Minerals Alert May 2008

• Mt Isa seismic workshop
• New Perspectives - The foundations and future of Australian exploration conference 11-12 June 2008
• Clever SHRIMP joins hunt for minerals
• Update on geophysical data releases
• Useful Geoscience Australia websites
• About Minerals Alert

Mt Isa seismic workshop

A workshop presenting the results of the 2006 Mt Isa Deep Seismic Survey will be held at the Mt Isa Civic Centre on 24 June 2008, starting at 8:30am and running until 5:00pm. Morning and afternoon teas and lunch will be provided. Although no charges will be made to attend the workshop, registration is required for catering. Contact Helen Keogh or phone +61 (0)2 6249 9566 at Geoscience Australia to register.

For further information email David Huston or phone +61 (0)2 6249 9577.

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New Perspectives - The foundations and future of Australian exploration conference 11-12 June 2008

New Perspectives, the foundation and future of Australian exploration conference will be held from 11-12 June 2008 in the University Club, at the University of Western Australia. The conference examines the developments from the Enabling Technology research stream based on the pmd*CRC's unique ’5 Question‚ approach to mineral exploration. Changes to industry practice initiated by the pmd*CRC together with its delivery processes have been positively received by industry and made possible through the unique work flow practice implemented in the research program.

The conference aims to:

• provide a forum for the showcasing new approaches and techniques that have resulted from research in the pmd*CRC from 2001-2008
• demonstrate how new techniques and technologies can be applied to mineral exploration within a Mineral Systems Framework
• represent the first and only occasion for presenting the full range of enabling technology outcomes to pmd*CRC sponsors and to a wider exploration audience. It also will be the final major gathering of the Centre's sponsors and researchers for the seventh year of the pmd*CRC, and
• is open to non-sponsors interested in the work developed by the pmd*CRC.

To register or download a copy of the program visit the pmd*CRC website.

For more information email, Helen Keogh or phone +61 (0)2 6249 9566.

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Clever SHRIMP joins hunt for minerals

Geoscience Australia's Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe or SHRIMP was officially launched by the Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism, the Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP, at Geoscience Australia on 1 April 2008. Minister Ferguson became a part-time geochronologist for the morning and dated at 1.6 Ga a zircon mineral from the Mt. Neill granite in the Mt. Painter region of South Australia.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Ferguson said the SHRIMP will significantly increase the amount of high quality data about the age of Australian rocks for Geoscience Australia and for State and Territory geological surveys and mining companies.

“Australia is developing a sophisticated understanding of how the timing of geological events millions, or even billions of years ago have produced the mineral and energy resources we depend on today. Data from the new ion microprobe will increase our understanding of the geological potential of onshore Australia, providing valuable support for Geoscience Australia's activities under the Onshore Energy Security Program,” Minister Ferguson said.

A product of 20 years' design and research at the Australian National University, the instruments are built by Australian Scientific Instrument (ASI) in Canberra and have been exported to laboratories in Japan, the United States and China. Geoscience Australia and ASI have entered into a unique 15-year agreement which allows ASI opportunities to use the Geoscience Australia facility to test new hardware and software and to conduct customer demonstrations.

The SHRIMP currently is in transition to full production mode. Samples from South Australia, the Northern Territory and New South Wales have been processed already with some interesting results indicating potentially new exploration targets. Watch this space!

For further information, email Keith Sircombe or phone +61 (0)2 6249 9543.

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Update on geophysical data releases

The current status of Geoscience Australia's geophysical survey data acquisition is available in a comprehensive table. Charters Towers data was released via GADDS

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

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Useful Geoscience Australia websites

Geoscience Australia's website provides access to a comprehensive range of Australian topographic maps and data through the National Mapping web page.

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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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