The Geoscience Australia Rock Properties database stores the result measurements of scalar and vector petrophysical properties of rock and regolith specimens and hydrogeological data. Oracle database and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) web services. Links to Samples, Field Sites, Boreholes. <b>Value:</b> Essential for relating geophysical measurements to geology and hydrogeology and thereby constraining geological, geophysical and groundwater models of the Earth <b>Scope:</b> Data are sourced from all states and territories of Australia

<p>The Barkly 2D Seismic Survey was acquired during September to November 2019 and commenced near the town of Camooweal on the border of Queensland and Northern Territory. This project is a collaboration between Geoscience Australia (GA) and the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS), and was funded by the Australian Government's Exploring for the Future program and the Northern Territory Geological Survey under Northern Resourcing the Territory initiative. <p>The Barkly seismic survey extends the 2017 South Nicholson seismic survey and links with the existing Beetaloo Sub-basin seismic data. The total length of acquisition was 812.6 km spread over five lines 19GA-B1 (434.6 km), 19GA-B2 (45.9 km), 19GA-B3 (66.9 km), 19GA-B4 (225.8 km) and 19GA-B5 (39.4 km). The Barkly seismic project provides better coverage and quality of fundamental geophysical data over the region from the southern McArthur Basin to northern Mt Isa western succession. The Barkly seismic data will assist in improving the understanding of basins and basement structures and also the energy, mineral and groundwater resource potential in Northern Australia. The new reflection seismic data and derivative information will reduce the risk for exploration companies in this underexplored area by providing information for industry to confidently invest in exploration activities. <b>Raw data for this survey are available on request from clientservices@ga.gov.au - Quote eCat# 132890</b>

<p>The Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) designed the Mount Peake-Crawford survey to provide high resolution magnetic, radiometric and elevation data in the area. It is anticipated that the data from the survey would help attract explorers into ‘greenfield’ terranes and contribute to the discovery of the next generation of major mineral and energy deposits in the Northern Territory. A total of 120,000 line km of regional data (200m line spacing) and additional infill data (100m line spacing), flown at 60m flight height were acquired during the survey between July and October 2019. The survey was managed by Geoscience Australia. <p>Various grids were produced from the Mount Peake-Crawford Airborne Magnetic and Radiometric Survey dataset and simultaneously merged into a single grid file. The final grid retains all of the information from the input data and is levelled to the national map compilations produced by Geoscience Australia. The merged grids have a cell size of 20m. <p>The following merged grids are available in this download: <p>• Laser-derived digital elevation model grids (m). Height relative to the Australian Height Datum. <p>• Radar-derived digital elevation model grids (m). Height relative to the Australian Height Datum. <p>• Total magnetic intensity grid (nT). <p>• Total magnetic intensity grid with variable reduction to the pole applied (nT). <p>• Total magnetic intensity grid with variable reduction to the pole and first vertical derivative applied (nT/m). <p>• NASVD-filtered potassium concentration grid (%). <p>• NASVD-filtered thorium concentration grid (ppm). <p>• NASVD-filtered uranium concentration grid (ppm).

<p>Geoscience Australia (GA) generated a series of gravity and magnetic grids and enhancements covering Northern Australia. Several derivative gravity datasets have been generated 1) for the North-West Shield Western Australia region (approximately between latitudes 7‒26⁰ S and longitudes 110‒130⁰ E), 2) for the Northern Territory (approximately between latitudes 7‒26⁰ S and longitudes 125.5‒141⁰ E) and for Queensland (approximately between latitudes 7‒30⁰ S and longitudes 135‒160⁰ E). The magnetic dataset has been generated only for the North-West Shield Western Australia region (approximately between latitudes 7‒26⁰ S and longitudes 110‒130⁰ E). The magnetic and gravity data were downloaded from the Geophysical Archive Data Delivery System (GADDS), website (http://www.geoscience.gov.au/cgi-bin/mapserv?map=/nas/web/ops/prod/apps/mapserver/gadds/wms_map/gadds.map&mode=browse). Satellite Free-air (FA) gravity v27.1 (released March 11, 2019) and Satellite Topography v19.1 (released January 14, 2019) data were sourced from Sandwell et al. (2014) and downloaded from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Navy and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) (SIO Satellite Geodesy, website, http://topex.ucsd.edu/WWW_html/mar_grav.html). The Satellite Bouguer gravity grid with onshore correction density of 2.67 gcm-3 and offshore correction density of 2.20 gcm-3 was derived from the Free-air gravity v27.1 and Topography data V19.1. This Bouguer gravity grid was used for filling areas of data gaps in the offshore region. <p>Data evaluation and processing of gravity and magnetic data available in the area of interest resulted in the production of stitched onshore-offshore Bouguer gravity grid derived from offshore satellite Bouguer gravity grid and GA’s onshore ground and airborne gravity survey data and a stitched Total Magnetic Intensity (TMI) grid derived from airborne and shipborne surveys (Tables 1 and 5). A Reduction to the Pole (RTP) grid was derived from the stitched TMI grid. The TMI, RTP, FA and terrain corrected Bouguer gravity anomalies are standard datasets for geological analysis. The free-air gravity anomaly provides the raw and basic gravity information. Images of free-air gravity are useful for first-pass interpretation and the data is used for gravity modelling. Magnetic anomalies provide information on numerous magnetic sources, including deep sources as arising from the structure and composition of magnetic basement and shallow sources such as intra-sedimentary magnetic units (e.g. volcanics, intrusions, and magnetic sedimentary layers). A standard TMI image will contain information from all these sources. Geosoft Oasis montaj software was used throughout the data processing and enhancement procedure and the montaj GridKnit module was used to generate the stitched gravity and magnetic grids. <p>Enhancement techniques have been applied to the final processed Bouguer gravity and RTP magnetic grids to highlight subtle features from various sources and to separate anomalies from different source depths. These enhancement techniques are described in the next section. <p>Enhancement processing techniques and results <p>A summary of image processing techniques used to achieve various outcomes is described in Table 1. <p>Data type Filter applied Enhancement/outcome <p>Gravity/Magnetic First vertical derivative (1VD) Near surface features (e.g. intrabasinal) <p>Gravity/Magnetic Upward continuation Noise reduction in data <p>Gravity/Magnetic Low pass filter, or large distance upward continuation Enhancement of deep features (e.g. basement) <p>Gravity/Magnetic High pass filter Enhancement of shallow features (e.g. surface anomalies) <p>Gravity/Magnetic Tilt filter and 1VD Enhancement of structure (e.g. in basement) <p>Gravity/Magnetic ZS-Edgezone and ZS-Edge filters Enhancement of edges <p>Gravity/Magnetic horizontal modulus / horizontal gradient Enhancement of boundaries <p>Magnetic RTP (reduction to the pole), Compound Anomaly, and Analytic Signal filter Accurate location of sources

