This is a physical collection of photographic materials created by staff of Geoscience Australia (GA) and its predecessor organisations in the course of their work between the early 1920s and the early 21st century. <b>Value: </b>Historic and scientific significance. Many sites visited are remote and have rarely been revisited. Some images are of people from First Nations, flora and fauna of Australia, its territories and other countries. <b>Scope: </b> Geographical scope is largely Australia, pre- and post-Independence Papua New Guinea, and the Australian Antarctic Territory, but other countries and territories are represented. Thematic scope varies considerably, covering a diverse range of operations of a geological survey, including land and marine surveys, field installations, rock and fossil specimens (in situ, laboratory and under microscope), buildings, passport photographs, etc. The majority of the physical image collection (photos, negatives and glass plates) is still hardcopy only and stored in an access restricted room. This collection requires extensive work to develop a comprehensive catalogue of its contents and explore options for digitisation. <b>Queries can be directed to Records Management Unit (RMU) via the <a href="https://supportworkplace.ga.gov.au/CherwellPortal/Geoscience/">Support Workplace tool</a>. </b> More recent mages received from business area's and departing staff members have been digitised and are stored in HPRM folders: P14/50 - GA Image Collection (A20/615, A20/614, A20/598, A18/111) A spreadsheet containing metadata (D2019-4576) for these images (previously delivered via a now decommissioned database), can be viewed via the Download tab. Note: This HVC record is currently only visible to internal GA staff. <b>If anyone has any additional photographic collections that reflect the history of Geoscience Australia (or its predecessor organisations) the Records Management Unit would be very interested in chatting to you.</b>

This collection supports the compilation of national mineral resource and production statistics, and mineral prospectivity analysis. The collection includes the location of Australian mineral occurrences and mineral deposit descriptions, with geological, resource and production data. This information is stored in two Geoscience Australia databases, the Mineral Deposits & Occurrences Database (OZMIN) and the Mineral Occurrence Locations (MINLOC) database. The collection also includes a number of supporting Geographic Information System (GIS) datasets (e.g., mineral prospectivity datasets, ports, power stations); maps and reports. <b>Value:</b> Data related to the known location and production of mineral resources supports decisions related to resource and economic development. <b>Scope: </b>The collection covers the Australian continent and is updated annually. It now contains data on over one thousand major and historically significant mineral deposits for 60 mineral commodities (including coal).

This collection includes Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations from short-term occupations at multiple locations across Australia and its external territories, including the Australian Antarctic Territory. <b>Value: </b> The datasets within this collection are available to support a myriad of scientific applications, including research into the crustal deformation of the Australian continent. <b>Scope: </b> Data from selected areas of interest across Australia and its external territories, including the Australian Antarctic Territory. Over time there has been a focus on areas with increased risk of seismic activity or areas with observed natural or anthropogenic deformation. <b>Access: </b> The datasets within this collection are currently stored offline, to access please send a request to gnss@ga.gov.au

This collection includes Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations from long-term continuous or semi continuous reference stations at multiple locations across Australia and its external territories, including the Australian Antarctic Territory. <b>Value:</b> The datasets within this collection are provided on an openly accessible basis to support a myriad of scientific and societal positioning applications in Australia. These include the development and maintenance of the Australian Geospatial Reference System (AGRS); the densification of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF); crustal deformation studies; atmospheric studies; and the delivery of precise positioning services to Australian businesses. <b>Scope: </b> Data from reference stations across Australia and its external territories, including the Australian Antarctica Territory. <b>Access: </b> To access the datasets and query station information visit the <a href="https://gnss.ga.gov.au./">Global Navigation Satellite System Data Centre</a>

Thin sections of rocks collected during Geoscience Australia mapping programs over many decades. The collection preserves a physical record of samples for future reference by GA, industry and university researchers.

