uncovering the greatest challenge for mineral discovery
TRANSCRIPT
South Australia Exploration and Mining Conference 2015
Uncovering the Greatest Challenge for Mineral Discovery
Steve Hill, Miles Davies & Ted TyneGeological Survey of South Australia and Mineral Resources Division
www.statedevelopment.sa.gov.au
This Presentation…1. Introduction / Context2. New Results from GSSA / PACE
– Gawler Craton– Far West– Statewide
3. Into the Future – Copper Strategy– PACE COPPER– State Drill Core Reference Library…
1. Introduction / Context
Objectives and place of precompetitive geoscience on the pathway to discovery
MSDP August 2015 (Photo: S.Hill)
DiscoveryThe strength of the mining industry is sustained through new discoveries.If you don’t have discoveries then you don’t have mines.
Geoffrey Blainey ACAugust 2013
Great, but how do we sustain new discoveries….?
Moon Plain, Stuart Shelf, SA (Photo S.Hill)
The DISCOVERY challenge…The covered minerals search space across 80% of South Australia!
The role of Government….1. Just let it happen?
– “They are big boys and girls … let competitive nature take care of it … we don’t pick winners … good luck, let us know when you are successful ….”
2. Attract, stimulate and partner?– “Attracting exploration investment is competitive so
what can we do to give us the edge? How can we make a difference? United we stand….”
The Case for Pre-competitive Geoscience…• Royalties on minerals are charged by state and territory governments, as the owners
of the minerals in the ground• Further incentives for state/territory governments to have a strong mining industry also
includes employment, community economic benefit, infrastructure development, critical mass, offer best-practice resource recovery etc.….
• Pre-competitive geoscience reduces exploration investment risk and provides more informed decision making
• Highlights the state/territory prospectus for mineral exploration opportunities
• Objective to host the best quality and quantity of mineral exploration for the best potential for mineral discovery and thereby sustain a strong mineral industry
• Can we afford not to support this?
Government / Private Drivers of Discovery (a.k.a. “The Magna Carter”)
Land Access
Human & Intellectual CapitalEducation and trainingR&D – new exploration and processing technologies
Precompetitive Geoscientific Data and Information
Capture and DeliveryValue-add ResearchUnderexplored / Covered RegionsTargeted Programs Discovery
Quality of Exploration
Quantity of Exploration
Geos
cienc
e Aus
tralia
; CSI
RO, U
of A
; SAC
OME;
GSS
A
Availability of Finance
GREENFIELDS
Adapted from Derek Carter
From: Richard Schodde,
MinexConsulting 2015
Nationwide Geological Mapping and Geophysical Surveys
From Richard Blewett Geoscience Australia, 2015
From:Richard Schodde
Minex Consulting 2015
The Mineral Exploration Expenditure ‘Wave’
12
PACE – 10 years of economic impact from ~$55M investment
Fifteen significant exploration successes
from collaborative drilling
Extra $700 million in private mineral
exploration expenditure
Extra mineral production value of
$2.4bn
14Department of State Development
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8PACE 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.4 1.7 13.05 2.0
Actual 1.03 2.76 1.58 1.37 1.37 1.26 0.76 10.14 2.0
Industry 0.67 4.61 3.96 4.62 7.11 3.11 3.21 27.29 4.9
($ in Million) 44.0
Collaborative Drilling
7 Rounds completed
438 drilling proposals217 receiving PACE support154 Complete
15Department of State Development
State Initiative Funding – 13/14 to 16/17
2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17WA 18.8 20.6 10.0 10.0Vic 6.0 11.0 9.9 9.9Qld 16.0 10.0 10.0 no dataNSW 6.5 6.5 5.8 5.6NT 3.8 5.95 5.95 5.95SA 3.8 4.8 15.98 9.8Tas 0.4 0.1 - -
National Mineral Exploration Strategy & UNCOVER
AMIRA’s industry focused UNCOVER Roadmap now available via uncoverminerals.com
2. New Results from GSSA / PACE in 2015
Eucla seismic line acquisition (Photo: Courtesy Geoscience Australia)
1. Gawler Craton2. Far West3. Statewide
A 1590 Ma crustal section for South Australia?
