Integrated geoscience projects through the CORE initiative

Dorothy Close

CORE initiative 2014-2018

A 4 year (2014-18) $23.8M investment in growing the exploration sector

• 4 year program to assess shale gas and oil resources ($2.0M pa) • Major new geoscience programs to lower exploration risk ($3.95M pa) • Programs to attract investment into NT resources projects • Co-funding of industry greenfields drilling and geophysics • Strategic collaborative research partnerships

Creating Opportunities for Resource Exploration

Focus for NTGS Regional Geoscience: 2014-2018 4 key areas: Arnhem Province, greater

McArthur Basin, Arunta Region, Amadeus Basin Targeted approach • Where required: improve regional

scale resolution of geophysics; upgrade geological maps (100k & 250k) with modern approach to framework studies; construct 3D models to understand architecture; undertake resource (minerals; Cu ± base metals & petroleum; unconventional shale gas) data collection and assessment

greater McArthur Basin

McArthur Basin

Birrindudu Basin

Tomkinson Province

Arunta Region

Amadeus Basin

Arnhem Province

Strategic approach – early intensive data collection CORE initiative: the first 20 months • regional gravity (26 672 gravity

stations = 286 550 km2); • aeromagnetic & radiometric data

(200 409 line kms = 70 393 km2); • rock property data (10 919

measurements from 6231 samples from 124 drill holes);

• hyperspectral (105 drill holes HyLogged = 27 000m);

• geochemistry (626 whole rock geochemical analyses);

• geochronology (47 U-Pb zircon); • source rock analysis (7935 analyses

from 4501 samples from 115 drill holes);

Strategic approach – ongoing information release

• Data open filed and available as soon as possible

• Ongoing release of information and concepts

• Analysis and interpretation of existing data

• Next phase = integration and interpretation of new data

Arnhem Province Approach • understand geological history

and framework through 1:100k mapping of outcropping basement terrain

• Redefined stratigraphy, identified distinctive suites of granites, timing of metamorphism -> relationship to Pine Creek Orogen

greater McArthur Basin Approach • Understand basin/s

architecture, evolution, scale, palaeogeography, hydrocarbon potential (esp unconventional shale gas) and Cu base metal mineral systems analysis

• Acquire geophysical data at modern regional scale, construct 3D model, characterise and correlate stratigraphy across outcropping basins & provinces; systematic source rock analysis of all shale units; characterise Cu prospects

Arunta Region Approach • Continue to unravel the geological framework and

evolution of the Region, focusing on the eastern exposure

• Identify depositional, magmatic, metamorphic and structural events

• Providing context to Cu ± base metal mineral systems analysis

• initial focus on characterising Jervois deposit, Bonya Hills and then other Cu related deposits in the Aileron Province

Jervois mineral field

Amadeus Basin Approach • Understand basin architecture,

evolution and palaeogeography and resource potential

• Focus on the Neoproterozoic stratigraphy (currently the target for petroleum exploration), characterise, redefine and remap distribution

• CSIRO COBRA project: construct 3D model from potential field data; integrate geochemistry, sedimentology, isotopic analysis, ASTER to undertake resource assessment of the basin

CSIRO COBRA project

Henbury 250k outcrop

Reference area, NE Amadeus

Strategic approach: Collaborative partnerships • Augments existing expertise and knowledge within

NTGS with specialist skill sets • Maximises and accelerates use of new data and

integration of regional research and assessment

Strategic approach: Collaborative partnerships Geoscience Australia • ongoing provision of SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology • ongoing provision of contract management of

geophysical acquisition • Unconventional petroleum resource assessment of

the McArthur Basin

Strategic approach: Collaborative partnerships CSIRO Amadeus Basin - COBRA project greater McArthur Basin Integrated basin architecture and mineral systems project • AEM project – Batten Fault

Zone • Deformation fluid flow

modelling • Embedded researchers: 2 x

Postdoctoral positions located within NTGS

Strategic approach: Collaborative partnerships Universities CODES: Cu deposits in McArthur Basin Uni of Adelaide ARC Linkage Grant: greater McArthur Basin

• Designed to compliment existing NTGS projects

• Depositional ages, regional stratigraphic correlation and provenance: U-Pb apatite, monazite, rutile and titanite and Ar-Ar from detrital muscovites from siliciclasitic units/ Re-Os from pyrites and organic rich shales

• Palaeogeography and depositional environment: Ca Mg, Sr and Cr isotope analysis on carbonates

• Thermal history: apatite and titanite fission track

Collaborative partnerships: Industry Look for opportunities for new techniques/data to improve knowledge. Data/information open file asap • Geophysical acquisition:

infill in NTGS regional geophysical surveys

• Geochronology: Cameco • 60 km seismic acquisition –

Tennant Region: Emmerson/Evolution

• HyLogger: Cameco

Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations Round 9

• $750 000 pa during CORE • Co funding of greenfields

drilling/geophysics and innovative techniques

• 50% of direct costs to max of $100 000 per project

• Call for applications open now; closing April 21st 2016

• Guidelines & application forms on webpage

www.minerals.nt.gov.au/collaborations

CORE initiative – Regional Geoscience • 4 year initiative: 2014-2018 • ~ $4 million pa on regional

geoscience projects • Integrated problem solving

approach • Early intensive acquisition of

new data • Ongoing release of data and

information • Building on existing and

establishing new collaborative research partnerships