Australia has been, and continues to be, a leader in isotope geochronology and geochemistry. While new isotopic data is being produced with ever increasing pace and diversity, there is also a rich legacy of existing high-quality age and isotopic data, most of which have been dispersed across a multitude of journal papers, reports and theses. Where compilations of isotopic data exist, they tend to have been undertaken at variable geographic scale, with variable purpose, format, styles, levels of detail and completeness. Consequently, it has been difficult to visualise or interrogate the collective value of age and isotopic data at continental-scale. Age and isotopic patterns at continental scale can provide intriguing insights into the temporal and chemical evolution of the continent (Fraser et al, 2020). As national custodian of geoscience data, Geoscience Australia has addressed this challenge by developing an Isotopic Atlas of Australia, which currently (as of November 2020) consists of national-scale coverages of four widely-used age and isotopic data-types: 4008 U-Pb mineral ages from magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks 2651 Sm-Nd whole-rock analyses, primarily of granites and felsic volcanics 5696 Lu-Hf (136 samples) and 553 O-isotope (24 samples) analyses of zircon 1522 Pb-Pb analyses of ores and ore-related minerals These isotopic coverages are now freely available as web-services for use and download from the GA Portal. While there is more legacy data to be added, and a never-ending stream of new data constantly emerging, the provision of these national coverages with consistent classification and attribution provides a range of benefits: vastly reduces duplication of effort in compiling bespoke datasets for specific regions or use-cases data density is sufficient to reveal meaningful temporal and spatial patterns a guide to the existence and source of data in areas of interest, and of major data gaps to be addressed in future work facilitates production of thematic maps from subsets of data. For example, a magmatic age map, or K-Ar mica cooling age map sample metadata such as lithology and stratigraphic unit is associated with each isotopic result, allowing for further filtering, subsetting and interpretation. The Isotopic Atlas of Australia will continue to develop via the addition of both new and legacy data to existing coverages, and by the addition of new data coverages from a wider range of isotopic systems and a wider range of geological sample media (e.g. soil, regolith and groundwater).

The Precambrian Pine Creek Orogen and Arnhem Province represent two of the oldest basement terrains in northern Australia and are often considered to be devoid of major tectonic or deformational activity since the cessation of regional metamorphism in the Paleoproterozoic. A major caveat in the current hypothesis of long lived structural inactivity is the absence of published low temperature thermochronological data and thermal history models for this area. Here we report the first apatite U–Pb, fission track and (U–Th–Sm)/He data for igneous samples from both the Pine Creek Orogen and Arnhem Province, complemented with apatite geochemistry data acquired by electron microprobe and laser ablation mass spectrometry methods, and present detailed multi-kinetic low temperature thermal history models. Low-temperature thermal history models for the Pine Creek Orogen and Arnhem Province reveal a distinct phase of denudation coeval with the Paleozoic Alice Springs Orogeny, suggesting that this orogenic event impacted a larger area of the Australian crust than previously perceived. Minor localised Mesozoic thermal perturbations proximal to the Pine Creek Shear-Zone record evidence for Mesozoic reactivation contemporaneous with modelled mantle driven subsidence and the onset of sedimentation in the Money Shoal Basin, while the Arnhem Province samples demonstrate no evidence of Mesozoic thermal perturbations. <b>Citation:</b> Angus L. Nixon, Stijn Glorie, Alan S. Collins, Jo A. Whelan, Barry L. Reno, Martin Danišík, Benjamin P. Wade, Geoff Fraser; Footprints of the Alice Springs Orogeny preserved in far northern Australia: an application of multi-kinetic thermochronology in the Pine Creek Orogen and Arnhem Province. <i>Journal of the Geological Society</i> 2020;; 178 (2): jgs2020–173. doi: https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2020-173

