February 2019

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

1. Exploring for the Future Integration Workshop and Data Release at AGES 2019
2. New geochronology reports and data published
3. Exploring for the Future: Hydrogeochemical data release
4. Update on geophysical data release
5. About Minerals Alert

1. Exploring for the Future Integration Workshop and Data Release at AGES 2019

Geoscience Australia in collaboration with the Northern Territory Geological Survey is hosting a showcase and integration workshop on 18 March 2019 at AGES, Alice Springs. This workshop will be focused on new datasets acquired over the Tennant Creek - Mount Isa region as part of the Exploring for the Future Program.

This workshop is an opportunity for explorers to become familiar with new datasets (including remotely sensed mineral maps, Proterozoic Pb isotopes, iron oxide copper-gold mineral potential models, gravity grids, gravity and magnetic inversions, modelled proxies for magnetite and hematite alteration,  AusAEM and AusLAMP modelling), interact with the multidisciplinary team responsible for their collection/interpretation and learn how Geoscience Australia integrates these datasets using open source data analytics to gain insights into the subsurface geology of the Tennant Creek - Mount Isa area and assess its mineral potential.

Location: Alice Springs Convention Centre
Date: 18 March 2019|
Time: 9am–4pm before the AGES Ice-breaker
Contact: ages@nt.gov.au to secure your place. Registration is limited to 45 places.
Download the event flyer [PDF 259kb]

2. New geochronology reports and data published

• GA Record 2018-49 by Jones et al. presents an updated compilation of publicly available U-Pb geochronology results for northern and western Australia. This expanded data coverage includes results from >3600 samples and builds upon the dataset previously published in GA Record 2017-022 by Anderson et al. This dataset allows convenient plotting of age data on maps to illustrate spatial and temporal trends, and examples of such maps are presented in the Record. The work represents part of the Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future program.
• GA Record 2018-050 by Kositcin et al. presents new SHRIMP in-situ monazite ages and detrital zircon age spectra from high-grade metamorphic rocks of the Mount Robe sub-block of the Curnamona Province, NSW. The results allow improved comparison of the geological evolution of the Mount Robe sub-block with other parts of the Curnamona Province. The work was conducted under a National Collaborative Framework agreement between Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of New South Wales. Data presented and discussed in this Record is also available via Geoscience Australia’s Geochron Delivery system.

For further information on geochronology at Geoscience Australia, please email: geochronology@ga.gov.au.

3. Exploring for the Future: Hydrogeochemical data release

Geoscience Australia, as part of the Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program, undertook an extensive groundwater survey across the Tennant Creek and the McArthur Basin region to better understand the region’s resource potential.

During the 2017 dry season, 118 groundwater samples were collected to locate new mineral areas for further investigation and establish environmental baselines. Examining chemical elements in groundwater can be an effective way to identify mineral and energy resources buried under cover.

The samples were tested for over 120 inorganic and organic chemical elements, compounds and isotopes present in the groundwater including metals such as copper, gold, lead, silver and zinc. Early results indicate that there may be new mineral targets of commodities such as copper over the survey region.

The new report (Wallace et al., 2018) and downloadable data package are available from Geoscience Australia's Hydrochemistry portal.

For further information email Patrice.deCaritat@ga.gov.au or phone +61 2 6249 9378.

4. 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.

5. About Minerals Alert

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