ISCG
Mineral System Map for enlarged target / vectoring
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• Increase the size of the target• Predict where you are within the mineral system
• IOCG deposits - large alteration systems
Coiled Tubing Drill Rig
Autonomous Sonde
Lab-at-RigTM
WUDINNA KIMBA WHYALLA
PORT AUGUSTAParis Menninnie
Dam
IronDuke
Uno
PORT LINCOLN
MinotaurExploration
KingstonResources
Mineral Systems Drilling Program –Southern GRV margins
Gawler Range Volcanics cover
Drilling July 2015 to April 2016From $2 M PACE fund into > $7 M program!
August 2015 photos of MSDP
MSDP Summary UpdateProgram summary• Currently drilled ~4200m/7500m• Drilling began 31st July 2015. Planned
completion date is end April (~9 month program)
• Christmas Shut down Dec 15th – 4th Jan• Completed 2787.8m (4 holes) with Kingston
Resources, incl. a key stratigraphic hole of 1116.8m which intersected previously unknown Lower GRV units (mafic and felsic)
• Currently drilling a 3rd hole in the Peltabinnaregion with Minotaur Exploration
MSDP Technology Deployment• Deployment of DET CRC technology: LAR®, LAR Fluids, Wireless Sub (Gen 1, Gen 2),
AutoSonde™ (gamma and recently mag susc)
• Recently conducted VSP and short surface seismic surveys around 2 drillholes - fast and inexpensive seismic surveys x 2 (bobcat mounted weight drop) + draggable geophone string.
MSDP02
MSDP Technology – Lab-at-Rig®
Includes “Real Time Drill Site” project funded by MIPO- Develop a dashboard to view real-time DET CRC data
The Mineral Systems Drilling Program 2015
Keep up-to-date online!Minerals.statedevelopment.sa.gov.au/msdp
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Integrating geological mapping with the Mineral Systems Drilling Program
New 100K geology for Cariewerloo
Finding a new mineral province in Western Gawler Craton / ‘Coompana’ (TMI backdrop)
‘Coompana’ FowlerDomain
GawlerRanges
Deep crustal seismic line
(GA, AusScopeGSWA, GSSA)
SA’s largest airborne magnetics /
radiometrics survey• 249,000 line km survey
data• Tender awarded to GPX
Surveys
Regional Magnetotellurics50 km AusLAMP grid
Regional Plant BiogeochemistryColin Dunn & Helen Waldron
Coompana TMI
Now available on SARIG
• 400 m flight lines gridded to 80 m
• 200 m flight lines gridded to 40 m
31Department of State Development
Western Gawler Craton seismic releaseEucla-Gawler deep crustal reflection seismic profile (13GA-EG1) – 834km profile from Haig in WA to Tarcoola in SA
Collaborative project between multiple agencies
Line processed in 2 parts:– 360 km Western Gawler Craton section
(13GA-EG1E) first: Interpretations and results now available
– Madura/Coompana Province sections: Interpretations released at dedicated session at AESC 2016
SA section cost $3.15M with $1.75M from SA Government and $1.4M from GA and AuScope
32Department of State Development
13GA-EG1E - Interpretations
33Department of State Development
Integrated InterpretationsThrough the seismic interpretation process and integration of existing geological knowledge we have recognised 10 individual events (E) affecting the western Gawler Craton
• E1 – Pre Mulgathing Complex structure• E2 – Deposition of Mulgathing Complex• E3 – Sleafordian Orogeny• E4 – Nawa and Fowler Deposition• E5 – Kimban Orogeny
• E6 – St Peter/Coompana magmatism• E7 – Kararan Orogeny/Hiltaba Event• E8 – Coorabie Orogeny• E9 – Officer Basin• E10 – Eucla Basin
34Department of State Development
Data ReleasesSEG-Y Data Avaliable
Report of Extended Abstracts Available (RB 2015/29)
Poster Plate of interpretations Available
All now available to download from the minerals website
December 10 workshop
Magnetotellurics
35Department of State Development
• Measures time-varying electric (E) and magnetic (B) fields of the Earth
• Maps the electrical resistivity of the earth
• Sensitive to largely minor conducting phases
• Ability to map from a few metres to hundreds of kilometres
AusLAMP long-period MT time series recording over 3 weeks
AusLAMP–Australian Lithospheric Architecture Magnetotelluric Project
36Department of State Development