This report presents key results from hydrogeological investigations in the Tennant Creek region, completed as part of Exploring for the Future (EFTF)—an eight year, $225 million Australian Government funded geoscience data and information acquisition program focused on better understanding the potential mineral, energy and groundwater resources across Australia. The EFTF Southern Stuart Corridor (SSC) Project area is located in the Northern Territory and extends in a north–south corridor from Tennant Creek to Alice Springs, encompassing four water control districts and a number of remote communities. Water allocation planning and agricultural expansion in the SSC is limited by a paucity of data and information regarding the volume and extent of groundwater resources and groundwater systems more generally. Geoscience Australia, in partnership with the Northern Territory Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Power and Water Corporation, undertook an extensive program of hydrogeological investigations in the SSC Project area between 2017 and 2019. Data acquisition included; helicopter airborne electromagnetic (AEM) and magnetic data; water bore drilling; ground-based and downhole geophysical data for mapping water content and defining geological formations; hydrochemistry for characterising groundwater systems; and landscape assessment to identify potential managed aquifer recharge (MAR) targets. This report focuses on the Tennant Creek region—part of the Barkly region of the Northern Territory. Investigations in this region utilised existing geological and geophysical data and information, which were applied in the interpretation and integration of AEM and ground-based geophysical data, as well as existing and newly acquired groundwater hydrochemical and isotope data. The AEM and borehole lithological data reveal the highly weathered (decomposed) nature of the geology, which is reflected in the hydrochemistry. These data offer revised parameters, such as lower bulk electrical conductivity values and increased potential aquifer volumes, for improved modelling of local groundwater systems. In many instances the groundwater is shown to be young and of relatively good quality (salinity generally <1000 mg/L total dissolved solids), with evidence that parts of the system are rapidly recharged by large rainfall events. The exception to this is in the Wiso Basin to the west of Tennant Creek. Here lower quality groundwater occurs extensively in the upper 100 m below ground level, but this may sit above potentially potable groundwater and that possibility should be investigated further. Faults are demonstrated to have significantly influenced the occurrence and distribution of weathered rocks and of groundwater, with implications for groundwater storage and movement. Previously unrecognised faults in the existing borefield areas should be investigated for their potential role in compartmentalising groundwater. Additionally a previously unrecognised sub-basin proximal to Tennant Creek may have potential as a groundwater resource or a target for MAR. This study has improved understanding of the quantity and character of existing groundwater resources in the region and identified a managed aquifer recharge target and potential new groundwater resources. The outcomes of the study support informed water management decisions and improved water security for communities; providing a basis for future economic investment and protection of environmental and cultural values in the Tennant Creek and broader Barkly region. Data and information related to the project are summarised in the conclusions of this report and are accessible via the EFTF portal (https://portal.ga.gov.au/).

This animation shows how passive seismic surveys Work. It is part of a series of Field Activity Technique Engagement Animations. The target audience are the communities that are impacted by our data acquisition activities. There is no sound or voice over. The 2D animation includes a simplified view of what passive seismic equipment looks like, what the equipment measures and how the survey works.

