WA

Mineral Resources picture. These images are taken by Colin Veitch in the Microscopy Unit - he works in Waurn Ponds.

Investigating interactions between sulfide minerals and in-situ recovery fluids for copper mining

In-situ recovery (ISR) is emerging as a transformative technique for the extraction of copper (Cu) from Australian sediment-hosted deposits and reprocessing of mine tailings. In contrast to conventional hard-rock mining, ISR offers a non-invasive, environmentally sustainable and economically viable alternative, with the potential to unlock copper resources from low-grade or marginal deposits. As Cu is essential for the electrification of transport and renewable energy systems, ISR technologies hold significant potential to contribute to the global development and deployment of low-carbon energy and transport infrastructure in a manner that minimise impacts on the environment and local communities. This project, in collaboration with EnviroCopper Ltd, will investigate the mineralogical, geochemical, biological and kinetic aspects of fluid-rock interactions during ISR of the Kapunda Cu deposit, South Australia. By addressing these aspects, it will advance our understanding of ISR processes and support its broader adoption at both national and global scale.

Servers at the WA Observatory

AI-empowered visual recognition system for dairy cow identification, health and behaviour monitoring

This project develops an AI-driven system to identify individual cows, and monitor and detect their health and behaviour, through the use of facial recognition, posture analysis, and thermal imaging. The expected outcome is early detection of illness and abnormal activity of cows. This project will support productivity, reduce losses, and improve animal welfare in the dairy industry.

Servers at the WA Observatory

Dark web analytics for ransomware threat actor profiling

This project investigates active ransomware groups and attempts to identify their key characteristics, attack signatures, victims, and stolen data. The expected outcome is development of a dataset to serve as an essential resource. The project will potentially provide more knowledge on ransomware groups, their tactics, techniques, and procedures for launching attacks.

Energy picture

Origin of hydrogen and helium occurrences

This Project seeks to understand the geological settings that facilitate the generation and accumulation of natural hydrogen. The expected outcome is to track the critical elements involved in the hydrogen and helium gas resources. This may result in fast-tracking the industrial production of natural hydrogen.