The Australian Government’s $225 million Exploring for the Future program is committed to supporting a strong economy, resilient society and sustainable environment for the benefit of Australians.
At its heart, the program is about stimulating industry now to ensure a sustainable, long-term future for Australia through an improved understanding of the nation’s minerals, energy and groundwater resource potential. By gathering and analysing geological and geophysical data and making the results publicly available, the program supports regional development and informed decision making across Australia, resulting in jobs and growth.
The 2020-2024 program is currently focused on eight interrelated projects, united in growing our understanding of subsurface geology. They include three deep-dive projects in potentially resource-rich corridors identified in the east and west of Australia; three continental-scale projects that have national applications with a focus on southern Australia; and two program-support projects. The projects are undertaken in collaboration with Commonwealth, state, territory and university partners, and leverage the capabilities of Australia’s world-leading Mining Equipment, Technology and Services sector.
Current Projects
Darling-Curnamona-Delamerian
This deep-dive project is delivering new data and knowledge to assess mineral and groundwater potential and support water management across western New South Wales and Victoria, eastern South Australia and northwest Tasmania.
Officer-Musgrave
This deep-dive project is investigating the groundwater and energy potential of the Officer Basin and neighbouring Musgrave Province near the junction of South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Barkly–Isa–Georgetown
This deep-dive project is delivering new data and knowledge to assess the mineral and energy potential in undercover regions between Tennant Creek, Mount Isa and Georgetown, maximising opportunities for the resources sector in the region.
Australia’s Resources Framework
This continental-scale project is laying the foundations for a national view of Australia’s surface and subsurface geology, underpinning our understanding of the continent’s mineral, energy and groundwater potential.
National Groundwater Systems
This continental-scale project is improving understanding of Australia’s groundwater resources to better support responsible groundwater management and secure groundwater resources into the future.
Australia’s Future Energy Resources
This continental-scale project is evaluating the potential for new energy commodities hosted within sedimentary basins, including oil, natural gas and hydrogen, to support Australia’s transition to a low carbon economy.
Enhanced Data Delivery
This project is supporting the program in digital transformation and data infrastructure, building on the robust and flexible systems developed during the first four years of the program.
Geoscience Knowledge Sharing
This project is supporting the program in enhancing and establishing relationships with our diverse stakeholders, building a step-change in our engagement with the communities where the program operates, including remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, farmers and rural towns.
News & Events
2022 Showcase
6 June 2022
The Australian Government’s Exploring for the Future program, led by Geoscience Australia, is holding a virtual public Showcase during 8–10 August 2022.
Exploring for the Future takes a deeper look at northern Australia
28 October 2021
A new electrical conductivity model released by Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future program offers a deeper look at the geology in northern Australia with promising results.
First major release from expanded Exploring for the Future program
15 September 2021
New airborne electromagnetic data from the Exploring for the Future program will provide an unprecedented snapshot of the geology of south-eastern Australia.
Data & Publications
Data discovery portal
Geoscience Australia’s Data Discovery Portal provides free access to new geoscience data and tools acquired and developed during the Exploring for the Future program. The program investigated the mineral, energy and groundwater resource potential in northern Australia and parts of South Australia.
Data releases
As part of the Exploring for the Future multiple new pre-competitive datasets, publications, portal and analytical tools have been released to the public. These datasets maintain GA’s global leadership in the provision of pre-competitive geoscience information and thereby attract resource explorers to Australia.
Extended Abstracts
The extended abstracts volume records discrete science work undertaken as part of the Exploring for the Future program. This work highlights scientific achievement as well as the multidisciplinary, integrated and holistic nature of the program.
Case Studies
Mapping the Australian Tectonic Plate Thickness
Sustainable development and transition to cleaner energy sources is placing ever-increasing demand on global supplies of base metals (copper, zinc, lead and nickel) and co-produced critical minerals (eg cobalt, germanium).
New Exploration in the East Tennant Area
Mineral exploration is a necessary activity for the continued success of the mining sector in Australia. It has a public good attribute, which means the socially optimal level of exploration activity is greater than the level of exploration activity that would be generated in a pure private market.
Kidson Sub-Basin Prospectivity
The onshore Canning Basin is a large, predominantly Palaeozoic basin which has minor oil and gas production. Despite widespread shows in different geological settings that indicate that there are at least four active petroleum systems, the basin is significantly underexplored for hydrocarbon resources.
Media
Contact Us
General Enquiries: eftf@ga.gov.au | Subscribe to our newsletter: Exploring for the Future Mailing List
