EFTF news and events

This is the last official newsletter from the Exploring for the Future program, which concluded in June 2024. In this issue we reflect on the remarkable 8-year program and its legacy. We share new releases of Australia’s largest AusLAMP model and new geochemistry data. Don’t forget to register for our bigger than ever, online Showcase in August to hear the final major results from the program, its impacts, benefits and achievements. Everyone is welcome!

In this issue we present: the first regional hydrogeological assessment of Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre Basin; updates to the National Aquifer Framework (NAF); a new study on carbon storage in residual oil zones; and 2005 new magnetic depth estimates added to the Estimates of Geological and Geophysical Surfaces (EGGS) database.

The Albanese Government will deliver a generational investment to find new deposits of minerals and sources of energy to help build a Future Made in Australia, as part of a big focus on resources in next week’s Budget.

This month we discuss a range of new information and data from the Exploring for the Future program, including the release of the first national-scale regolith lead (Pb) isoscape of Australia; a study on using passive seismic data and a known Receiver Function (RF) method to estimate the depth of the sedimentary cover; 2 new publications on how geoscience data can be useful for farmers and natural resource managers; an overview of some topics and talks at the upcoming Showcase and the newsletter survey update.

This edition features 3 new releases: the raw data from the Northwest Northern Territory Seismic Survey, the West Musgrave 3D palaeovalley model and the first systemic report on the mineral systems in the Delamerian Orogen.

Sweeney, M., Kilgour, B., Iffland, D. (2024)

Sweeney, M., Kilgour, B., Iffland, D. (2024)

Welcome to the first issue for 2024. The final Exploring for the Future online public Showcase will be held in the week of 12 August, which will mark the culmination of this remarkable 8-year program. In this issue we discuss: a recent study of hydrogen storage in depleted gas reservoirs, the onshore inventories releases for the Birrindudu and Carpentaria basins, a new First Nations Ranger program, the video and presentations from the green steel workshop are now available, and ask our readers to complete a short newsletter survey before 5 April to help us improve our newsletter.

Geoscience Australia will hold the final Exploring for the Future online public Showcase during 13–16 August 2024, marking the conclusion of this remarkable 8-year program and celebrating its enduring legacy. Everyone is welcome!

New results from a far-western New South Wales stratigraphic drilling campaign, conducted between March and June 2023, have shown the region’s potential to host new mineral resources, including gold, copper and nickel, as well as the critical minerals vital for Australia’s low emissions future.

In our last issue for 2023 we highlight: the first Australian discovery of aillikites in the West Arunta region of Western Australia, benchmarking of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys, the latest study of the Delamerian Orogen using isotopic and geochemical data from zircons and the completion of the Alkaline Rocks Atlas of Australia with the release of the last report and GIS dataset on Australian alkaline and related igneous rocks of Proterozoic age.

Companies looking at green hydrogen or steel projects in regional Australia will have access to a free online tool to speed investment decisions.

The Australian Government’s Exploring for the Future program is continuing to deliver for the resources industry with the release of a new tool to support the discovery of minerals critical to the net zero transformation. The Heavy Mineral Map of Australia, developed by Geoscience Australia in collaboration with Curtin University, has been created using heavy mineral samples found in floodplain sediments from across the country.

In this issue we discuss a few major releases: the Heavy Mineral Map of Australia and Mineral Network Analysis (MNA) tool – a world-first for heavy mineral mapping; the National Hydrogeological Inventory version 1, providing important background to inform the national hydrogeological research agenda; HyLogger™ dataset and 1,256 km of processed deep crustal reflection seismic data, providing new insights into the Delamerian Orogen; and an update of Great Artesian Basin 3D geological and hydrogeological surfaces.

The Heavy Mineral Map of Australia (HMMA) is the world’s first public domain, continental-scale heavy mineral dataset and atlas. Through a collaboration with Curtin University, over 1,000 archived samples from across Australia have been analysed for automated identification and quantification of heavy minerals. The HMMA and accompanying cloud-based mineral network analysis (MNA) tool will positively impact mineral exploration and prospectivity modelling around Australia, as well as have other applications in earth and environmental sciences. The HMMA and MNA tool was publicly released at a workshop on 12 October 2023 in Perth.

