Minerals Alert March 2007

• 1. Australian Mineral Exploration Review for 2006
• 2. New "Surface Geology of Northern Territory - 1:1 million scale" digital dataset released
• 3. ANSIR - the National Research Facility for Earth Sounding
• 4. Upcoming Mount Isa field workshop
• 5. Onshore Energy Security Program
• 6. Tanami-North Australia project wraps up
• 7. Update on geophysical survey data acquisition
• 8. About Minerals Alert

1. Australian Mineral Exploration Review for 2006

Geoscience Australia has released a review of mineral exploration in Australia for the year 2006. The review examines levels and trends in exploration in a national and global context. It also highlights government initiatives to support exploration. Overall expenditure in 2005-06 rose by 20.6% to a record $1 240.7 million. 37% of the total amount was spent on the search for previously unknown mineralisation. Exploration results were announced for a wide range of commodities from across the country including:

• Mineral sands (Gullivers, South Australia, and Cooljarloo North, Western Australia)
• Nickel (Saxon, Tasmania)
• Gold-copper (Tekapo, Northern Territory)
• Gold (Tandarra, Victoria, and Tropicana, Western Australia)
• Base metals (Cuttaburra, New South Wales)
• Copper (Rocklands, Queensland)

A copy of the Australian Mineral Exploration Review for 2006 can be downloaded from the Geoscience Australia web site.

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

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2. New "Surface Geology of Northern Territory - 1:1 million scale" digital dataset released

The next instalment of the 1:1 million digital geology of Australia is now available as a free download on the Geoscience Australia website. The Surface Geology of the Northern Territory is available as shapefiles and ESRI export files for use in most common GIS applications. The new digital data has been compiled in collaboration with the Northern Territory Geological Survey and provides the most detailed and comprehensive seamless geological map of the whole territory for explorers, resource managers and land use decision-makers.

For further information, please email Ollie Raymond, or phone +61 (0)2 6249 9575.

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3. ANSIR - the National Research Facility for Earth Sounding

ANSIR, the National Research Facility for Earth Sounding (operated jointly by Geoscience Australia and The Australian National University), is seeking comments on its recently released Discussion Paper "National Planning for a Geotransect Program". ANSIR is particularly interested in comments from industry and academia.

For further information, please email Bruce Goleby or phone +61 (0)2 6249 9404.

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4. Upcoming Mount Isa field workshop

Geoscience Australia, in conjunction with the Geological Survey of Queensland, is running a one-week field workshop in the Mount Isa-Cloncurry region from June 23-30. The emphasis is on sequence stratigraphy, basin architecture, and east-west stratigraphic correlations, and how these elements can be integrated with structure, magmatism and geochronology to derive a geodynamic framework for mineralisation in this key mineral province. This is an opportunity to visit key outcrops and geological sections in both the western and eastern successions, and, through a series of workshop discussions and practical hands-on exercises, come to understand how field observations combined with theoretical considerations can be used to derive a predictive model for mineralisation in the Mount Isa region. Cost is provisionally estimated at $850 and includes workshop materials, accommodation, meals and transport, if required. Workshop venues include Gunpowder Mine, Mount Isa and Cloncurry.

For further details and an outline of the workshop contents please email George Gibson or phone +61 (0)2 6249 9727 or phone Laurie Hutton on +61(0)7 3362 9347.

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5. Onshore Energy Security Program

A "first pass" program detailing work to be done, where, and in what order, is close to completion. The initial scope will be modified through several iterations in consultation with industry stakeholders. A draft plan for the program includes about 7 000 line kilometres of new seismic data, around 190 000 kilometres of airborne EM data and 140 000 kilometres of new gamma-ray spectrometric (radiometric) data.

For further information, please visit AusGeo News.

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6. Tanami-North Australia project wraps up

A six year collaborative study has produced major changes in our understanding of the geological make-up and mineral potential of the North Australia Craton. A major focus of the project was the collection of new geochronological data which will serve as a cornerstone for future synthesis studies and provide a basis for developing exploration models. Another major focus has been the refinement of geology, geochronology, geochemistry and controls on lode-gold mineralisation in the Tanami region.

For further information, please visit AusGeo News or the North Australia project page.

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7. Update on geophysical survey data acquisition

The status of current surveys is:

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

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8. About Minerals 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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