Minerals Alert March 2006

• 1. Australian gold, nickel, copper, zinc-lead and uranium resource maps
• 2. Update on geophysical survey data acquisition
• 3. Update on recently released products
• 4. Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES)
• 5. About Email Alert

1. Australian gold, nickel, copper, zinc-lead and uranium resource maps

Geoscience Australia has released new editions of distribution maps showing Australia's gold, nickel, and copper resources, plus two new maps showing lead-zinc and uranium resources distribution. They show the location of mineral deposits and occurrences for each metal. Deposits are shown according to their total contained metal and the classification of the regions in which they occur according to the total contained metal. Total contained metal is the aggregate of past production and remaining resources in a deposit. The resource data used to prepare these maps was derived from publicly available company reports and other reports. Each map is available at 1:10 million scale and is available for download free of charge as a PDF or JPEG. Note that these PDF files are between 1.33Mb and 2.5Mb. Compilation of data for these maps is ongoing and new editions are expected to be released periodically.

For further information, please email Mike Huleatt; or phone +61 (0)2 6249 9087.

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2. Update on geophysical survey data acquisition

The following surveys are currently in progress:

Western Australia

• Paterson Central airborne magnetic and radiometric survey - 49% complete;
• Gascoyne airborne magnetic and radiometric survey - 72% complete.

Requests for quotation have been released for provision of magnetic and radiometric coverage in three regions of Western Australia:

• 34,920 km² in the Ashburton region;
• 37,330 km² in the Southern Officer Basin region;
• 27,920 km² in the Musgrave region.

When completed, the projects will release a total of more than 284 000 line kilometres of magnetic and radiometric data to the public domain.

In the Ashburton and Officer Basin surveys the new data will be acquired on east–west flight lines spaced 400 metres apart with a ground clearance of 80 metres above ground level.

In the Musgrave region two separate survey areas will be flown.

• In the Musgrave North area, north–south flight lines spaced 400 metres apart, with a ground clearance of 80 metres above ground level, will cover an area of approximately 16,220 km²;
• In the Musgrave South area, east–west flight lines spaced 400 metres apart, with a ground clearance of 80 metres above ground level, will cover an area of approximately 11,700 km².

Geoscience Australia will be managing the flying program in all three regions of Western Australia.

Queensland

• Bowen–Surat gravity survey - 68% complete;
• Bowen–Surat South magnetic and radiometric survey - 49% complete;
• Bowen–Surat North magnetic and radiometric survey - 19% complete;
• West Mount Isa magnetic and radiometric survey - 44% complete.

Planning is underway for the next gravity survey project of the Queensland government's Smart Exploration Initiative.

Requests for quotation have been released for provision of gravity coverage in the Mount Isa Area:

• a nominal 9,898 new gravity stations over an area of approximately 78,000 km2 in the Mount Isa region of western Queensland. The survey covers the Lawn Hill, Donors Hill, Camooweal, Dobbyn and Mount Isa (western half) standard 1:250 000 Map Sheet areas. The survey is proposed to commence in July 2006.

Planning is also underway for the next airborne geophysical survey projects of the Queensland government's Smart Exploration Initiative.

Requests for quotation have been released for provision of magnetic and radiometric coverage in the southern Mount Isa region of western Queensland:

• 86,000 km² over the Mt Whelan, Bedourie, Birdsville, Machattie, Betoota, Connemara and Brighton Downs standard 1:250 000 Map Sheet areas;

When completed, the Southern Mount Isa airborne magnetic and radiometric survey project will release a total of more than 241,000 line kilometres of magnetic and radiometric data to the public domain.

The new data will be acquired on east - west flight lines spaced 400 metres apart with a ground clearance of 80 metres above ground level.

Geoscience Australia will be managing the data acquisition program.

For further information, please email Murray Richardson; or phone +61 (0)2 6249 9229.

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3. Update on recently released products

In February Geoscience Australia released the first edition of the "Index of Gravity Surveys". This catalogue provides details of the specifications of gravity surveys held in the Australian National Gravity Database. A copy of the report can be downloaded free of charge from the GA web site.

For further information, please email Murray Richardson; or phone +61 (0)2 6249 9229.

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4. Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES)

The 7^th Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar "Accessing Australia's Final Exploration Frontier", is being held on 28 and 29 March 2006 at the Alice Springs Convention Centre.

Join the NT Geological Survey for a report on current projects, a preview of future programs and to hear ideas on new exploration plays. This event presents a unique opportunity for you to network with industry colleagues and key people who can enhance your business interests in the Territory.

For further information regarding the program and registration, please visit the NT Geological Survey website.

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5. About Email Alert

For more information, please email Mike Huleatt, or phone +61 (0)2 6249 9087.

To view past editions of Geoscience Australia's Minerals Alert, visit the Minerals Alert Newsletter Archive.

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