Delamerian project reveals new mineral and groundwater insights beneath south-eastern Australia

Geoscience Australia has identified new opportunities for critical minerals, copper, gold, and groundwater across a vast under-explored region of south-eastern Australia.

Delivered as the first deep dive study under the Australian Government’s 35-year Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative, the Delamerian project offers a detailed analysis of the region and its prospects.

The project's achievements include confirmation of a 1,000-kilometre continental-scale arc system - buried beneath the sedimentary cover of South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria - and refined insights into exploration opportunities for critical minerals, copper and gold.

The work also strengthens understanding of groundwater resources that support communities, industry and the environment, providing a stronger evidence base for water planning and resource management.

Chief of Geoscience Australia's Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division, Dr Andrew Heap, said the Delamerian project demonstrates the benefits of long-term investment in nationally significant precompetitive geoscience under the Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative.

“This work gives us a clearer picture of the complex geological region that lies beneath the surface, and delivers the trusted data and insights needed to support future mineral exploration, groundwater planning and national priorities such as the transition to net zero,” Dr Heap said.

Dr Heap said the project’s integrated approach created a stronger foundation for assessing the region’s mineral potential and groundwater systems.

“In the Delamerian region, groundwater commonly occurs in the sedimentary cover closer to the surface, while prospective geology for critical minerals, copper and gold lies much deeper. Investigating both, as part of the one study, has given us a more complete picture of the subsurface,” Dr Heap said.

The Delamerian project combined new drilling, seismic surveys, geochemical analysis and groundwater investigations. The work included more than 5 kilometres of drilling, millions of geochemical data points and tens of thousands of kilometres of aerial and ground surveys, and was completed in collaboration with organisation such as the Geological Survey of New South Wales, the Geological Survey of South Australia, the Geological Survey of Victoria and MinEx CRC Ltd.

The Delamerian project is delivering the scientific data and insights needed to support national priorities such as a Future Made in Australia and the Critical Minerals Strategy 2023–2030. It also paves the way for future deep dive studies, including those underway in the Georgetown-Julia Creek and Birrindudu regions, and demonstrates what can be achieved through collaboration, capability and long-term investment in geoscience.

Explore the Delamerian project Achievements Report.