Authors / CoAuthors
Lewis, B.
Abstract
<p>The current coexistence framework for the Woomera Prohibited Area (WPA) was established in 2014; it seeks to balance the interests of all users in the Area. Under this framework, the Department of Defence is the primary user of the WPA for the testing of weaponry and related war materiels. Access to the WPA by a range of non-Defence users, including Aboriginal groups, the resources sector, pastoralists and tourists, is also provided for. The coexistence framework is being reviewed in August 2018. <p>As part of this 2018 WPA Review, Geoscience Australia, together with the Office of the Chief Economist, has undertaken the following tasks: <p>• Updated the current understanding of the region’s geology; <p>• assessed the known Economic Demonstrated Resources (EDR) and potentially undiscovered mineral and petroleum resources (including critical commodities) and groundwater; <p>• documented resource exploration activities in the WPA; and <p>• provided an economic assessment of the known mineral resources and possible future mine developments in the WPA. <p>An assessment of the potential for undiscovered mineral and petroleum resources has been conducted by considering the results of Geoscience Australia’s 2010 WPA assessment and by updating those findings as far as practicable within the available time of the present Review. Overall, this assessment confirms the results of the 2010 assessment and shows that many parts of the WPA have moderate to high potential for the discovery of new mineral and petroleum resources. Analysis of new data by this 2018 assessment has also identified additional areas with potential for groundwater resources in the WPA. <p>There is high potential for the discovery of new deposits, similar to those already known, especially of copper, gold, silver, iron, titanium and zirconium and uranium. Some of these deposits may contain economic REE and other critical commodities. <p>Modelling of the economic impact of possible new mine developments was carried out for high-value commodities with high potential for discovery in the WPA. The commodities included in the possible future mine scenarios are gold, copper, silver, uranium, iron, titanium and zirconium. Two scenarios were modelled, conservative and optimistic. <p>The Net Present Value of Economic Demonstrated Resources in the WPA is estimated to be $5.9 billion. The Net Present Value of possible future mines in the WPA is estimated to be between $6.4 billion and $19 billion. Annual direct employment across the future possible mines ranges from 150 people to 1350 people per mine, with secondary employment between 70 people and 1250 people. Annual value add across the future possible mines ranges between $8 million per mine to $920 million per mine.
Product Type
document
eCat Id
124203
Contact for the resource
Point of contact
Resource provider
Point of contact
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia
Keywords
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- Woomera Prohibited Area
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- resources
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- South Australia
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- Published_External
Publication Date
2019-03-29T02:52:55
Creation Date
2018-11-28T12:40:00
Security Constraints
Legal Constraints
Status
completed
Purpose
Professional opinion delivered to the Woomera Prohibited Area Review
Maintenance Information
notPlanned
Topic Category
geoscientificInformation
Series Information
Professional Opinion 2018/008
Lineage
Not supplied
Parent Information
Extents
[-32.4727, -27.2156, 135.2725, 140.7656]
Reference System
Spatial Resolution
Service Information
Associations
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Source Information