Mineral Resources Discovery Potential Fields Geophysics

Projects

Magnetic Sweet Spot Depth Estimation

Aeromagnetic data as an aid for mapping through cover in the Tanami Region

Newly acquired airborne magnetic data across the Tanami and Mount Peake regions in the Northern Territory was interpreted to generate structural and geological maps in areas of cover.

Application of drones to upgrade aeromagnetic anomalies

Australia has world-leading regional aeromagnetic coverage. Across many regions prospective for mineral exploration we have coverage at 200 or 400 […]

Cobar District: Mineral System Petrophysics Across Scales

A key exploration challenge in the Cobar region is the dominance of remnant magnetisation; characterisation of this and its relationship to the mineral system will provide new insights into the exploration methodologies required at the camp scale for this NDI area. Cobar-type systems are highly conductive to magnetic exploration (Wilkes, 1979), but are distinct from most other magnetite-bearing deposits, because they contain large volumes of pyrrhotite which is anomalously conductive/ chargeable, and also displays remanent magnetisation (in the monoclinic form). This study, which is in collaboration with the MinEx CRC and NSW Geological Survey, will utilise petrophysical techniques to constrain 3D conductivity magnetic and gravity modelling. It will integrate magnetic fabrics at the core scale with regional geophysical interpretation, providing insights into the formation of this enigmatic class of deposit. It will investigate the benefits and pitfalls of different methodologies for the collection of petrophysical data.

Cloncurry Multi Element Toolkit and Laboratory

Cloncurry METAL was a catalyst for the development of the Integrated Petrophysics methodology, a unique, world-leading approach to geoscience, which sets out to cross-correlate geoscience datasets via scale normalised relational data analysis. It produced geoscience data which is integrated-by-design and allows us to leverage a huge pool of geoscience knowledge by relating it to physical parameters, and then using those physical parameters to constrain geophysical targeting. By translating geochemistry to geophysics, we are addressing a major problem in mineral system science, that our mainly geochemical approach to mineral exploration is not scalar unless converted into physical parameters. This core science addresses major oversights in the current ‘Big Data’ trend in geosciences, allowing us to transform qualitative knowledge into quantitative data, and exposes flaws in commonly held assumptions through rigorous science.

Structural architecture of the Palaeoproterozoic southern McArthur Basin, Northern Territory

Exploration for Zinc-Lead-Silver mineral deposits in northern Australia is hindered by cover, remoteness and complex geology. Integration of different geoscientific data is providing new information on factors and processes controlling where and how these mineral deposits form, paving the way for future discoveries.

Magnetic Sweet Spot Depth Estimation

Aeromagnetic surveys flown across Australia to map a geology largely buried beneath cover and deep weathering have uniform data coverage […]

Remanent magnetization mapping: A tool for greenfields magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE exploration undercover

Remanent magnetization dominates induced magnetization in several types of mafic-ultramafic magmatic rocks, allowing for remote targeting of such lithologies based on their magnetization direction. This project evaluated practical methods for utilising remanent magnetization as a first pass tool for Ni-Cu-PGE exploration in remote, undercover areas in the Huckitta area of Central Australia. Modelling results demonstrate that measured magnetizations can be used to accurately model target intrusions regionally. Two automated methods tested for remote mapping of magnetization, produced inconsistent. However, a customised reduction to pole (RTP) grid transformations based on measured magnetization directions proved a more effective method of mapping specific mafic suites regionally. These custom RTP grid were used with constrained modelling to guide target selection with MMG for an undercover area in the east Arunta.