• Regular grid of long-period (10 – 10,000 s) MT data collected every half degree (~55 km), freely available
• Run by Geoscience Australia, University of Adelaide, State Geological Surveys and other research institutions
• ANSIR national MT instrument pool
• Map the lithospheric architecture of the continent
• Constraints on the tectonic evolution of the continent and the mineral exploration potential as part of the UNCOVER initiative
AusLAMP in South Australia
37Department of State Development
AusLAMP SA
Modelled by Kate Robertson, UofA
Joint project between GA, GSSA, UofA
Mantle-crust connection beneath Craton margin
38Department of State Development 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200
0-10000-20000-30000-40000-50000-60000-70000-80000-90000
-100000-110000-120000-130000-140000-150000-160000-170000-180000
0-10000-20000-30000-40000-50000-60000-70000-80000-90000
-100000-110000-120000-130000-140000-150000-160000-170000-180000
Distance (Km)De
pth
(m)
1000794631501398316251200158126100
79635040322520161310
8654332211
Ohm.m
Updated from Heinson et al., 2006Olympic Dam
Fertile IOCG belt east of the GawlerCraton provides pathways for fluids to penetrate into the crust
Gawler Craton
Moho
BDT
Gawler Craton
EW cross-sections
39Department of State Development
400
0
100 km
Olympic Dam
Archean core
Archean core
Archean coreGawler Cratonmantle conductor
Eyre Peninsula - graphite
40Department of State DevelopmentThiel et al., 2010
Reprocessed Gravity and TMI for the SGRV, EGP and WPA
• The most recent merging of best available government and open-file data
• > 280 company and government surveys and the gravity grid was produced from more than 300 gravity surveys. The datasets now available via Geophysical Data Downloads are:
• For magnetics– Total Magnetic Intensity (TMI); Reduced to pole (RTP) TMI; First
Vertical Derivative of the RTP TMI and Residual RTP TMI• For Gravity
– Bouguer Gravity; First Vertical Derivative and Residual Gravity
Horizontal Section Z = -10,000 mRL
0
Magnetic Susceptibility (SI) 0.01 0.03 0.05 0.07 0.080.015 0.055 0.0750.0250.005 0.02 0.040.035 0.045 0.06 0.065
1500 km x 1700 km(4 km cell size)
~ 8 Million cells total
Inversion result took 9 hours to run using 128 CPU
Only possible using the NCI
Entire SA Magnetic Inversion Model!!!
[email protected] Mining 2015
Simon van der Weilen, GSSA
Eastern Gawler Craton 3D ModelThe world’s largest 3D integration of diverse data sets produced by Simon van der Wielen, GSSA
Available on SARIG
46Department of State Development
Data Release! Eastern-Central Gawler Craton Solid Geology
Data package (GDP 00034) containing spatial data and map providing an updated basement geology interpretation following significant recent exploration and data acquisition.
Integrates outcrop, drillhole and geophysical data for an improved “interpretation of what’s down there!”
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Prospectivitymodelling by Tom Wise
Inputs from New Woomera Prohibited Area Gravity data
IOCG Mineral system target prospectivity modelling
48Department of State Development
SARIG Precompetitive – Geophysical Data Delivery3D Seismic Surveys
Available Open File Data• 70 Surveys (1981 – 2013)• 16000km2 coverage• ½ Terabyte• Seismic Survey Company Reports• Basin Coverage: Cooper & Otway 2015 “Cloud Service Delivery”o 2016 Time Slice Image Delivery
Time Slice100msec Intervals
49Department of State Development
SARIG Precompetitive – Geophysical Data DeliveryAirborne Geophysical Survey
Available Open File Data• 308 Surveys• 150 Gigabytes• Survey Company Reports• Statewide Coverage• “Cookie Cut” data from selected area2015 Release Coompana Magnetic2015 WPA-SGRV-EGP Imageso2016 WMS - GeoReferenced Images
WPA-SGRV-EGPTMI
WPA-SGRV-EGPGravity
35 geophysical surveys thathave become publically available in the past year.Includes Sunset releases and surrendered data
Collaborations• Sernageomin (Chile) MoU
– Pre-competitive geoscience and copper mineral systems
• China Geological Survey MoU– Exploration biogeochemistry and geochemistry with the Nanjing CGS Centre
• Saskatchewan Geological Survey MoU– Uranium mineral systems and regultion
