News Exploring for the Future program update released

Geoscience Australia has released the Exploring for the Future Program Update 2016–2020, which provides an overview of the programs activities in northern Australia and what they have delivered so far.

In a media release issued earlier today, the Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt highlighted the significant achievements of the program, including mapping the resource potential of 3 million square kilometres of northern Australia – approximately 39 per cent of the continent.

Over the last four years, the Exploring for the Future program completed more than 20 collaborative activities with state and territory governments in Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia.

Led by Geoscience Australia, the program uses cutting edge techniques to collect new data and information about potential mineral, energy and groundwater resource systems on the surface and deep underground.

The new pre-competitive data and information collected by the program will support and de-risk resource decision making, investment and jobs creation for years to come.

Following a $100 million investment in 2016, which has delivered a detail picture of potential resources in northern Australia, in June 2020, the Australian Government announced it will invest an additional $125 million over four years to expand the program nationwide.