Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

Global mineral exploration budgets fell by almost 14% in 2002 to US$1.9 billion (US$2.2 billion in 2001). Australia was displaced by Canada as the world's leading exploration destination, but Australia's share of world exploration budgets rose marginally to 17.6%. Mineral exploration in Australia in 2001-02 totalled $640.6 million, down 6% on 2001-02, and the lowest since 1992-93. Western Australia was the leading state for exploration spending accounting for $381 million (59%). Gold was the principal commodity sought with $331 million spent accounting for 52% of all exploration. Exploration spending was up in coal, copper, diamonds, mineral sands (a record), but down in nickel and zinc on the previous year. Exploration spending in the September quarter 2002 was up significantly

Locational and other information for the diamond deposits and kimberlites, lamproites, ultramafic lampropyhyres and garnet-peridotite facies alkali basalts is taken from published information, and unpublished information generously provided by Rio Tinto Ltd, De Beers Australia Exploration Ltd, Striker Resources NL and Kimberley Diamond Company NL, data from WADME Minedex website, the NTGS Modat database, and Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines.

The global downturn in mineral exploration continued in 2001 as planned world-wide expenditure fell to US$2.2 billion from US$2.6 billion in 2000. Australia is the world's leading exploration destination with 17.5% of world mineral exploration budgets. Mineral exploration in Australia in 2000-01 totalled $683.3 million, the first increase (in current dollars) in exploration spending since 1996-97. Western Australia was the leading state for exploration with $424.1 million spent. Gold was the major commodity targeted accounting for 54% of all exploration spending. Access to government-generated geoscientific data and information was improved with the development of the Australian geoscience web portal - <a href="http://www.geoscience.gov.au." target="_blank">www.geoscience.gov.au</a>. Minotaur Resources Ltd reported significant copper-gold-uranium intersections from the Mt Woods Joint Venture, South Australia. Acclaim Exploration NL reported a nickel oxide intersection of 144 m at 1.4% Ni from Wingellina in the Giles Complex, Western Australia. Sipa Resources International NL reported high grade gold intersections at the Waugh prospect, Western Australia, including 15 m at 57.2 g/t Au from 21 m including 3 m at 233 g/t Au from 22 m. Newcrest Mining Ltd further enhanced its Cadia, New South Wales, operation with the first resource estimate of 200 million tonnes at 1.1 g/t Au and 0.41% Cu at the Cadia Far East deposit. Major advances were made in both exploration and project development at the mineral sands projects in the Murray Basin in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Development decisions or commitments to proceed with mine development were made for gold, nickel, mineral sands, diamonds, tantalum and magnesite prospects.

Australian mineral exploration spending in 2002-03 rose by 14.4% to $732.5, the first significant increase since 1996-97. Global non-ferrous mineral exploration budgets rose 26% to an estimated US$2.4 billion in 2003. Australia's share of reported world budgets was US$339.3 million (15.5%). All States and the Northern Territory recorded increases in mineral exploration activity. Western Australia dominated with $423.6 million, 57.8% of total Australian mineral exploration expenditure in 2002-03. Gold was the major commodity sought with spending of $378.4 million, 51.7% of the total. There were significant increases in iron ore, coal and nickel exploration. Company exploration activities generated a significant number of drill intersections of economic interest, particularly for gold and nickel, in several mineral provinces. A number of junior companies commenced production of nickel and/or have nickel projects at an advanced stage.

No abstract available

This disc contains PDF scans of uranium-related reports held by GA from the Australian Atomic Energy Commission archives. These reports date from the late 1950s to the mid 1970s. The reports are a mix of exploration reports, geological and geographical maps, drill hole data and drill cross section files.