April 2017

A monthly online newsletter with product news, data releases and project highlights relating to the minerals and energy exploration industries.

1. Release of the 2014 Southern Thomson Project magnetotelluric data and models
2. Report on gold and molybdenum-tungsten potential of the southern Thomson Orogen, NSW
3. Update on geophysical data release
4. About Minerals Alert

1. Release of the 2014 Southern Thomson Project magnetotelluric data and models

Magnetotelluric (MT) data were collected along a series of traverses across the Thomson-Lachlan orogen boundary, and over the Eulo Ridge, to complement ground gravity and AEM data acquisition and map the electrical structure of the lithosphere in this region.

The MT data, inversion models, and an acquisition and processing report is available for free download from the Geoscience Australia website.

For further information, email clientservices@ga.gov.au or phone 1800 800 173.

2. Report on gold and molybdenum-tungsten potential of the southern Thomson Orogen, NSW

New data on Au and Mo-W-bearing hydrothermal systems hosted by granites and metasedimentary host rocks at the Cuttaburra and F1 prospects in northwestern NSW have been released in a comprehensive report by Armistead et al. (2017).

The report describes the mineralisation, alteration and igneous petrology of the magmatic and hydrothermal systems, and presents new geochronological, whole-rock and mineral geochemical, isotopic (sulfur and lead), and mineralogical data for core samples from drill holes where prior mineral exploration had identified possible intrusion-related mineralisation. Relative and absolute timing constraints (from molybdenite Re-Os, white mica Ar-Ar, and cassiterite U-Pb dating) together with zircon U-Pb dating of intrusive rocks and other geochemical, isotopic and geological evidence, support a model in which felsic intrusion-related Mo-W mineralisation and likely related but later and distal Au (-base metal) mineralisation both formed at ~425-430 Ma. These new observations suggest there is considerable potential for significant Au and Mo-W deposits in the southern Thomson Orogen, which is almost entirely concealed by sedimentary basins.

The record is available for free download from the Geoscience Australia website.

For further information, email clientservices@ga.gov.au or phone 1800 800 173.

3. Update on geophysical data release

Geoscience Australia is managing the geophysical data acquisition programs in Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory on behalf of the state/territory geological surveys

The current status of Geoscience Australia's geophysical survey data acquisition is available in a comprehensive table.

For further information, email clientservices@ga.gov.au or phone 1800 800 173.

4. About Minerals Alert

For more information, please email clientservices@ga.gov.au; or phone 1800 800 173.