The Exploring for the Future program is an initiative by the Australian Government dedicated to boosting investment in resource exploration in Northern Australia. The Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic sedimentary and volcanic sequences of the Mount Isa–McArthur Basin region of Northern Territory and Queensland are host to a range of world class mineral deposits (Hutton et al., 2012) and include the basin-hosted base metal deposits of the North Australian Zinc Belt, the world’s richest belt of zinc deposits (Huston et al., 2006; Large et al., 2005). The region demonstrably has potential for additional world class mineral systems (Hutton et al. 2012), as well as potential to host shale gas plays (Gorton & Troup, 2018). An improved understanding of the chemistry of the host sedimentary units, including associated volcanic and intrusive rocks (potential metal source rocks) within these regions is therefore an important requisite to further understand the resource potential of the region. To assist in this we have undertaken a multi-year campaign (2016-2019) of regional geochemical sampling of geological units in the southeastern McArthur Basin, it’s continuation into the Tomkinson Province, and the Lawn Hill Platform regions of Northern Territory and northwest Queensland. Chief aims of the project were to characterise, as much as possible, the inorganic geochemistry of units of the Paleoproterozoic Tawallah, McArthur, Fickling and McNamara Groups and the Mesoproterozoic Roper and South Nicholson groups, with most emphasis on the Tawallah, McNamara and Fickling Groups. Minimal attention was paid to units of the McArthur Group which have been extensively previously sampled. The project also involved exploratory geochemical characterisation of sedimentary and igneous rocks from Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic rocks of the Tomkinson Province (Tomkinson, Namerinni and Renner groups) in Northern Territory. Minimal regional geochemical data exists for these rocks which are considered time equivalents of the Tawallah, McArthur, Nathan and Roper groups. The approach followed was based on targeting as many units as possible from drill core held within the core repository facilities of the Northern Territory and Queensland Geological surveys. Sampling strategy for individual units was based on targeting all lithological variability with particular emphasis on units not previously extensively sampled. Units were sampled at moderate to high resolution, with sampling density ranging from one sample per ~10 m intervals in organic rich intervals or lithological variable units, up to one sample per 20 to 50 m intervals in lithologically-monotonous units or in units recently sampled recently by GA or others. This data release contains the results of elemental analyses (XRF, ICP-MS), ferrous iron oxide content (FeO) and Loss-on-ignition (LOI) on 805 samples selected from 42 drill cores housed in the Geological Survey of Northern Territory’s Darwin and Alice Springs core repositories and in the Geological Survey of Queensland’s Brisbane and Mount Isa core repositories. Drillholes sampled include the Amoco holes DDH 83-1, DDH 83-2, DDH 83-3, DDH 83-4, and DDH 83-5, as well as 14MCDDH001, 14MCDDH002, 87CIIDH1, 87CIIDH2, Bradley 1, Broughton 1, DD81CY1, DD91RC18, DD91DC1, DD91HC1, DD95GC001, GCD-1, GCD-2A, GSQ Lawn Hill 3, GSQ Lawn Hill 4, GSQ Westmoreland 2, MWSD05, ND1, ND2, 12BC001, and Willieray (1DD, 3DD, 8DD), Hunter (1DD, 2DD, 3DD) and HSD001, HSD002 holes from the Tomkinson Province. The data also include a small number of non-basin samples (from drill holes AAI POTALLAH CREEK 1, ADRIA DOWNS 1, Bradley 1, GSQ Normanton 1, GSQ Rutland Plains 1, MULDDH001 and MURD013), collected at the same time, largely for isotopic studies. The resultant geochemical data was largely generated at the Inorganic Geochemistry Laboratory at Geoscience Australia (509 of the 805 analyses), with two batches (296 samples) analysed by Bureau Veritas in Perth. Eighteen samples analysed at GA were also reanalysed at Bureau Veritas for QA/QC purposes. All data was collected as part of the Exploring for the Future program. The report also includes a statistical treatment of the geochemical data looking at laboratory performance, based on certified reference material (CRMs) and sample duplicates, and interlaboratory agreement, based on samples analysed at both laboratories. Results show accuracies were within acceptable tolerances (±2 SD) for the majority of major and trace elements analysed at both laboratories. Notable exceptions included significant negative bias for Fe2O3 and positive bias for Na2O at Geoscience Australia. The results also showed that Mo (and As and Be) measurements were a consistent problem at GA, and Zn a consistent problem at BV. Precision (reproducibility) for major elements at both laboratories was very good, generally between 1 to 5%. Precisions for trace elements, varied from generally 5% or better at Geoscience Australia, and mostly between 5 and 10% for Bureau Veritas. Importantly, agreement between laboratories was good, with the majority of elements falling within ±5% agreement, and a few within 5-10% (Th, Tb, Sr, Zn, Ta, and Cr). Major exceptions to this included Na2O, K2O, Rb, Ba and Cs, as well as P2O5 and SO3, as well as those trace elements commonly present in low concentrations (e.g., Cu, As, Be, Mo, Sb, Ge, Bi). The mismatch between the alkalis is notable and of concern, with differences (based on median values) of 17% and 22% for K2O and Ba (higher at Bureau Veritas) and 32% and 300% for Ba and Na2O (higher at Geoscience Australia). The geochemical data presented here have formed the basis for ongoing studies into aspects of basin-hosted mineral systems in the McArthur–Mount Isa region, including insights into sources of metals for such deposits and delineating alteration haloes around those deposits (Champion et al., 2020a, b).

Soil geochemistry has been used to discover many mineral deposits in Australia. Further, it places first-order controls on soil fertility in agriculture and can be used to monitor the environment. With this utility in mind, an extensive soil sampling survey was undertaken as part of the Exploring for the Future program across the vast prospective exploration frontier between Tennant Creek and Mount Isa, dubbed the Northern Australia Geochemical Survey (NAGS). In all, 776 stream sediment outlet samples were collected at a depth of 0–10 cm, improving the density of the National Geochemical Survey of Australia by an order of magnitude, to one sample per ~500 km2. Two size fractions from each sample were analysed for a comprehensive suite of chemical elements after total digestion, Mobile Metal Ion™ (MMI) and aqua regia extractions, and fire assay. Here, we highlight the applicability of these results to base metal exploration, evaluation of soil fertility for agriculture and establishment of geochemical baselines. Our results reveal an association between elevated concentrations of commodity or pathfinder elements in the same or downstream catchments as known mineral deposits. Similar features elsewhere suggest new areas with potential for base metal discovery. <b>Citation:</b> Bastrakov, E.N. and Main, P.T., 2020. Northern Australia Geochemical Survey: a review of regional soil geochemical patterns. In: Czarnota, K., Roach, I., Abbott, S., Haynes, M., Kositcin, N., Ray, A. and Slatter, E. (eds.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, 1–4.