The Australian Government is working to secure Australia's future water resources through a first of its kind stock take of the nation’s underground water reservoirs. The National Hydrogeological Inventory, developed by Geoscience Australia, has mapped Australia's major groundwater-bearing basins and geological provinces and paints a picture of the communities, industries and environments that rely on groundwater.

This month we discuss the completion of the 40-day, 700-km Northwest Northern Territory Seismic Survey; present a beta version of the Green Steel Economic Fairways Mapper tool released at a recent workshop; highlight the release of a new electrical conductivity model of northwest Queensland as part of the AusLAMP project under the program; and present a new The Rocks that Shape Australia exhibition, which is open to the public in our foyer.

This edition features an overview of our 2023 Exploring for the Future Showcase. Over the course of 3 days, we had 455 people attend from government, industry and scientific organisations. We released nearly 30 new datasets and publications, including 15 extended abstracts from the program and 3 evaluation reports by Deloitte Access Economics and Alluvium.

The Economic Fairways Mapper research team, a Monash University and Geoscience Australia partnership,  won the Eureka Prize for Innovative Research in Sustainability announced at the 2023 Australia Museum Eureka Awards ceremony on 23 August.

The Australian Government’s Exploring for the Future program, led by Geoscience Australia, held an online public Showcase on 15–17 August 2023, where a team of geoscience experts reflected on the value of the program and shared scientific highlights and precompetitive geoscience results with the minerals, groundwater and energy sectors, government, academia, research, colleagues, collaborators and the public. Watch all the presentations from the Showcase.

The work of Geoscience Australia and state and territory geological surveys is key to Australia’s drive to become a global renewable energy superpower, according to a new report by Deloitte Access Economics.

The Australian Government’s Exploring for the Future program, led by Geoscience Australia,  held an online public Showcase on 15–17 August 2023.

The Australian Government’s Exploring for the Future program, led by Geoscience Australia, held a virtual public Showcase on 15–17 August 2023 (free).

The Exploring for the Future impact pathway summarises the ways how Geoscience Australia will meet the program’s vision through our scientific activities, linked to outputs, and intended outcomes and impacts.

In this issue we present data interpretations from 3 airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys, release an inventory of Australia’s Mesoproterozoic basins, including 3 groundwater reports across the Great Artesian Basin, Lake Eyre Basin and Upper Darling Floodplain. The 2023 Showcase is just around the corner, we look forward to seeing you in mid-August.

Exciting news this month with registration and the program are now available for the 2023 Exploring for the Future Showcase on 15-17 August. Don’t miss this important event and register today! In this edition we present a keynote from Dr Karol Czarnota, Exploring for the Future Senior Science Advisor at the World Mining Congress highlighting the resources sector’s vital role in the net zero transition, launch the Atlas of Australian Mine Waste which includes over 1,400 mine sites across the nation, and present a new public access book co-edited by David Huston from Geoscience Australia on how to use and interpret isotopic data for mineral systems analysis.

Geoscience Australia’s most recent stocktake of the nation’s energy resources has reinforced Australia’s importance in the global energy supply chain and shows a bright future for renewable energy production, Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia Madeleine King said today.

This month we discuss the hot topic – hydrogen and Australia’s potential for hydrogen storage in halite (salt) basins, share some extraordinary insights from re-analysis of our historical geological samples dating back to the 1970s, release a continent-wide stratigraphic framework and reveal early details of the upcoming Showcase program, 15-17 August.

Ground-breaking scientific drilling has begun in western New South Wales, promising to offer valuable insights into the geological history of the region, as well as the changes that have shaped our continent.

In this edition we share some updates from the National Drilling Initiative (NDI) Delamerian Margins campaign, release the inventory report of Queensland’s Adavale Basin, develop new models using existing data that help explore new sources of groundwater for remote communities and industry and exchange groundwater knowledge and research with remote schools and communities in Bourke and Wilcannia.

This month we present a range of fantastic releases from the Exploring for the Future program: the national sediment-hosted zinc-lead mineral potential assessments and 2 major airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys; our new mobile laboratory along with a suite of portable interactive science displays, and an update to the technical standards for magnetic/radiometric airborne surveys.

