Data & Publications

Organic petrological analysis of shales and carbonates in the Isa Superbasin, northern Australia

11 March 2020

Geoscience Australia contracted CSIRO Energy to conduct a thorough organic petrological analysis of 22 shale samples from two drill cores; Amoco DDH 83-4 and Desert Creek 1 from the Fickling and McNamara groups of the Isa Superbasin. Geoscience Australia recently conducted a full suite of organic geochemistry on these wells. The statistically significant results of this study provide a more robust calibration dataset for use in petroleum systems models in the Isa Superbasin.

Source rock geochemistry of Northern Australia Data Release 2: Total organic carbon (TOC) and Rock-Eval pyrolysis of samples from the McArthur Basin, South Nicholson Basin and Isa Superbasin, Northern Territory

23 December 2019

This data release contains the total organic carbon (TOC) content and Rock-Eval pyrolysis data of 314 samples selected from nine drill cores from the McArthur Basin, South Nicholson Basin and Isa Superbasin that are housed in the Northern Territory Geological Survey’s Darwin core repository.

X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) data release of sedimentary rocks in the South Nicholson Basin and Isa Superbasin, Northern Australia

23 December 2019

This data release contains X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) data of 600 samples selected from 12 drill cores from the South Nicholson Basin and Isa Superbasin that are housed in GSQ’s Brisbane core repository and NTGS’s Darwin core repository. 23 different minerals were identified in the entire region.

Exploring for the Future: South Nicholson Basin Geological summary and seismic data interpretation

17 December 2019

This release contains new deep crustal seismic reflection data acquired over the McArthur Basin, Mount Isa western succession and South Nicholson Basin, identifying many areas of future exploration activity. A new basin, the Carrara Sub-basin, has been discovered, and the extent of the South Nicholson Basin increased.

AEM data release

13 November 2019

This release contains Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) data, laterally constrained inversions and other associated products from the “SkyTEM® helicopter EM Southern Stuart, Northern Territory” survey which was flown over the Northern Territory, Australia during July – August 2017. The survey comprises 9665.6 line km of transient EM and magnetic data, with dense line spacing (200 m) over the Alice Springs area.

Kidson Sub-basin seismic interpretation

22 October 2019

This paper presents the preliminary geological interpretation of the sedimentary succession imaged by the Kidson Sub-basin seismic line.

Iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG) mineral potential assessment for the Tennant Creek – Mt Isa region: geospatial data

2 September 2019

A predictive mineral potential assessment has been undertaken using a knowledge-based, mineral systems approach to assist in understanding of the potential for IOCG mineral systems beneath cover in the Tennant Creek to Mount Isa region.

Source rock geochemistry of Northern Australia: Total organic carbon and Rock-Eval pyrolysis of samples from the South Nicholson Basin and Isa Superbasin, Queensland

22 August 2019

This report contains the total organic carbon content and Rock-Eval pyrolysis data of 674 new samples selected from twelve drill cores from the Geological Survey of Queensland’s Brisbane core repository. The results from this data release provide important insights into the hydrocarbon prospectivity of northern Australian basins.

Source rock geochemistry of the Isa Superbasin and South Nicholson Basin, Northern Australia

19 August 2019

This report provides a baseline assessment of the organic richness, quality and thermal maturity of source rocks of the South Nicholson Basin and the Isa Superbasin.

New SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages from the South Nicholson Basin, Mount Isa Province and Georgina Basin, Northern Territory and Queensland

9 August 2019

The report presents nine new Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro Probe (SHRIMP) U–Pb zircon results from the Mount Isa Province, South Nicholson Basin and Georgina Basin.

Journal article: Mapping iron oxide Cu-Au (IOCG) mineral potential in Australia using a knowledge-driven mineral systems-based approach

16 July 2019

A holistic multi-scale mineral systems framework has been used to develop a practical, knowledge-based prospectivity mapping method applicable at regional to continental scales for hydrothermal and orthomagmatic ore-forming systems and how maps of mineral potential are generated by integrating diverse and rich input data sets.

New SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages from the South Nicholson and Carrara Range regions, Northern Territory

15 July 2019

The report presents the results of 26 new zircon U-Pb isotopic analyses, conducted on Geoscience Australia's Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro Probe (SHRIMP2e). The sedimentary and volcanic rocks were collected from across the South Nicholson region, located in the north-eastern Northern Territory.

Producing Magnetite and Hematite Alteration Proxies using 3D Gravity and Magnetic Inversion: Method and results for the Tennant Creek—Mount Isa Project, northern Australia

2 May 2019

This study investigated the presence of hydrothermal alteration systems associated with iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG) deposits throughout the Tennant Creek -– Mt Isa Project area of northern Australia. These zones are of economic interest due to their potential to host copper, gold, uranium and rare earth element mineralisation.

Preliminary national-scale lead isotope maps of Australia

15 March 2019

New dataset presents preliminary national-scale maps of Australia derived from lead isotope data showing mineral occurrences, prospects and deposits. The maps will be updated as more data become available.

Northern Australia Geochemical Survey: Data Release 2

15 March 2019

New data release from the North Australian Geochemical Survey which sampled catchment outlet sediments at 780 sites in Tennant Creek and Mount Isa. The samples were analysed for over 50 chemical elements present in the soil. The report includes additional new analysis on the distribution of gold, platinum and palladium over the survey area.

Source rock geochemistry of the McArthur Basin, Northern Australia

20 February 2019

This study aims to improve our understanding of the petroleum resource potential of Northern Australia. This report characterises the organic richness, kerogen type and thermal maturity of source rocks in the Velkerri, Barney Creek, Wollogorang and McDermott formations of the McArthur Basin based on Rock-Eval pyrolysis data analysed at Geoscience Australia.

Geochronology Compilation for Northern Australia: Version 2, 2018

20 December 2018

This report presents a compilation of publicly-available U-Pb geochronology from Queensland (QLD), Northern Territory (NT), Western Australia (WA) and the most northerly parts of South Australia (SA) and New South Wales (NSW). It represents a step towards a comprehensive U-Pb geochronology compilation for all of Australia.

Northern Australia Hydrogeochemical Survey: Data Release, Preliminary Interpretation and Atlas – Tennant Creek, McArthur River and Lake Woods Regions

17 December 2018

In this study the chemistry of groundwater matches regional geological trends, demonstrating the capacity of hydrogeochemistry to reveal the chemistry of buried rocks. By addressing the underlying chemical processes, the results of this survey allow an interpretation of groundwater processes that can inform decision making with respect to groundwater use, mineralisation and hydrocarbons.