• China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) MoU– Uranium mineral systems
• Australia Minerals / EIGWG– National Mineral Exploration Strategy
• Deep Exploration Technologies Cooperative Research Centre– Industry Participant and 2015 Mineral System Drilling Program (MSDP)
• Geoscience Australia– Eucla Seismic Line– Coompana Airborne Geophysics– South Australia Geochronology (e.g. SHRIMP analysis)– Statewide Geophysical Inversions– Passive seismic depth to basement pilot study– Western South Australia AusLAMP (50 km magnetotellurics grid)
• CSIRO– Musgraves Province regional AEM survey– South Australia hydrogeochemistry– 2015 Mineral System Drilling Program– HyLogger NVCL
• AMIRA– UNCOVER Industry Roadmap sponsor
• Geological Survey of Western Australia– Eucla Sesmic Traverse
• Geological Survey of New South Wales MoU– Broken Hill Resources Investment Symposium– Seamless geology and regional metamorphism and structure
• AusScope– Eucla Seismic Traverse
• South Australian Chamber of Mines & Energy Inc. (SACOME)– Geoscientist Assistance Program ($425 k 2015/16)
Collaborations• University of Adelaide
– Institute of Mineral and Energy Resources MoU– Chair of Mineral Exploration Under Cover (50% salary Prof David Giles)– AusLAMP magnetotellurics grid (statewide 50 km spacing)– Thermochronology research centre (Analytical infrastructure, PhD and Hons students)– Adelaide Microscopy infrastructure (e.g. TITAN Themis Aberration Corrected Transmission Electron Microscope)– New Zealand Honours Fieldcourse sponsor– MTEC Mineral Exploration Under Cover fieldcourse support– Pyrite and Iron oxide mineral geochemistry– Structural geology of Uranium mineral systems (2 x PhD stipends)– Geochemistry of Bulldog Shale PhD study– Co-supervision of 12 PhD students
• CODES / University of Tasmania– Pyrite mineral geochemistry (Ross Large, Sebastien Meffre, Dan Gregory)– Metamorphic Grade mapping in western Gawler Craton - Mulgathing Complex (Jacqueline Halpin)– Australian Geology Digital Visualisation Project (Michael Roach)
• University of Iowa– Kanmantoo Mineral Chemistry (Paul Spry and students)
• Minotaur Exploration– 2015 Mineral System Drilling Program Collaborative Agreement
• Kingston Resources– 2015 Mineral System Drilling Program Collaborative Agreement
• Investigator Resources MoU– Paris Ag-deposit biogeochemistry and soil geochemistry– Paris Ag-deposit drill core HyLogger study
• Monax Mining MoU– Punt Hill Mineral System mapping case study
• Red Metals MoU– Pernatty HyLogger study
• HiSeis MoU– Stuart Shelf 3D seismic pilot study
53Department of State Development
Musgrave AEMGSSA / PACE + Goyder (CSIRO & DEWNR) + PepinNiniMultifaceted, Collaborative AEMSurvey• Depth to Basement;
Water Resources; Targeting
• > $1.6M investment
Finalising tender process for planned Q1 2016start
Local University Geoscience…TRaX• Strong undergraduate and postgraduate student numbers in geoscience
• New Excellence Research Australia results place UoA geoscience at the top in the country– top marks (5 - well above work standard) in 'geology' and 'geochemistry' and a '4' (above world standard) in 'geophysics' - this is as high as any university in
the country
• 4 ARC Discovery grants (3 UoA, 1 UniSA) – more than any other geoscience group in the country.– Projects range from understanding what is imaged by MT, through mapping subsurface permeability and better constraining P-T data from metamorphic
rocks to understanding fluid sources in shear zones
• Launch of the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Australian Copper-Uranium at UoA
• Major new Iron Oxide research team (FOX) funded by BHP Billiton and the SA Mining and Petroleum Service Centre of Excellence
• Excellent GSSA/University/Company links funding honours projects to major ARC applications in understanding IOCG mineralisation, Mapping mineral pathways in the lithosphere (AusLAMP), dating mineralised fault reactivation etc.
• Also TRaX and UniAdelaide developing major research projects with MIM in Mount Isa and in unconventional and conventional petroleum resources throughout the country.
