Minerals Alert March 2019
March 2019
A monthly online newsletter with product news, data releases and project highlights relating to the minerals and energy exploration industries.
- Exploring for the Future Integration Workshop and Data Release at AGES 2019
- Exploring for the Future: Hydrogeochemical data release
- New geochronology reports and data published
- Exploring for the Future AusAEM presentation at GSQ Mt Isa Technical Workshop 2019
- Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources 2018
- Australian Mineral Exploration Review for 2017-18
- Australian Operating Mines Map 2018
- Update on geophysical data release
- 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. 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.
3. 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.
4. Exploring for the Future AusAEM presentation at GSQ Mt Isa Technical Workshop 2019
The Geological Survey of Queensland are hosting a Technical Workshop in Mount Isa to bring minerals explorers together to provide updates and facilitate technical discussion on a wide range of current precompetitive geoscience data acquisition and research projects in the Mount Isa region. Geoscience Australia will present and showcase the AusAEM data acquired over the Tennant Creek - Mt Isa region.
Location: Ibis Styles Hotel Mt Isa Verona
Date: 20-21 March 2019
Registration is limited
5. Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources 2018
The Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator the Hon Matt Canavan, launched the latest edition of Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources (AIMR) on 5 March 2019.
AIMR is an annual compilation of Australia’s minerals inventory that has been prepared by Geoscience Australia and its predecessors since 1975 using statistics collected from the mining industry. It includes assessments of Ore Reserves, resources, annual production, cumulative production and distribution of 35 mineral commodities including critical minerals.
The report confirms that Australia is a world leader for both mineral resources and production. Australia has large resources of many minerals, including the largest in the world for nine commodities and a top five ranking for another seventeen. In 2017, the mining sector comprised 8.1% of GDP and mineral exports amounted to $179 billion, which was 59% of all exported merchandise. The report also presents Australia’s potential to supply minerals into the future.
AIMR data is current as at December 2017 and is available at www.ga.gov.au/AIMR
6. Australian Mineral Exploration Review for 2017-18
The Australian Mineral Exploration Review for 2017-18 provides an overview of results from Australia's mineral exploration during the 2017-18 financial year. The map highlights results from selected drill intersections and maiden resources announced by exploration and mining companies. It also contains graphs of exploration expenditure trends for exploration drilling, specific commodities and state and territory jurisdictions.
The map is available as a free download.
For further information, email anthony.senior@ga.gov.au or phone +61 2 6249 9267.
7. Australian Operating Mines Map 2018
The Australian operating mines map shows operating mines, mines under development and selected mineral deposits in Australia. This map broadly illustrates the geographic distribution of the mines and deposits and the range of selected, largely grouped, commodities. This information is superimposed on a generalised surface geology map of Australia and an aeromagnetic image in grey scale. It is available as a free download.
For further information, email anthony.senior@ga.gov.au or phone +61 2 6249 9267
8. 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.
9. About Minerals Alert
For more information, please email clientservices@ga.gov.au; or phone 1800 800 173.