With the release of new data and 4 new Mineral Potential Maps, the Australian Government is supporting exploration for minerals, such as zinc and associated critical minerals, including cobalt, gallium, and germanium for use in renewable technologies.

In our first issue of the Exploring for the Future newsletter for 2023 we highlight the recent redevelopment of the Hydrochem database, the latest version of the Moho map of Australia, share insights into the evolution of the Gawler Craton, including the spotlight on Tasmania with the release of data from 2022 radiometric and magnetic survey and the latest addition to the Isotopic Atlas of Australia. This year the Exploring for the Future Showcase will be held on 15-17 August (online) – save the date and standby for more information.

New data will put the spotlight on the hidden geology beneath the feet of Tasmanians, as part of the Australian Government’s Exploring for the Future program.

Teaching geoscience can be tricky, especially when scientific information is often written for other scientists. To make geoscience more engaging and easy to understand, Geoscience Australia, in collaboration with Teaching Indigenous Perspectives in the Australian Curriculum (TIPIAC), has developed a new teaching resource for primary to secondary school students.

In our last issue for 2022 we highlight the latest geochronology data release from the East Tennant area, feature the work from the Eastern Resources Corridor airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey over the Cooper Creek floodplain, provide the program update in Western Australia, invite curious minds to explore and test 6 new interactive geoscience exhibits at our Education Centre in Canberra, and share the video and interactive material of the popular AEM workshop we ran in Perth, as part of the Exploring for the Future showcase 2022.

Geoscience Australia is ready to support the next generation of Earth science advances, after its new modern laboratory was officially opened today by Minister for Resources and Northern Australia the Hon Madeleine King.

A series of comic-style factsheets, explaining various field techniques and processes that Geoscience Australia performs, such as airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys, passive seismic surveys, borehole geophysics, groundwater sampling and more. (2022)

This month we feature the release of data from the upper Darling River airborne electromagnetic survey, the first report on alkaline and related igneous rocks from Western Australia, the Loop 3D workshop and the program’s progress in New South Wales.

Normington, V., Cochrane, B., Buffinton, K., Sullivan, T (2022)

In this edition we talk about our recent international Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI) field trip to the Mount Isa-Cloncurry region in northwest Queensland, the fully booked AEM workshop we ran in Perth, the program's progress in South Australia as well as 4 of our popular fieldwork animations translated into 4 First Nations Australians' languages.

This 2D animation shows how reflection seismic surveys work and provides a simplified view of what reflection seismic survey equipment looks like and what the equipment measures. This animation is also available in Mandarin, Italian, Greek and Vietnamese languages as well as the First Nations Australians' languages: Western Arrernte, Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole), Warlpiri and Pitjantjatjara languages. (1:23 min)

This 1-2 minute 2D animation provides easy to understand explanation of how AEM surveys work, what AEM equipment looks like and what the equipment measures. This animation is also available in Mandarin, Italian, Greek and Vietnamese languages as well as the First Nations Australians' languages: Western Arrernte, Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole), Warlpiri and Pitjantjatjara languages. (1:28 min)

This 2D animation shows how passive seismic surveys work and provides a simplified view of what passive seismic equipment looks like and what the equipment measures. This animation is also available in Mandarin, Italian, Greek and Vietnamese languages as well as the First Nations Australians' languages: Western Arrernte, Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole), Warlpiri and Pitjantjatjara languages. (1:56 min)

Fieldwork is essential in the delivery of Geoscience Australia’s research programs, including the Exploring for the Future program. To help everyone better understand our fieldwork and to enable informed decision making, we have created a series of short (1-2 minute) 2D animations about various field activity techniques.

This 2D animation shows how MT Surveys Work and provides a simplified view of what MT stations and equipment look like and what the equipment measures. It is also available in Mandarin, Italian, Greek and Vietnamese languages as well as the First Nations Australians' languages: Western Arrernte, Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole), Warlpiri and Pitjantjatjara languages. (2:17 min)

Watch an overview video about the Exploring for the Future program (2:00 min)

Watch an overview video about the Exploring for the Future program and its projects (3:30 min)

This month we are highlighting some of great science featured during the 2022 Exploring for the Future Showcase held on 8-10 August. We’re using machine learning to read between the lines of AEM surveys, sharing the latest data from the Upper Darling River groundwater study, showing how old and new mineral systems data can be integrated to provide new insights and possibilities for exploration, as well as uncovering the potential for large-scale, underground storage of hydrogen in salt caverns across the country.

