<div>Mineral prospectivity studies seek to map evidence of mineral system activity, with the aim of informing mineral exploration decisions and guiding exploration in the face of uncertainty. These studies leverage the growing volumes of information that are available to characterise the lithosphere by compiling covariate (or feature) grids that represent key mineral system ingredients. Previous studies have been categorised as either “knowledge-driven” or “data-driven” approaches depending on whether these grids are integrated via expert elicitation or by the empirical relationship to known mineralisation, respectively. However, to our knowledge, the underlying modelling framework and assumptions have not been systematically reviewed to understand how choices in the approach to the problem influence modelling outcomes. Here we show the broad mathematical equivalence in these approaches and highlight the limitations inherent when optimising to minimise misfit in potentially under-determined problems. We argue that advances in mineral prospectivity are more likely to be driven by careful consideration of the model selection problem. Focusing effort on model selection will not only drive more robust mineral prospectivity predictions but may also simultaneously refine our understanding of key mineral system processes. To build on these results, we present the Mineral Potential Toolkit; a software repository to facilitate feature engineering, statistical appraisal, and quantitative prospectivity modelling. The toolkit enables a novel approach that combines the best aspects of previous methods. Abstract presented to the 26th World Mining Congress 2023 (https://wmc2023.org/)

Demand for critical raw materials is expected to accelerate over the next few decades due to continued population growth and the shifting consumption patterns of the global economy. Sedimentary basins are important sources for critical raw materials and new discoveries of sediment–hosted Mississippi Valley–type (MVT) and/or clastic–dominated (CD) Zn–Pb deposits are likely required to mitigate future supply chain disruptions for Zn, Pb, Ag, Cd, Ga, Ge, Sb, and In. Herein we integrate public geoscience datasets using a discrete global grid to system to model the mineral potential for MVT and CD deposits across Canada, the United States of America, and Australia. Statistical analysis of the model results demonstrates that surface–wave tomography and derivative products from satellite gravity datasets can be used to map the most favourable paleo–tectonic settings of MVT and CD deposits inboard of orogenic belts and at the rifted edges of cratonic lithosphere, respectively. Basin development at pre–existing crustal boundaries was likely important for maintaining the low geothermal–gradients that are favourable for metal transport and generating the crustal fluid pathways that were reactivated during ore–formation, as suggested by the statistical association of both sediment–hosted mineral deposit types with the edges of upward–continued gravity and long–wavelength magnetic anomalies. Multivariate statistical analysis demonstrates that the most prospective combination of these geophysical datasets varies for each geological region and deposit type. We further demonstrate that maximum and minimum geological ages, coupled with Phanerozoic paleogeographic reconstructions, represent mappable proxies for the availability of oxidized, brine–generating regions that are the most likely source of ore–forming fluids (e.g., low– to mid–latitude carbonate platforms and evaporites). Ore deposition was likely controlled by interaction between oxidized, low–temperature brines and sulfidic and/or carbonaceous rocks, which, in some cases, can be mapped at the exposed surface or identified using the available rock descriptions. Baseline weights–of–evidence models are based on regional geophysics and are the least impacted by missing surface information but yield relatively poor results, as demonstrated by the low area–under–the–curve (AUC) for the spatially independent test set on the success–rate plot (AUC = 0.787 for MVT and AUC = 0.870 for CD). Model performance can be improved by: (1) using advanced methods that were trained and validated during a series of semi–automated machine learning competitions; and/or (2) incorporating geological and geophysical datasets that are proxies for each component of the mineral system. The best–performing gradient boosting machine models yield higher AUC for the test set (AUC = 0.983 for MVT and AUC = 0.991 for CD) and reduce the search space by >94%. The model results highlight the potential benefits of mapping sediment–hosted mineral systems at continental scale to improve mineral exploration targeting for critical raw materials.

