August 2014

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

1. Canning Coastal Seismic Survey in northwest Western Australia
2. Southern Thomson Orogen Project AEM Survey
3. Update on geophysical data releases
4. About Minerals Alert

1. Canning Coastal Seismic Survey in northwest Western Australia

The Canning Coastal deep seismic reflection survey in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia commenced in May and data acquisition completed at the end of June. A total of 706km of deep crustal seismic reflection and gravity data were acquired along two seismic lines across the Canning Basin. The traverses were designed to complete a geological cross-section of the Canning Basin. The main objective was to image the crustal architecture of the geology underlying the Canning Basin and its relationship to the boundaries between the crystalline hard rock areas of the North (Kimberley) and West Australian (Pilbara) cratons.

The survey was a collaborative project  between Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) governed by an ongoing National Collaboration Framework (NCF) Project Agreement. Funding was provided through the Western Australian Government's Exploration Incentive Scheme.

After the collected data is processed a new, pre-competitive dataset will be released for the exploration industry and research community that more clearly defines the geology and prospectivity of the onshore Canning Basin.

2. Southern Thomson Orogen Project AEM Survey

The Southern Thomson Orogen Project is a collaborative project between Geoscience Australia and its State partners; the Geological Survey of Queensland and the Geological Survey of New South Wales. The Project includes joint investigations into the nature of cover, under-cover geology and mineral potential of this poorly understood, greenfields region straddling the New South Wales (NSW)-Queensland (Qld) border north of Bourke, NSW. The Project includes an initial program of geophysical surveys comprising airborne electromagnetic (AEM), magnetotelluric (MT) and gravity data acquisition.

The Southern Thomson Orogen Project AEM Survey was flown between 31 March and 5 May using the Geotech VTEM FullWaveForm® helicopter-borne time-domain AEM system. The Survey consists of two parts: 1. A regional AEM survey; and 2. Two single-line traverses from Gongolgon (NSW) to Thargomindah (Qld), and Louth (NSW) to Eulo (Qld).

The regional AEM survey was flown across the Eulo Ridge, which is a poorly exposed basement high of Southern Thomson Orogen  rocks. Survey data will be used to map cover thickness and locate any potential basement electrical conductors to help assess the mineral prospectivity of this region. The regional AEM survey includes a total of about 3,330 line kilometres of AEM data at 5000m line spacing, covering about 16,270 square kilometres.

The two AEM traverses are strategically located to join previous seismic lines and to complement the MT and gravity data that are presently being collected. These traverses will provide new data to help understand the boundaries between the Lachlan and the Thomson orogens. The AEM data will be used to map near-surface electrical conductivity and create more robust MT models of lithospheric-scale electrical conductivity, as well as inform other geological mapping.

The contractor-delivered (Phase 1) data for the Southern Thomson AEM Survey should be available for free download from the Geoscience Australia Airborne electromagnetics web page from mid-August.

3. Update on geophysical data releases

Geoscience Australia is managing the geophysical data acquisition programs in Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory.

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

4. About Minerals Alert

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