Collection of Geoscience Australia's high-resolution elevation surveys collected using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and other instrument systems. <b>Value: </b>Describes Australia's landforms and seabed is crucial for addressing issues relating to the impacts of climate change, disaster management, water security, environmental management, urban planning and infrastructure design. <b>Scope: </b>Selected areas of interest around Australia.

Drilling in the Geoscience Australia Exploring for the Future East Tennant project was conducted as part of the MinEx CRC National Drilling Initiative. Ten stratigraphic boreholes were drilled for scientific purposes in the region around the Barkly Roadhouse in the Northern Territory. Where possible, the boreholes were comprehensively wireline logged to obtain petrophysical data on the cover and basement rocks to help improve knowledge and geophysical models of the region. Formation density data obtained by wireline logging were validated using laboratory-based bulk density data obtained by Archimedes method on diamond drill core samples at Geoscience Australia. Results of the validation show that wireline-logged formation density data and Archimedes wet bulk density data are in good general agreement in the first five boreholes drilled (NDIBK01, NDIBK02, NDIBK03, NDIBK04 and NDIBK05). Difficult drilling and some lost drilling equipment meant that boreholes NDIBK06, NDIBK07 and NDIBK09 could not be cased properly, or could not be re-entered, and thus formation density wireline logs could not be obtained in these holes. Boreholes NDIBK08 and NDIBK10 were wireline logged, however formation density results from these last two holes were problematic. Wireline formation density results for borehole NDIBK08 are shown to be too high due to miscalibration of the wireline formation density tool, and results from borehole NDIBK10 cannot be robustly assessed because of a lack of sufficient Archimedes bulk density data needed to provide statistical relevance and validate the wireline formation density data.

<p>Exploring for the Future (EFTF, <a href="http://www.ga.gov.au/eftf">http://www.ga.gov.au/eftf</a>) is a four-year (2016–2020) $100.5 million program investigating the mineral, energy and groundwater resource potential in northern Australia and parts of South Australia. The program is delivering new geoscience data, knowledge and decision support tools that support increased industry investment and sustainable economic development. <p>Geoscience Australia commissioned ACIL Allen Consulting to independently quantify the return on investment from selected EFTF projects that are representative of the nature of the work done under the program. The objective was to develop a plausible and economically robust estimate of the returns to government through increased government revenue as a result of the case study projects. Geoscience Australia would like to acknowledge the organisations that have contributed to or supported these EFTF case study projects. <p>The results of this independent analysis can be used to estimate the impact and value of the EFTF program as a whole relative to the funds invested in these activities. The evaluation framework used by ACIL Allen Consulting to assess the impact and value of Geoscience Australia’s pre-competitive geoscience under EFTF is one that has been used for similar assessments of similar organisations in the past. <p>The analysis shows that the benefits that could potentially flow to the Commonwealth as a result of the EFTF projects examined at least match what has been spent on the program, and the returns can be as much as an order of magnitude higher than the cost of the entire program.