<div>The Pedirka, Simpson and western Eromanga basins in central Australia have undergone a chequered exploration history which has seen a total of only 42 wells drilled across a study area of ~210,000km2. Exploration initially focused on conventional hydrocarbons from the 1950s-1980s, before shifting towards coal seam gas (CSG) opportunities in the mid-2000s. Active petroleum systems have been proven in the region by a non-commercial oil discovery at Poolowanna 1 in 1977, and by several wells that showed evidence of residual oil columns. CSG exploration wells have confirmed the presence of thick, marginally mature coal intervals on the flanks of the basins, but are yet to evaluate the deeper troughs.</div><div>Geoscience Australia, the Northern Territory Geological Survey and the South Australian Department for Energy and Mining have been collaborating on the Australia’s Future Energy Resources project under the Australian government funded Exploring for the Future Program to undertake an assessment of the resource potential for conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons, and the geological carbon and storage (GCS) potential of the greater Pedirka region. </div><div>The project applied a play-based exploration approach to qualitatively assess the resource potential of the region. The Carboniferous to Cretaceous stratigraphic interval was divided into 14 plays which were evaluated for the presence of sediment-hosted energy resources through post-drill analysis, gross depositional environment mapping and common risk segment mapping. The analysis identified energy resources and GCS potential across multiple plays and locations within the study area. These results demonstrate, that while the region is underexplored, it should not be overlooked by future exploration activities.</div> Published in The APPEA Journal 2023. <b>Citation:</b> Iwanec Jeremy, Strong Paul, Bernecker Tom (2023) Underexplored but not forgotten: assessing the energy resources potential of the greater Pedirka Basin region through play-based mapping. <i>The APPEA Journal</i><b> 63</b>, S251-S256. https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ22150

<div>New SHRIMP U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology on Mesoproterozoic and Paleoproterozoic siliciclastic rocks from the South Nicholson region, in concert with recently acquired complementary regional geophysical datasets, has enabled comprehensive revision of the regional Proterozoic tectono-stratigraphy. The identification of analogous detrital zircon spectra between units deposited in half-graben hanging walls of major ENE-WSW trending extensional faults, the Benmara, Bauhinia, and Maloney-Mitchiebo faults, offers compelling evidence for regional tectono-stratigraphic correlation. Units sampled from the hanging walls of these faults are characterised by immature proximal lithofacies and host a small yet persistent population of <em>ca</em> 1640–1650 Ma aged zircon and lack Mesoproterozoic detritus, consistent with deposition coincident with extension during the River Extension event at <em>ca</em> 1640 Ma, an event previously identified from the Lawn Hill Platform in western Queensland. This finding suggests the hanging wall sequences are chrono-stratigraphically equivalent to the highly prospective sedimentary rocks of the Isa Superbasin, host to world-class sediment-hosted base metal deposits across western Queensland and north-eastern Northern Territory. Subsequent inversion of the extensional faults, resulted in development of south-verging thrusts, and exhumation of late Paleoproterozoic hanging wall siliciclastic rocks through overlying Mesoproterozoic South Nicholson Group rocks as fault propagated roll-over anticlines. These geochronology data and interpretations necessitate revision of the stratigraphy and the renaming of a number of stratigraphic units in the South Nicholson region. Accordingly, the distribution of the highly prospective late Paleoproterozoic units of the McArthur Basin, Lawn Hill Platform and Mount Isa Province is greatly expanded across the South Nicholson region. These findings imply that the previously underexplored South Nicholson region is a highly prospective greenfield for energy and mineral resources.</div> <b>Citation:</b> C. J. Carson, N. Kositcin, J. R. Anderson & P. A. Henson (2023) A revised Proterozoic tectono-stratigraphy of the South Nicholson region, Northern Territory, Australia—insights from SHRIMP U–Pb detrital zircon geochronology, <i>Australian Journal of Earth Sciences,</i> DOI: 10.1080/08120099.2023.2264355

This web service delivers datasets produced by the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI), a collaboration between Geoscience Australia (GA), the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Data in this service includes geochemical analyses of over 7000 samples collected from or near mineral deposits from 60 countries, and mineral prospectivity models for clastic-dominated (Zn, Pb) and Mississippi Valley-type (Zn-Pb) deposits across Canada, the United States, and Australia.

This web service delivers datasets produced by the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI), a collaboration between Geoscience Australia (GA), the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Data in this service includes geochemical analyses of over 7000 samples collected from or near mineral deposits from 60 countries, and mineral prospectivity models for clastic-dominated (Zn, Pb) and Mississippi Valley-type (Zn-Pb) deposits across Canada, the United States, and Australia.