Day 3 of the 2022 Showcase (the Resource potential session) featured presentations about economic assessments of Australian mineral potential, enhanced oil recovery, and the growing hydrogen and green steel industries. The 2022 Showcase was a 3-day free online event, where Geoscience Australia’s senior leaders and geoscientists discussed scientific highlights, reflected on the value of the Exploring for the Future program and shared future plans. (51:11 min)

Australia has the right ingredients to become a global hydrogen superpower, according to new data from the Australian Government’s Exploring for the Future program.

Day 3 of the 2022 Showcase (the Systems session) highlighted new insights into mineral, energy and groundwater systems, including the upper Darling River groundwater system. The 2022 Showcase was a 3-day free online event, where Geoscience Australia’s senior leaders and geoscientists discussed scientific highlights, reflected on the value of the Exploring for the Future program and shared future plans. (53:40 min)

Day 2 of the Showcase (the Data and Toolbox session) featured presentations on new data collection, including national surveys and the tools being used. The 2022 Showcase was a 3-day free online event, where Geoscience Australia’s senior leaders and geoscientists discussed scientific highlights, reflected on the value of the Exploring for the Future program and shared future plans. (55 min)

Day 2 of the 2022 Showcase (the Geology session) provided new geological insights from the program. The 2022 Showcase was a 3-day free online event, where Geoscience Australia’s senior leaders and geoscientists discussed scientific highlights, reflected on the value of the Exploring for the Future program and shared future plans. (1:06:36 min)

Geoscience Australia will kick off a three-day virtual showcase today that is set to highlight the crucial role of Australian Government science in unlocking our low-emissions future.

The 2022 Showcase was a 3-day free online event, where Geoscience Australia’s senior leaders and geoscientists discussed scientific highlights, reflected on the value of the Exploring for the Future program and shared future plans. Day 1 session provided an overview of the program and highlighted the program's impacts on exploration by industry, improved decision-making and community awareness. (1:25:20 min)

The online 2022 Exploring for the Future Showcase is fast approaching on 8-10 August. Check out our 3-day program. This issue features a deep crustal seismic survey underway across parts of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales; the first data release for the Heavy Mineral Map of Australia, and a new major geochemistry report from the Broken Hill region.

This 2D animation shows how groundwater sampling is conducted. It provides a simplified view of what groundwater sampling equipment looks like, what the equipment measures, and how scientists use the data. (2:25 min)

This 2D animation shows how stratigraphic drilling is conducted. It provides a simplified view of what stratigraphic drilling looks like, what the equipment measures, and how scientists use the data. (2:23 min)

A slow-moving convoy of trucks will help uncover the origins of ancient supercontinents, by sending vibrations deep into the Earth to build a picture of what lies beneath south-eastern Australia.

Registrations are now open to the 2022 Exploring for the Future Showcase on 8-10 August. In this issue we discuss a 'play-based' approach to assessing energy resources in central Australia, welcome your feedback on the pre-release of Geoscience Australia’s open-source High Quality Geophysical Analysis (HiQGA) software package for probabilistic modelling of sub-surface properties and reveal some of the oldest microfossils on Earth discovered in the Kidson Sub-basin.

Microfossils derived from the earliest land plants and extinct marine groups have been recovered from 42 samples taken from the Barnicarndy 1 well, drilled in partnership with the Geological Survey of Western Australia in the onshore Canning Basin in Western Australia.

The annual 2022 Exploring for the Future Showcase will be held online in August, where we will share scientific highlights from the program to date, reflect on the value of the program to Australians and share our future plans. This edition also highlights new insights into the Canning Basin, a new study revealing previously unknown patterns in global geology and animations explaining how we gather scientific data.

The Australian Government’s Exploring for the Future program, led by Geoscience Australia, held a virtual public Showcase on 8–10 August 2022 (free)

A Geoscience Australia-led team of researchers have made it easier for explorers to strike gold, by uncovering previously unknown patterns in global geology that can be used to explore for gold deposits.