Radiogenic isotopes decay at known rates and can be used to interpret ages for minerals, rocks and geologic processes. Different isotopic systems provide information related to different time periods and geologic processes, systems include: U-Pb and Ar/Ar, Sm-Nd, Pb-Pb, Lu-Hf, Rb-Sr and Re-Os isotopes. The GEOCHRON database stores full analytical U-Pb age data from Geoscience Australia's (GA) Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro-Probe (SHRIMP) program. The ISOTOPE database is designed to expand GA's ability to deliver isotopic datasets, and stores compiled age and isotopic data from a range of published and unpublished (GA and non-GA) sources. OZCHRON is a depreciated predecessor to GEOCHRON and ISOTOPE, the information once available in OZCHRON is in the process of migration to the two current databases. The ISOTOPE compilation includes sample and bibliographic links through the A, FGDM, and GEOREF databases. The data structure currently supports summary ages (e.g., U-Pb and Ar/Ar) through the INTERPRETED_AGES tables, as well as extended system-specific tables for Sm-Nd, Pb-Pb, Lu-Hf and O- isotopes. The data structure is designed to be extensible to adapt to evolving requirements for the storage of isotopic data. ISOTOPE and the data holdings were initially developed as part of the Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program - particularly to support the delivery of an Isotopic Atlas of Australia. During development of ISOTOPE, some key considerations in compiling and storing diverse, multi-purpose isotopic datasets were developed: 1) Improved sample characterisation and bibliographic links. Often, the usefulness of an isotopic dataset is limited by the metadata available for the parent sample. Better harvesting of fundamental sample data (and better integration with related national datasets such as Australian Geological Provinces and the Australian Stratigraphic Units Database) simplifies the process of filtering an isotopic data compilation using spatial, geological and bibliographic criteria, as well as facilitating 'audits' targeting missing isotopic data. 2) Generalised, extensible structures for isotopic data. The need for system-specific tables for isotopic analyses does not preclude the development of generalised data-structures that reflect universal relationships. GA has modelled relational tables linking system-specific Sessions, Analyses, and interpreted data-Groups, which has proven adequate for all of the Isotopic Atlas layers developed thus far. 3) Dual delivery of 'derived' isotopic data. In some systems, it is critical to capture the published data (i.e. isotopic measurements and derived values, as presented by the original author) and generate an additional set of derived values from the same measurements, calculated using a single set of reference parameters (e.g. decay constant, depleted-mantle values, etc.) that permit 'normalised' portrayal of the data compilation-wide. 4) Flexibility in data delivery mode. In radiogenic isotope geochronology (e.g. U-Pb, Ar-Ar), careful compilation and attribution of 'interpreted ages' can meet the needs of much of the user-base, even without an explicit link to the constituent analyses. In contrast, isotope geochemistry (especially microbeam-based methods such as Lu-Hf via laser ablation) is usually focused on the individual measurements, without which interpreted 'sample-averages' have limited value. Data delivery should reflect key differences of this kind. <b>Value: </b>Used to provide ages and isotope geochemistry data for minerals, rocks and geologic processes. <b>Scope: </b>Australian jurisdictions and international collaborative programs involving Geoscience Australia

A collection of NetCDF files containing ground gravity point data that is organised by survey. The files are derived from the Australian National Gravity Database (ANGD), and formatted in such a way as to provide highly efficient, analysis ready data. The data covers the onshore Australian continent, and dates from 1947 until June 2019. Surveys acquired after June 2019 are not included in this collection, but are available via the Data & Publication search or the Geophysical Archiving and Data Delivery System (GADDS).

Although the Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics was created in 1946, it did not compile an annual report until 1971. The series continued under this title up to 1976, all but the last providing summaries of annual activities by broad sections (functions and organisation, field operations, laboratory studies, observatories, and so on). The 1976 Annual Report adopted a shorter format, a general outline of the role, objectives and programs of the Bureau being followed by a selection of short articles on the "more innovative and conclusive activities" of that year. This new format was retained in 1977 when a title change was made and the annual summaries became known as BMR Yearbooks.

This is the collection level record for the N.H. (Doc) Fisher Geoscience Library's 219 Papua New Guinea geological field notebooks. Digitised copies of the notebooks are being transcribed and validated by a dedicated team of volunteers from around Australia via the Australian Museum's DigiVol Citizen Science transcription platform. This project is being managed by Information Systems and Services Librarian Robert Blyth. The PNG field notebooks contain the geological observations recorded by Bureau of Mineral Resources and AGSO geologists during their field trips to pre- and post-Independence Papua New Guinea from the 1950s to the 1990s. Individual records for these notebooks are not yet available in eCat, but are in the Library's online catalogue (go to <a href="https://geoscienceaustralia.intersearch.com.au">https://geoscienceaustralia.intersearch.com.au</a>, click on Lists at top left and select PNG Field Notebooks). Processing of the image and transcription files is continuing, with the aim of making these available in eCat when this work is complete. The original field notebooks are held at the N.H. (Doc) Fisher Geoscience Library at Geoscience Australia, Canberra.

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data measure variations in the conductivity of the ground by transmitting an electromagnetic signal from a system attached to a plane or helicopter. Depending on the AEM system used and the sub-surface conditions, AEM techniques can detect variations in the conductivity of the ground to a depth of several hundred metres. The responses recorded are commonly caused by the presence of electrically conductive materials such as salt or saline water, graphite, clays and sulphide minerals. <b>Value:</b> Data used for interpreting the geologic structure of the subsurface. This work can be used for the assessment of resource potential. <b>Scope:</b> Systematic coverage of large portions of the Australian continent.