This animation shows how Reflection 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 reflection seismic survey equipment looks like, what the equipment measures and how the survey works.

The North Australian Zinc Belt is the largest zinc–lead province in the world, containing 3 of the 10 largest individual deposits known. Despite this pedigree, exploration in this province during the past two decades has not been particularly successful, yielding only one significant deposit (Teena). One of the most important aspects of exploration is to choose regions or provinces that have greatest potential for discovery. Here, we present results from zinc belts in northern Australia and North America, which highlight previously unused datasets for area selection and targeting at the craton to district scale. Lead isotope mapping using analyses of mineralised material has identified gradients in μ (238U/204Pb) that coincide closely with many major deposits. Locations of these deposits also coincide with a gradient in the depth of the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary determined from calibrated surface wave tomography models converted to temperature. In Australia, gradients in upward-continued gravity anomalies and a step in Moho depth corresponding to a pre-existing major crustal boundary are also observed. The change from thicker to thinner lithosphere is interpreted to localise prospective basins for zinc–lead and copper–cobalt mineralisation, and to control the gradient in lead isotope and other geophysical data. <b>Citation:</b> Huston, D.L., Champion, D.C., Czarnota, K., Hutchens, M., Hoggard, M., Ware, B., Richards, F., Tessalina, S., Gibson, G.M. and Carr, G., 2020. Lithospheric-scale controls on zinc–lead–silver deposits of the North Australian Zinc Belt: evidence from isotopic and geophysical data. 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.

<div><strong>Output type: </strong>Exploring for the Future Extended Abstract</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Short abstract: </strong> Crustal architecture provides first order controls on the distribution of mineral resources of an area and is best imaged by deep seismic reflection data. Here we present a first interpretation of seismic line 22GA-CD2, acquired as part of the Darling-Curnamona-Delamerian (DCD) project. Line 22GA-CD2 images the central eastern Delamerian Orogen, where basement rocks are concealed by the Murray Basin. Key findings include: (i) the crustal architecture preserves many characteristics of the early evolution of west-dipping Delamerian subduction, accretion and orogeny between ~ 515 Ma - 495 Ma. This initial configuration has been reworked and reactivated during younger orogenic events; (ii) the lower and middle crust constitutes the newly defined Barrier Seismic Province, which is also imaged in legacy seismic reflection line 05GA-TL1 and interpreted to continue northeast to the Olepoloko Fault; (iii) a similar seismic character to that of the Barrier Seismic Province has been observed in legacy seismic reflection lines in Victoria and related to a Cambrian accretionary setting and adjacent foreland; (iv) the present-day upper crustal configuration is largely the result of contractional fault reactivation, with significant vertical movements during the Kanimblan-Alice Springs Orogeny (~ 360 Ma - 340 Ma); (v) a large area of prospective rocks for mineral deposits with Cambrian arc-affiliation are accessible to exploration under shallow cover of the Murray Basin (often less than 200 m).</div><div>&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><strong>Citation: </strong>Doublier M.P., et al., 2024. Crustal architecture along seismic line 22GA-CD2: new insights from the Darling-Curnamona-Delamerian deep seismic reflection survey. In: Czarnota, K. (ed.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/149658</div>

<div><strong>Output Type: </strong>Exploring for the Future Extended Abstract</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Short Abstract:</strong> Under the Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program, Geoscience Australia staff and collaborators engaged with land-connected stakeholders that managed or had an interest in land comprising 56% of the total land mass area of Australia. From 2020 to 2023, staff planning ground-based and airborne geophysical and geological data acquisition projects consulted farmers, National Park rangers and managers, Native Title holders, cultural heritage custodians and other land-connected people to obtain land access and cultural heritage clearances for surveys proposed on over 122,000 parcels of land. Engagement did not always result in field activities proceeding. To support communication with this diverse audience, animations, comic-style factsheets, and physical models, were created to help explain field techniques. While the tools created have been useful, the most effective method of communication was found to be a combination of these tools and open two-way discussions.</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Citation: </strong>Sweeney, M., Kuoni, J., Iffland, D. &amp; Soroka, L., 2024. Improving how we engage with land-connected people about geoscience. In: Czarnota, K. (ed.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://doi.org/10.26186/148760</div>