Authors / CoAuthors
de Caritat, P. | Cooper, M.
Abstract
The National Geochemical Survey of Australia (NGSA) project was launched in 2007 as part of the Australian Government's Energy Security Initiative. Knowledge of the concentrations and distributions of chemical elements in the near-surface environment, used in combination with other datasets, can contribute to making exploration for energy and mineral resources more cost-effective and less risky. As a spin-off, the multi-element dataset can also have applications in environmental fields. During precursor pilot projects, various sampling media, grain-size fractions and analytical methods were tested. It emerged that catchment outlet sediments (from either overbank or floodplain landforms, or from similar low-lying settings) were an ideal sampling medium found across Australia. These sediments are well-mixed composites of the dominant rock and soil types of a catchment, and are typically fine-grained. Results from the pilot projects indicated that catchment outlet sediments could reflect geochemical signatures from basement and mineralisation, even through thick transported overburden. Building on these methods, the NGSA project targeted catchment outlet sediments as a uniform sampling medium. A shallow (0-10 cm) and a deeper (~60-80 cm) sediment sample was collected at the outlet of 1186 catchments covering ~80% of the country. Sampling was carried out by State and Northern Territory geoscience agencies following protocols described in the Field Manual and practiced during in-field training with Geoscience Australia project staff. All sampling equipment (augers, shovels, etc.) and consumables (bags, labels, etc.) were provided centrally. Dry and moist Munsell colours, soil pH, digital photographs, site information and GPS coordinates were recorded in the field. .../...
Product Type
nonGeographicDataset
eCat Id
71636
Contact for the resource
Custodian
Point of contact
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia
Keywords
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- External Publication
- ( Theme )
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- regolith
- ( Theme )
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- geochemistry
- ( Theme )
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- mineral exploration
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- AU
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
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- Earth Sciences
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- Published_Internal
Publication Date
2011-01-01T00:00:00
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unknown
Topic Category
geoscientificInformation
Series Information
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Unknown
Parent Information
Extents
[-44.0, -10.0, 112.0, 154.0]
Reference System
Spatial Resolution
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