Geoscience Australia is developing technology, infrastructure and the tools needed through its Positioning Australia program to provide accurate, reliable and real-time positioning information across Australia and its maritime zones. This capability is being achieved through technology and infrastructure initiatives described in the flyer. This flyer was created for the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) taking place on 31 Jan to 3 Feb 2022.

<div>GeoInsight aims to communicate geological information to non-geoscience professionals and guide users to datasets with ease via a web-based interface. The 18-month pilot project was developed as part of Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future Program (2016–2024) using a human-centred design approach in which user needs are forefront considerations. Interviews and testing with users found that a simple and plain-language experience that provided packaged information with channels to further research is the preferred design. Curated information and data from across Geoscience Australia help users make decisions and refine their research approach quickly and confidently. </div><div><br></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. By gathering, analysing and interpreting new and existing precompetitive geoscience data and knowledge, we are building a national picture of Australia’s geology and resource potential. This leads to a strong economy, resilient society and sustainable environment for the benefit of all Australians. This includes supporting Australia’s transition to net zero emissions, strong, sustainable resources and agriculture sectors, and economic opportunities and social benefits for Australia’s regional and remote communities. The Exploring for the Future program, which commenced in 2016, is an eight year, $225m investment by the Australian Government. </div><div><br></div><div>In the first iteration of GeoInsight, products were selected for minerals, energy, water and complementary information from Geoscience Australia’s Data Discovery Portal and Data and Publications Catalogue. These products were examined to (1) gauge the relevance of the information they contain for non-geoscientists and (2) determine how best to deliver this information for effective use by non-technical audiences. </div><div><br></div><div>This record documents the methodology used to summarise mineral commodities for GeoInsight. The method was devised to provide a straightforward snapshot of mineral production at the time of publication and future production/extraction potential based on Geoscience Australia datasets extrapolated to the regional scale across Australia. </div><div><br></div><div>The initial developmental stage has been dedicated to producing a workable foundation intended to evolve and incorporate more nuanced content centred on user feedback. Initial stages focused on extraction of data from databases across the widest possible breadth of commodities which could be supported by existing workflows and automation. A recommendation for future development is to incorporate the more nuanced information available from Geoscience Australia into future iterations of the GeoInsight platform. A wide range of information related to mineral potential is delivered by Geoscience Australia, very little of which is captured in the current version of GeoInsight. </div><div><br></div><div>Any updates to the methodology used in GeoInsight will be accompanied by updates to this document, including a change log.</div>

This map shows the locations of mines operating at the end of 2020, developing mines and miners under care and maintenance in Australia. Developing mines are deposits with a proven minable resource and where mines site development has commenced or where a decision to mine has been announced. Mines under care and maintenance show mines that could restart with investment or a change in commodity price and demand. Closed mines at the end of 2020 are not shown.

<div>This data accompanies the Australian Operating Mines Map 2021 (twenty-second edition) March 2022. The Australian Operating Mines Map 2021 may be downloaded from the Geoscience Australia website at: https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/146335</div>

This web map service shows the location and status of Australian operating mines, mines under development and mines under care and maintenance. Developing mines are deposits where the project has a positive feasibility study, development has commenced or all approvals have been received. Mines under care and maintenance have known resource estimations and may be mined or developed in the future.

This map shows the locations and status, as at 31 December 2021, of Australian operating mines, mines under development, mines on care and maintenance and resource deposits associated with critical minerals. Developing mines are deposits where the project has a positive feasibility study, development has commenced or all approvals have been received. Mines under care and maintenance and resource deposits are based on known resource estimations and may produce critical minerals in the future. The critical mineral deposits on this map may not be comprehensive for all commodities. For the purposes of this map, critical minerals are defined as minerals and elements (solid and gaseous) that are vital for modern technology and whose supply may be at risk of disruption. The Australian critical minerals list comprises aluminium (high-purity alumina), antimony, beryllium, bismuth, chromium, cobalt, gallium, germanium, graphite, hafnium, helium, indium, lithium, magnesium, niobium, platinum group elements, rare earth elements, rhenium, scandium, silicon (high-purity silica), tantalum, titanium, tungsten, vanadium and zirconium. These commodities are coloured by mineral groupings on the map.

This map shows the location and status of Australian operating mines, mines under development and mines under care and maintenance in 2023. Developing mines are deposits where the project has a positive feasibility study, development has commenced or all approvals have been received. Mines under care and maintenance have known resource estimations and may be mined or developed in the future.

The Australian Mine Waste database contains mine waste features including mine waste name, waste type, waste status, storage type and geographical location. It also includes relational links to the associated mineral deposit, the associated deposit commodities as well as mineral deposit models modified from the Critical Mineral Mapping Initiative mineral deposit classification scheme (Hofstra et al., 2021). Where available, additional information has been included such as structure type, volume and rehabilitation status. This data has been compiled from published references and public information such as company reports. The resource is accessible via the Geoscience Australia Portal (https://portal.ga.gov.au/persona/minewaste)

This map shows the locations and status of Australian operating mines, mines under development, mines on care and maintenance and mineral deposits associated with a critical mineral resource in 2023. Operating mines include projects that have reported a critical mineral resource, but do not necessarily produce critical minerals. Developing mines are deposits where the project has a positive feasibility study, development has commenced or all approvals have been received. Mines under care and maintenance and mineral deposits are those projects with a known critical mineral resource estimate that may produce critical minerals in the future. For the purposes of this map, critical minerals are defined as minerals and elements that are vital for modern technology and whose supply may be at risk of disruption. As at December 2023, the Australian critical minerals list comprised antimony, arsenic, beryllium, bismuth, chromium, cobalt, fluorine, gallium, germanium, graphite, hafnium, high purity alumina, indium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, niobium, platinum group elements, rare earth elements, rhenium, selenium, silicon (high purity silica/quartz), scandium, tantalum, tellurium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium and zirconium. In February 2024, the Australian Government updated the Australian critical minerals list to include nickel. The fifth edition of this map includes the location and status of Australian nickel mines and deposits in 2023. These commodities are coloured by mineral groupings on the map.

A review of mineral exploration trends, activities and discoveries in Australia in 2023.