Hundreds of sensors the size of a milk bottle will be buried across Australia to help scientists better understand what lies beneath the Earth’s surface.

This year the Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) featured 4 presentations from the Exploring for the Future program, including our plans for the Australia's Future Energy Resources project. We have also released 2 new mineral deposit datasets.

This 2D animation shows how borehole geophysical surveys are conducted. (2:31 min)

A series of 1-2 minute 2D animations provide easy to understand explanations of airborne and ground survey techniques, designed for non-technical audiences, such as landholders, land managers and general community that are impacted by our data acquisition activities. They show what the equipment looks like, how it works and what it is measuring, what the data looks like, and how it is used. There is no sound or voice over, allowing users to discuss them with audiences. (Playlist)

This 2D animation shows how Survey Magnetic Resonance (SMR) surveys work. It provides a simplified view of what SMR equipment looks like, what the equipment measures, and how scientists use the data. (1:41 min)

Geoscience Australia has teamed up with The University of Queensland, RMIT University and the Geological Survey of Queensland to develop an Atlas of Australian Mine Waste, highlighting new opportunities to recover valuable minerals – a concept known as secondary prospectivity.

Our case studies showcase our work, community stories, and emerging benefits and impacts of the Exploring for the Future program.

The Northern Territory is being explored more than ever before, with a substantial footprint of new tenement uptake in the region thanks to Geoscience Australia’s $225 million Exploring for the Future program.

Lee Harrop is an artist and a PhD candidate in Visual Arts at the College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Society, Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory exploring the interface between art and the resources industry, including the science that underpins resources projects.

New data from Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future program has once again confirmed the excellent geological potential of previously underexplored parts of the Northern Territory.

Energy is a major focus for the Exploring for the Future program, both in terms of energy security, and Australia’s transition to a low emissions future. This month’s issue features several projects investigating major energy-related national opportunities.

The Darling–Curnamona–Delamerian project is investigating the groundwater potential of the upper Darling River floodplain, as well as the mineral and groundwater potential of parts of eastern South Australia, western New South Wales, western Victoria and western Tasmania.

As part of the Darling-Curnamona-Delamerian project, Geoscience Australia will be carrying out an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey in the upper Darling River region from March to June 2022, in collaboration with the NSW State Government.

Researchers from Geoscience Australia and the Australian National University have recently released a new national Barest Earth product that uses the Digital Earth Australia satellite archive.

Ongoing collaboration between Geoscience Australia and a wide range of agencies and institutions is building a nationally valuable database of geochronology and isotopes.

This first Exploring for the Future newsletter for 2022 marks the beginning of another busy year ahead, with an exciting program of fieldwork planned across Australia.

Minister for Resources and Water Keith Pitt today announced that new light will be shed on the potential for additional groundwater resources in the upper Darling River region as part of the $225 million Exploring for the Future program.

To support implementation of Australia's National Hydrogen Strategy, Geoscience Australia in collaboration with Monash University have released the Hydrogen Economic Fairways Tool (HEFT).

Geoscience Australia undertook geoscientific investigations in the Southern Stuart Corridor, spanning 89,000 km2 in central Australia to better understand groundwater aquifers (rock layers that can store groundwater).

Australia has a rich history in the exploration and development of resources. Discovery of new minerals, energy and groundwater resources is vital to supporting our economic growth, creating jobs and transitioning Australia to a low carbon future.

While this is the last edition of the Exploring for the Future newsletter for the year, Geoscience Australia staff are preparing for a busy new year ahead. We have an exciting schedule of data releases to be delivered in 2022, as well as a packed program of field surveys planned across Australia.

A new electrical conductivity model released by Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future program offers a fresh look at mineral prospectivity in northern Australia.

A new electrical conductivity model released by Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future program offers a deeper look at the geology in northern Australia with promising results.

New geochemical analysis indicates a previously unexplored area of northern Australia has promise as a new hydrocarbon province.

In this edition we look at illuminating northern Australia’s geology, the NDI Carrara 1 analysis underway, evaluating groundwater from the air, and a major addition to geochronology and isotope database.

Geoscience Australia, in collaboration with state government agencies, will be carrying out a series of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys within South Australia, and Queensland during 2021.

