This web service provides access to datasets generated by the North Australian Craton (NAC) Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) Mineral Potential Assessment. Two outputs were created: a comprehensive assessment, using all available spatial data, limiting data where possible to capture mineral systems older than 1500 ma, and; a coverage assessment, which is constrained to data that have no reliance on outcrop or age of mineralisation.

Exploring for the Future (EFTF) is a $225 million initiative by the Australian Government conducted in partnership with state and Northern Territory government agencies and universities that aims to boost northern Australia's attractiveness as a destination for investment in resource exploration. A complementary initiative, the Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) is a Western Australian State-Government initiative that aims to encourage exploration in Western Australia for the long-term sustainability of the State’s resources sector. The Kidson Sub-basin seismic survey (18GA-KB1 or L211) was acquired as part of EFTF and the EIS, as a collaboration between Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of Western Australia (Resource Strategy Division). The 872 km long seismic line was acquired in an east-southeast to west-northwest orientation, on the road between the Kiwirrkurra community in the east, to approximately 20 km from Marble Bar, near the West Australian coast. The primary aims of the seismic survey were to better understand the subsurface geology, crustal architecture and spatial extents of basin and basement terrains. Crucially, the seismic survey was planned to address a lack of coherent seismic data across the Kidson Sub-basin, onshore Canning Basin and to increase the resource prospectivity of the region. The seismic survey imaged the following subdivisions of the Canning Basin: the Wallal Embayment Barnicarndy Graben, Anketell Shelf, and the Kidson Sub-basin, The survey also imaged several pre-Phanerozoic basement terrains, and several seismically distinct, mid to-lower crustal tectonic provinces. This report comprises a summary of the basement and basin geology, mineral and energy systems of the area, and an interpretation of the newly acquired seismic data.

The Exploring for the Future program Showcase 2022 was held online on 8-10 August 2022. Day 3 (10th August) included talks on two themes moderated by David Robinson. Minerals, energy and groundwater systems theme: - Upper Darling Floodplain - Dr Sarah Buckerfield - Geoscience insights from Energy Resources - Lidena Carr - Mineral systems insights: New concepts from old data - Dr David Huston Resource potential theme: - Mineral Potential: Narrowing the exploration search space - Dr Arianne Ford - CO2-Enhanced oil recovery: Application to residual oil zones - Dr Aleks Kalinowski - Hydrogen and green steel - Dr Andrew Feitz You can access the recording of the talks from YouTube here: Day 3 part 1 https://youtu.be/cdzn3JNReOs Day 3 part 2 https://youtu.be/DjghAig51Ao

This OGC conformant web service delivers data from Geoscience Australia's Reservoir, Facies and Hydrocarbon Shows (RESFACS) Database. RESFACS is an interpretative reservoir/facies database containing depth-based information regarding permeability, porosity, shows, depositional environment and biostratigraphy of petroleum wells.

This OGC conformant web service delivers data from Geoscience Australia's Reservoir, Facies and Hydrocarbon Shows (RESFACS) Database. RESFACS is an interpretative reservoir/facies database containing depth-based information regarding permeability, porosity, shows, depositional environment and biostratigraphy of petroleum wells.

Magnetotellurics is one of few techniques those can provide multiple-scale datasets to understand the larger mineral system. We have used long-period data from the Australian Lithospheric Architecture Magnetotelluric Project (AusLAMP) as first-order reconnaissance survey to resolve large-scale lithospheric architectures for mapping areas of mineral potential in northern Australia. The 3D resistivity model reveals a broad conductivity anomaly extending from the Tennant Region to the Murphy Province, representing a potential fertile source region for mineral systems. We then undertook a higher-resolution infill magnetotellurics survey to refine the geometry of major structures, and to investigate if the deep structure is connected to the near surface by crustal-scale fluid pathways. The resistivity models reveal two prominent conductors in the resistive host whose combined responses result in the lithospheric-scale conductivity anomaly mapped in the AusLAMP model. The resistivity contrasts coincide with major structures preliminarily interpreted from seismic reflection and potential field data. Most importantly, the conductive structures extend from the lower crust to the near surface at where the major faults are located. This observation strongly suggests that these major faults are deep-penetrating structures that potentially acted as pathways for transporting metalliferous fluids to the upper crust where they could form mineral deposits. This result indicates high mineral prospectivity for iron oxide copper–gold deposits in the vicinity of these major faults. We then used high-frequency data to estimate cover thickness to assist with drill targeting for the stratigraphic drilling program which, in turn, will test the models and improve our understanding of basement geology, cover sequences and mineral potential. This study demonstrates that integration of geophysical data from multiscale surveys is an effective approach to scale reduction during mineral exploration in covered terranes. This Abstract was submitted/presented to the 2021 Australasian Exploration Geoscience Conference 13 - 17 September https://2021.aegc.com.au/.