The AusAEM1 survey is the world’s largest airborne electromagnetic survey flown to date, extending across an area exceeding 1.1 million km2 over Queensland and the Northern Territory. Approximately 60 000 line kilometres of data were acquired at a nominal line spacing of 20 km. Using this dataset, we interpreted the depth to chronostratigraphic surfaces, assembled stratigraphic relationship information, and delineated structural and electrically conductive features. Our results improved understanding of upper-crustal geology, led to 3D mapping of palaeovalleys, prompted further investigation of electrical conductors and their relationship to structural features and mineralisation, and helped us continuously connect correlative outcropping units separated by up to hundreds of kilometres. Our interpretation is designed to improve targeting and outcomes for mineral, energy and groundwater exploration, and contributes to our understanding of the chronostratigraphic, structural and upper-crustal evolution of northern Australia. More than 150 000 regional depth measurements, each attributed with detailed geological information, are an important step towards a national geological framework, and offer a regional context for more detailed, smaller-scale AEM surveys. <b>Citation:</b> Wong, S.C.T., Roach, I.C., Nicoll, M.G., English, P.M., Bonnardot, M.-A., Brodie, R.C., Rollet, N. and Ley-Cooper, A.Y., 2020. Interpretation of the AusAEM1: insights from the world’s largest airborne electromagnetic survey. 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.

<p>The Roebuck Basin is considered a new and relatively untested hydrocarbon province in the central North West Shelf of Australia. Inconsistent results from drilling for hydrocarbons highlights the need to better understand the deep structures along this rifted margin that initially formed as an intra-continental, failed rift during Late Permian. Recent wells penetrated the previously unknown Lower-Middle Triassic fluvio-deltaic sedimentary package in the Bedout Sub-basin (inboard part of the Roebuck Basin), including intervals with major oil and gas discoveries. Another two wells, Anhalt 1 and Hannover South 1, only penetrated the top of this succession and they encountered volcanics in the Rowley Sub-basin (outboard part of the Roebuck Basin). Steeply dipping clinoforms observed in the seismic data in the Rowley Sub-basin have been interpreted either as a lava delta complex associated with a failed triple junction; or as a series of back-stepping, Late Permian carbonate ramps and banks, interpreted to have developed on a thermally subsiding rift flank. The implication for prospectivity between the two scenarios is significant. Geoscience Australia undertook a Triassic regional basin analyses, including potential field modelling to validate whether the two proposed models are a plausible solution. A combination of magnetic and gravity 2.5D modelling along nine key regional seismic lines, considered the distribution of potential intrabasinal volcanic rocks and the crustal structure, including Moho depth and depth to top crystalline basement. <p>New seismic interpretation correlated to recent wells, including 2D and 3D seismic reflection surveys was integrated with deep seismic reflection and refraction data resulting in an improved geometry and lithology model that was input into the potential field analyses. The results show that the combined Jurassic and Triassic successions reach up to 16 km deep in the central North West Shelf. The Lower-Middle Triassic sediment package in the Rowley Sub-basin correlates with up to 10 km of dense material (about 2.7 g/cm3 density) and contains magnetic features partially sourced from basalts at the top of the section, as intersected in Anhalt 1 and Hannover South 1. Combined with other causative sources within basement, the basalts correlate with a spatially large positive magnetic anomaly that extends north onto the Scott Plateau and into the Barcoo Sub-basin; in the offshore southwest part of the Browse Basin, where Warrabkook 1 intersected Late Jurassic volcanoclastics at its total depth. The presence of high density and high positive magnetic anomalies in the Lower-Middle Triassic and basement supports the presence of a large igneous province in this area. This interpretation in the outer Rowley Sub-basin downgrades the petroleum prospectivity in this area for this Lower-Middle Triassic interval. Petroleum prospectivity remains in the area due to the overlying sediments containing good source rocks which have been identified to have good to excellent generative potential. <p>The Lower-Middle Triassic sediment package in the adjacent northern Carnarvon Basin has been intersected only on the Lambert Shelf; encountering fluvio-deltaic sediments. In the offshore part of the northern Carnarvon Basin, the nature of this sediment package still remains enigmatic. It correlates with low density sediments (about 2.5 g/cm3 density) that include magnetic bodies on the outboard Exmouth Plateau. The basement and crust show crustal thinning with the presence of a thick layer of interpreted hyper-extended continental crust or exhumed lithospheric mantle. This crustal domain is overlain by thick onlapping Lower-Middle Triassic sediments which form a triangular shape depocentre in the inboard northern Carnarvon Basin, wrapping around the edge of the Pilbara Craton. The location of this initial thick sediment package suggests that it was controlled by the inherited thermal structure of the Late Permian-early Triassic rift architecture that is associated with some volcanics related to a large igneous province extending across the central North West Shelf. As described in the Rowley Sub-basin, the petroleum prospectivity of the northern Carnarvon Basin remains in the overlying sediments showing similar characteristics and indicating good to excellent hydrocarbon generative potential.

This collection includes calibrated time-series data and other products from Geoscience Australia's geomagnetic observatory network in Australia and Antarctica. Data dates back to 1924. <b>Value: </b>These data are used in mathematical models of the geomagnetic field, in resource exploration and exploitation, to monitor space weather, and for scientific research. The resulting information can be used for compass-based navigation, magnetic direction finding, and to help protect communities by mitigating the potential hazards generated by magnetic storms. <b>Scope: </b>Continuous geomagnetic time series data, indices of magnetic activity and associated metadata, Data dates back to 1924.