Despite lockdowns continuing in several states and the ACT, the Exploring for the Future program is still delivering great geoscience. It’s great to see such good progress even in challenging circumstances, and I commend the team for their adaptability and initiative in finding ways to keep delivering on the program’s objectives.

New airborne electromagnetic data from the Exploring for the Future program will provide an unprecedented snapshot of the geology of south-eastern Australia.

Just like many other Australians, Geoscience Australia staff are dealing with lockdowns and the challenging COVID-19 situation. We are working from home, trying to stay connected and keep delivering great science while balancing work with home schooling, pets and running a household.

The Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI) is a collaboration between Geoscience Australia, the Geological Survey of Canada and the U.S. Geological Survey. The collaboration marked a major milestone recently with the launch of the CMMI portal and dataset, a free interactive global mapping tool hosting the world’s largest critical minerals in ores dataset.

This week saw a milestone for Exploring for the Future with the completion of the first major regional Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) survey in the current phase of the program. It’s a great achievement that will be built on in coming years. We’re looking forward to the release of the data, inversions and interpretation, and are currently planning infill surveys that will look at specific regions in more detail.

April has been another busy month for the Exploring for the Future program, most notably in the Northern Territory where we had a significant presence at the Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) which has just wrapped up.

The first data from one of the most promising exploration frontiers in Australia is now available from Geoscience Australia.

In this issue we continue to see great results coming in from early work while new projects get under way.

In this issue we cover the launch of eight new projects - Darling-Curnamona-Delamerian, Officer-Musgrave, Barkly-Isa-Georgetown, Australia’s Resources Framework, National Groundwater Systems, Australia’s Future Energy Resources, Enhanced Data Delivery and Geoscience Knowledge Sharing.

Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, Keith Pitt today announced eight new projects will unlock the potential of Australia’s groundwater, energy and mineral resources during the next four years of the Australian Government’s $225 million Exploring for the Future program.

Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt today announced that two new resource potential corridors stretching the length of mainland Australia will be the focus of the $125 million expansion of the Exploring for the Future program.

Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt today issued a joint media release with Senator for the Northern Territory Dr Sam McMahon about the economic potential of natural resources in underexplored areas of the Northern Territory.

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

Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, Keith Pitt today announced the launch of an online data portal that provides explorers with free access to around 250 datasets collected as part of the Australian Government’s $225 million Exploring for the Future program.

The future of the nation’s resources sector has been bolstered, with the Government investing a further $125 million in a world-leading exploration-stimulation program that will expand its reach to cover the whole of Australia.

As we see on a daily basis, COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is changing the way organisations around the world are carrying out their business.

Australia’s resource and energy export earnings are forecast to set a record of $299 billion in 2019-20, an increase of $18 billion from 2018–19.

Geoscientific data and technology is supporting water infrastructure, investment and innovation in the north, as explained by Dr James Johnson, CEO Geoscience Australia.

Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Matt Canavan, and the Northern Territory Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, Paul Kirby, today announced a new seismic survey in the Northern Territory’s Barkly region will wrap up this week.

Two comprehensive geochronology reports from the South Nicholson region have been published.

Geoscience Australia released today new data from remote groundwater bores, which give hints of hidden mineralisation.

All airborne electromagnetic data acquired over NT and QLD area during 2017 and 2018 field season is now available to download.

On its 10 year anniversary, Geoscience Australia's world-renowned Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro Probe (SHRIMP) mass spectrometer has uncovered a new age for gold bearing rocks near Tennant Creek.

New data collected between the world-class mineral-endowed regions of Mount Isa and Tennant Creek shows the South Nicholson Basin is three times larger than previously thought.

Ten new laboratory-based roles designed to upskill Alice Springs job seekers have been created by Geoscience Australia in partnership with local Aboriginal not-for-profit company, the Centre for Appropriate Technology. The establishment of the laboratory and training roles are part of the four-year $100.5 million Exploring for the Future programme.

Planning is underway on the new $100.5 million Exploring for the Future programme. This four-year programme aims to boost Australia's attractiveness as a destination for investment in resource exploration and management.

The Australian Government's 2016–17 Budget brings a boost for Geoscience Australia through funding of a new programme - Exploring for the Future - to map minerals, energy and groundwater potential in northern Australia and South Australia.