Communities and ecosystems along the Darling River face critical water shortages and water quality issues including high salinity and algal blooms due to a reliance on declining surface water flows, which are impacted by extraction and drought, exacerbated by increases in temperature driven by climate change. The Darling River, characterised by highly variable flows, is the primary water source for the region and our understanding of the spatial extent and character of lower salinity groundwater within the surrounding Darling Alluvium, which could provide an alternative water source, is limited. Scientific understanding of the highly variable groundwater-surface water system dynamics of the Darling River is also an integral part of the evidence base required to manage the water resources of the wider Murray-Darling Basin, which has experienced critical water shortages for domestic and agricultural consumptive use and serious ecological decline due to reduced flows. Other relevant groundwater systems in the study area include aquifers of the underlying Eromanga and Surat Basins in the north, aquifers of the Murray Basin in the south, and fractured rock aquifers of the Darling Basin in the south-central area. Understanding of connectivity between these systems and the groundwater systems within the Darling Alluvium, and surface water of the Darling River, is also limited. Here we present the findings of a desktop analysis combining previous research with new analysis on water level, hydrochemistry, and Airborne Electromagnetic depth sections. This integration suggests that basement geometry and hydrostratigraphy within the Darling Alluvium are key structural controls on surface-groundwater connectivity, and the occurrence of a saline groundwater system within the lower part of the alluvium which impacts the quality of surface water and shallow alluvial groundwater resources. Further data acquisition and integrated analysis are planned to test these relationships as part of the Upper Darling Floodplain project. <b>Citation:</b> Buckerfield S., McPherson A., Tan K. P., Kilgour P. & Buchanan S., 2022. From Upper Darling Floodplain groundwater resource assessment. In: Czarnota, K. (ed.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/146847

The Mineral Potential Mapper (MPM) project represents a significant step forward in identifying new mineral provinces in Australia. The project demonstrated that the apparent under-representation of giant Ni Cu-PGE sulfide resources in Australia was a consequence of concealment of mineral deposits by sediments, basins and regolith (cover) which has hindered exploration success, rather than a lack of geological endowment. The project focused on the identification of prospective regions considered worthy of more detailed work (by exploration companies). The availability of new digital datasets at continental scale enabled the work which predicted a high potential for Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide deposits in a wide range of geological regions across Australia. The project delivered the following outputs: – a technical report providing the first continental-scale assessment of Ni-Cu-PGE mineral potential of Australia applying knowledge-driven geographic information system (GIS)-based prospectivity analysis methods – a series of Geodatabase digital maps (included in the report) – primary digital data and programming script used in the GIS analysis – a workshop delivered in Perth to industry on the 12 June 2016 – a world first National mineral potential map for Ni Cu-PGE sulfide deposits. The MPM materials have generated considerable industry interest. Chalice Mining Limited (Chalice) (formerly Chalice Gold Mines Limited) notes the MPM “… provided valuable input into Chalice’s regional targeting, particularly when applied to frontier areas” (and that) “… recent success at Julimar validates the work by Geoscience Australia (GA) and shows the impact that pre-competitive data can have when applied to greenfields exploration.” Chalice’s Julimar discovery is the world’s largest deposit of its type discovered in 20 years and one of four Tier one deposits discovered in the world in the last five years. It has spurred a significant uptake in tenements by explorers across a green field region and further significant finds are likely. The project has also generated considerable international government interest, sparking the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative. The United States of America and Canada are both applying similar innovative mineral systems-based assessment methodologies to undertake precompetitive prospectivity mapping at a national scale. Given the impact of the MPM project will only be fully appreciated with the realisation of new mines, ACIL Allen has considered two hypothetical mine development scenarios: development of the Gonneville deposit based on Chalice’s (Australian Securities Exchange) ASX report of 8 July 2022, and a second case with an expansion of the Gonneville deposit (to 500Mt), coupled with a more spectacular discovery (double the size of the Gonneville deposit). Both success case scenarios were modelled using a conservative set of assumptions drawn from Chalice’s ASX reporting, prevailing market figures and industry norms. Based on those assumptions, ACIL Allen estimates that the development scenarios could generate an overall benefit to the Australian economy of between $3.48 billion and $4.57 billion and between $1.21 billion and $1.56 billion in net benefits to the Commonwealth in terms of taxation. GA’s investment in the project ($3.0 million) enabled the creation of these benefits. Indeed, every dollar invested in this project by the Commonwealth through GA could generate between $1,176 and $1,546 in additional benefits to the economy. The estimated benefit-cost ratio (BCR) for the Commonwealth Government is between 409 and 526 for the ‘success cases’. This is a substantial step up from the initial assessment conduct 12 months ago prior to the availability of resource figures for the Gonneville deposit (with a small and a large mine delivering an overall benefit of between $441 million and $869 million, with a BCR between 65 and 127).

Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth, and groundwater is crucial to supporting many urban and rural communities, economic activities and environmental values. Geoscience Australia, the nation’s trusted advisor on Earth Science, is renewing a deliberate focus on national-scale hydrogeological challenges within the Exploring for the Future program. This will be accomplished by building upon Geoscience Australia’s historic legacy in groundwater studies, including the development of the 1987 national hydrogeological map. Updating the extents, data and scientific understanding of the regions depicted in this map, and bringing it into a version suitable for access and use in the 21st century, will address many limitations of the existing map and its accompanying knowledge base. This compilation of information on Australia’s major hydrogeological regions, including both geospatial analyses of national datasets and high-level summaries of scientific literature, provides for a clear and consistent synthesis of hydrogeological and related contextual information. Supporting the delivery of the National Water Initiative and National Groundwater Strategic Framework, the inventory will benefit multi-sector water users (agriculture, communities, industry and tourism) and the environment. This work will also directly assist prioritisation and decision-making for future investment, and focus groundwater research in the work programs of Geoscience Australia and potentially inform national hydrogeological research more broadly. <b>Citation: </b>Lewis S. J., Lai E. C. S., Flower C. & Lester J. E., 2022. Towards a national information inventory of Australia’s major hydrogeological regions. In: Czarnota, K (ed.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/146974

Over 900 Australian mineral deposits, location and age data, combined with deposit classifications, have been used to assess temporal and spatial patterns of mineral deposits associated with convergent margins and allow assessment of the potential of poorly exposed or undercover mineral provinces and identification of prospective tracts within known mineral provinces. Here we present results of this analysis for the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane and the Tasman Element, which illustrate end-members of the spectrum of convergent margin metallogenic provinces. Combining our Australian synthesis with global data suggest that after ~3000 Ma these provinces are characterised by a reasonably consistent temporal pattern of deposit formation, termed the convergent margin metallogenic cycle (CMMC): volcanic-hosted massive sulfide – calc-alkalic porphyry copper – komatiite-associated nickel sulfide → orogenic gold → alkalic porphyry copper – granite-related rare metal (Sn, W and Mo) – pegmatite. Between ca 3000 Ma and ca 800 Ma, virtually all provinces are characterised by a single CMMC, but after ca 800 Ma, provinces mostly have multiple CMMCs. We interpret this change in metallogeny to reflect secular changes in tectonic style, with single-CMMC provinces associated with warm, shallow break-off subduction, and multiple-CMMC provinces associated with modern-style cold, deep break-off subduction. These temporal and spatial patterns can be used to infer potential for mineralisation outside well-established metallogenic tracts. <b>Citation:</b> Huston D. L., Doublier M. P., Eglington B., Pehrsson S., Mercier-Langevin P. & Piercey S., 2022. Convergent margin metallogenic cycling in the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane and Tasman Element. In: Czarnota, K. (ed.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/147037