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements were performed on 32 rock samples from the southern Georgina Basin, central Australia to assess nanopore anisotropy. Anisotropy can only be determined from oriented core material, hence the samples were cut perpendicular to bedding in cores selected from three wells that intersect the base of the hydrocarbon-bearing, organic-rich middle Cambrian Arthur Creek Formation; the latter is the source rock for both unconventional and conventional plays in the basin. The evolution of anisotropy of two-dimensional SANS intensity profiles with depth (for pore diameters ranging from 10 nm to 100 nm) was quantified and correlated with SANS intensity and total organic carbon (TOC) content. Our results confirm hydrocarbon generation at the base of the Arthur Creek Formation. The nanopore anisotropy in the basal Arthur Creek Formation at the well locations CKAD0001 (oil generation window) and MacIntyre 1 (late oil generation window) varies roughly according to normal compaction. When the Arthur Creek Formation is in the gas window, as sampled at Baldwin 1, there is a strong (negative) correlation between the average vertical-to-horizontal pore shape anisotropy and SANS intensity. The results indicate that unconventional gas production from organic-rich regions of over mature shale may be adversely affected by abnormal pore compaction.

Heavy minerals (HMs) have been used successfully around the world in energy and mineral exploration, yet in Australia no public domain database or maps exist that document the background HM assemblages or distributions. Here, we describe a project that delivers the world’s first continental-scale HM maps. We applied automated mineralogical identification and quantification of the HMs contained in floodplain sediments from large catchments covering most of Australia. The composition of the sediments reflects the dominant rock types in each catchment, with the generally resistant HMs largely preserving the mineralogical fingerprint of their host protoliths through the weathering–transport–deposition cycle. Underpinning this vision was a pilot project, based on 10 samples from the national sediment sample archive, which in 2020 demonstrated the feasibility of a larger, national-scale project. Two tranches of the subsequent national HM dataset, one focusing on a 965,000 km2 region centred on Broken Hill in southeastern Australia, the other focusing on a 950,000 km2 area in northern Queensland and Northern Territory, were released in 2022. In those releases, over 47 million mineral grains were analysed in 411 samples, identifying over 150 HM species. We created a bespoke, cloud-based mineral network analysis (MNA) tool to visualize, explore and discover relationships between HMs as well as between them and geological settings or mineral deposits. We envisage that the Heavy Mineral Map of Australia and MNA tool, when released publicly by the end of 2023, will contribute significantly to mineral prospectivity analysis and modelling, particularly for technology critical elements and their host minerals <b>Citation:</b> Caritat P. de, Walker A.T., Bastrakov E. & McInnes B.I.A., 2023. From The Heavy Mineral Map of Australia: vision, implementation and progress. In: Czarnota, K. (ed.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/148678

This report presents the results of chemostratigraphic analyses for samples of the Waukarlycarly 1 deep stratigraphic well drilled in in the Waukarlycarly Embayment of the Canning Basin. The drilling of the well was funded by Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future initiative to improve the understanding of the sub-surface geology of this underexplored region of the southern Canning Basin. The well was drilled in partnership with Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) as project operator. Waukarlycarly 1 reached a total depth (TD) of 2680.53 m at the end of November 2019 and was continuously cored from 580 mRT to TD. The work presented in this report constitutes part of the post-well data acquisition. An elemental and isotope chemostratigraphic study was carried out on 100 samples of the well to enable stratigraphic correlations to be made across the Canning Basin within the Ordovician section known to host source rocks. Nine chemostratigraphically distinct sedimentary packages are identified in the Waukarlycarly 1 well and five major chemical boundaries that may relate to unconformities, hiatal surfaces or sediment provenance changes are identified. The Ordovician sections in Waukarlycarly 1 have different chemical signals in comparison to those in other regional wells, suggestive of a different provenance for the origin of the sediments in the Waukarlycarly Embayment compared to the Kidson Sub-basin (Nicolay 1) and Broome Platform (Olympic 1).

This animation shows how Airborne Electromagnetic Surveys Work. It is part of a series of Field Activity Technique Engagement Animations. The target audience are the communities that are impacted by our data acquisition activities. There is no sound or voice over. The 2D animations include a simplified view of what AEM equipment looks like, what the equipment measures and how the survey works.