3. Into the Future….
• What might the future hold?
56Department of State Development
PACE Copper Announcement 30/11/15
• $20 M over 18 months• Deliver the world’s largest high-resolution,
airborne geophysical and terrain imaging survey• Rejuvenate exploration in South Australia’s
Copper Belt• Encourage industry and government
collaboration on new drilling targets• Provide world-class data and analyses towards
discovery of a new minerals province in the State’s Far West
57Department of State Development
South Australian Copper ResourcesWell-placed to fill the copper gap
68% of Australia’s economic demonstrated copper resource
27% of Australia’s mined copper production
400+ copper exploration licences
58Department of State Development
Copper Strategy
VisionBy 2030, South Australia will be the leading contributor to Australia’s position as the world’s third largest copper producer.
ObjectiveGrow South Australian copper production to 1 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) by 2030.
59Department of State Development
Copper StrategyFocus Areas
• Enhanced support to find and expand copper reserves• Improved cost competitiveness for copper production• Shared commercial research for copper production• Effective engagement to gain a social license to operate• Reducing bottlenecks in processes across the copper value
chain• Collaborative infrastructure development
60Department of State Development
Copper Strategy1 Mtpa by 2030
2015 production ~ 300,000 tpaNeed another ~ 700,000 tpa• unlocking copper resources
already identified • reserve replacement and
brownfields discoveries• exceptional new discoveries
producing by 2030
discovery
development + production
61Department of State Development
South Australia’s Copper Discovery Gap
SourceMinEx Consulting
March 2012
Mt C
u-eq
Unlike other locations, South Australia has a huge gap between the largest and second-largest known copper deposit ... this suggests that there is a good opportunity to find more giant deposits.
62Department of State Development
PACE Copper …• is a discovery and employment focused initiative• Will create and retain up to 1,000 direct and indirect jobs within
the minerals industry and services sector• is a critical upstream component of the State’s Copper Strategy
63Department of State Development
PACE Copper …• will drive the discovery of new high quality copper resources. • will provide essential foundations for the South Australian
Government Economic Priority #1• will position South Australia to take full advantage of the next
upturn in the resources cycle and build South Australia’s position as a leader and innovator in pre-competitive geoscience
64Department of State Development
Program IncludesMag/Rad over Gawler Craton• 200m line spacing• ~ 2M line km
Southern Coompana Gravity• 1-2km station spacing
Innovative value-add processing and modelling of new data• e.g. “Coompana challenge”Additional Mineral Systems Drilling • Gawler Craton extension• Coompana program
Aeromagnetic Survey Flight Line Spacing (m)
Karol Czarnota, Geoscience Australia
66Department of State Development
Program Includes…
PACE Discovery Drilling 2016• Increased funding –
from $100k to $200K• Include support for site clearances and assays / analyses
~$3.0 M programGuidelines and Application Form currently being finalised for January 2016 launch
67Department of State Development
South Australia – addressing our nuclear future
www.nuclearrc.sa.gov.au
68Department of State Development
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission
Terms of Reference
1. Exploration, Extraction and Milling
2. Further Processing and Manufacture
3. Electricity Generation
4. Management, Storage and Disposal of Waste
Commission to report to the government on recommendations in early May 2016.
$32 M State Drill Core Library - Tonsley
Stay tuned….
State Drill Core Centre, Tonsley
January 2015 October 2015
New core racks and capacity…
The NexGen Core Facility?
Core to Nano-scale characterisation
3D visualisation
Data to Rocks Library
New technology testing facility
From: James Cleverley, CSIRO. SAREIC 2013
Getting ready for future data!
DisclaimerThe information contained in this presentation has been compiled by the Department of State Development and originates from a variety of sources. Although all reasonable care has been taken in the preparation and compilation of the information, it has been provided in good faith for general information only and does not purport to be professional advice. No warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness, correctness, accuracy, reliability or currency of the materials.
The Department of State Development and the Crown in the right of the State of South Australia does not accept responsibility for and will not be held liable to any recipient of the information for any loss or damage however caused (including negligence) which may be directly or indirectly suffered as a consequence of use of these materials. The Department of State Development reserves the right to update, amend or supplement the information from time to time at its discretion.
www.statedevelopment.sa.gov.au