology, and assess the viability of any proposed system.&nbsp;</div>

<div>The recent Musgrave Palaeovalley Project set out to map the extent and characterise the palaeovalley architecture of several of these Cenozoic features that overlie the Musgrave Province in central Australia. To effectively model the palaeovalley architecture of these features we collected approximately 20 000 line km of new Airborne Electromagnetics (AEM) and combined it with an array of existing AEM datasets, including AusAEM and high resolution mineral exploration surveys. These older surveys were reprocessed and reinverted to produce a consistent and reliable interpretation throughout. Utilising surface geology and lithology logs to constrain this data set, we mapped the interface between Cenozoic sediments and underlying pre-Cenozoic rocks, producing a continuous three-dimensional model of this boundary throughout the study area.</div><div><br></div><div>Our three-dimensional model enhances the understanding of the West Musgrave palaeovalley system, redefining palaeovalley extents, revealing previously unmapped palaeovalleys and identifying areas with significant accumulations of Cenozoic sediments. This methodology was also extremely useful for investigating palaeovalley geometry, revealing southerly flowpaths consistent with regional expectations but also highlighting areas of palaeovalley deformation where neo tectonic forces have acted to alter historical flow regimes. This deformation is likely to cause groundwater compartmentalisation, mounding or connect different aquifer units. Presented at the 2024 Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (ASEG) Discover Symposium

<div>An Isotopic Atlas of Australia provides a convenient visual overview of age and isotopic patterns reflecting geological processes that have led to the current configuration of the Australian continent, including progressive development of continental crust from the mantle. This poster provides example maps produced from compiled data of multiple geochronology and isotopic tracer datasets from this Isotopic Atlas.&nbsp;It is also a promotion for the release of the Victorian and Tasmanian age compilation datasets (Waltenbeg et al., 2021; Jones et al., 2022).</div>

<div>Exploring for the Future (EFTF) is an Australian Government program led by Geoscience Australia, in partnership with state and Northern Territory governments. EFTF program (2016-2024) aims to drive industry investment in resource exploration in frontier regions of northern Australia by providing new precompetitive data and information about energy, mineral and groundwater resource potential. In order to address this overarching objective of EFTF program, Geoscience Australia led a key element of the Australian Government’s commitment to achieve net zero by 2050 is the adoption of hydrogen (H2) energy. The key benefit of using H2 is that it is a clean fuel, emitting only water vapour and heat when combusted. The recent discovery of a 98% pure geologic H2 gas field in Mali has captured the imagination of explorers and the search is now on for new natural H2 gas accumulations across the world. Australia is considered one of the most prospective locations for sub-surface natural H2 due to our ancient geology and presence of potentially suitable H2 traps. A review of occurrences of natural (or geologic) H2 found high concentrations of H2 gas present in central western, New South Wales (NSW). This project, in collaboration with the Geological Survey of NSW, builds on that early work and presents the results identifying new occurrences of natural H2 through soil gas surveys in various locations across central and far west, NSW. Funded through the EFTF Strategic Innovation Reserve Fund (SIRF), FrontierSI was commissioned to identify circular to sub-circular morphologies, sometimes called Fairy Circles, across parts of far west, NSW as potential locations for naturally occurring hydrogen gas deposits. This report briefly introduces hydrogen gas exploration, and its importance to Australia's future energy mix, outlines the methods used to identify circular morphologies, the results, discussion, and recommendations for future work. Specifically, currently available literature was reviewed that describes the observable features believed to be related to natural hydrogen seeps, the previous methods used as well as the variety of datasets previously explored. The aim was to utilise open-source data and earth observation datasets where possible, and work towards an automated detection method. The Digital Earth Australia (DEA) Water Observation dataset was found to include many of the known hydrogen related features in Western Australia and was used as a foundation for creating an identification methodology. A modified version of the water observation layer was used along with other datasets including vegetation cover, which was applied to help refine and remove features that did not meet the set criteria for naturally occurring hydrogen deposits. This resulted in the production of two datasets over the two areas of interest, identified by Geoscience Australia at the beginning of the project, and used by their teams for site selection.