The Houtman Sub basin is an under-explored region of the northern Perth Basin, offshore Western Australia. Only three wells have been drilled in the southern part of the sub-basin, while the northern part remains an exploration frontier. Adjacent areas of the Perth Basin are proven hydrocarbon provinces with a long and continuing history of exploration, discovery and production. New seismic reflection data, obtained by Geoscience Australia in 2014–15 (GA-349) under the Australian government's precompetitive data acquisition program, has been used to reassess the tectonic evolution, structural architecture, major depositional phases and petroleum prospectivity of this frontier basin. Interpretation of these data has enabled mapping of the Moho, basement, pre-rift sequences and major syn rift sequences, along with the creation of a 3D geological model covering the survey area. As a result, this study has significantly reduced the level of exploration risk in the northern Houtman Sub-basin. Seismic interpretation, integrated with potential field modelling, shows a large variation in crustal structure beneath the study area. Beneath the central part of the northern Houtman Sub-basin continental crust is highly extended to hyperextended (<5 km thick), while further east, beneath the Bernier Platform, continental crust remains greater than 25 km thick. This extreme change in crustal thickness occurred along a major fault zone, marking the eastern boundary of the northern Houtman Sub-basin. Located outboard, along the western margin of the northern Houtman Sub-basin, is a zone of volcanic seaward-dipping reflector sequences, defining the volcanic province of the Wallaby Saddle. Regional correlation of the seismic stratigraphy across the northern Perth Basin has enabled the development of a new tectonostratigraphic framework for the Houtman Sub basin. The depocentre includes up to 16 km of a Permian–Cretaceous succession underlain by a 2–3 km thick section of pre-rift (?Paleozoic) sediments. The Permian syn rift succession is confined to a series of large half graben that are controlled by basement-involved faults that separate the northern Houtman Sub-basin from the Bernier Platform. This succession is up to 10 km thick and was mapped throughout the inboard part of the new seismic grid. A prominent unconformity at the top of the Permian syn-rift sequence is overlain by a thick (up to 1800 m) and regionally extensive seismic sequence interpreted as the Lower Triassic Kockatea Shale. The thickness of the Triassic succession (i.e. Kockatea, Woodada and Lesueur formations) ranges from about 1 km in the inboard part of the basin to up to 5 km outboard. The Late Triassic to Jurassic succession is thickest (up to 4 km) in the outboard part of the basin and is interpreted to contain sequences corresponding to the Eneabba, Cattamarra, Cadda and Yarragadee formations. An Early Cretaceous depocentre was mapped in southwestern part of the study area, and is interpreted to be a Parmelia Group equivalent. Comparison with the adjacent hydrocarbon producing regions of the northern Perth Basin highlights the likely presence of multiple petroleum source, reservoir and seal units. Potential source rocks consist of Permian to Jurassic marine and non marine carbonaceous shale and coal, the most prospective of these is the marine Triassic Kockatea Shale, especially if the organic-rich Hovea Member is present. In addition, multiple reservoir and seal intervals are likely to be present throughout the thick Permian, Triassic, Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous successions.

The National Geochemical Survey of Australia (NGSA) provides an internally consistent, state-of-the-art, continental-scale geochemical dataset that can be used to assess areas of Australia more elevated in commodity metals and/or pathfinder elements than others. But do regions elevated in such elements correspond to known mineralized provinces, and what is the best method for detecting and thus potentially predicting those? Here, using base metal associations as an example, I compare a trivariate rank-based index and a multivariate-based Principal Component Analysis method. The analysis suggests that the simpler rank-based index better discriminates catchments endowed with known base metal mineralization from barren ones and could be used as a first-pass prospectivity tool. <b>Citation:</b> Patrice de Caritat, Continental-scale geochemical surveys and mineral prospectivity: Comparison of a trivariate and a multivariate approach, <i>Journal of Geochemical Exploration</i>, Volume 188, 2018, Pages 87-94, ISSN 0375-6742, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2018.01.014