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TEiSA Programs for 2001-02

The following projects have been approved for the final year of the TEISA $2.2 million Minerals Program. New projects listed are additional to the ongoing minerals and petroleum TEISA projects that have been in progress since the beginning of this very successful program in 1998.

In April 2001, the mineral exploration industry was invited to submit collaborative research proposals to the TEISA Year 4 Project Selection Committee. The selection criteria were posted on the minerals website and a large number of innovative proposals were subsequently evaluated and ranked by the committee, which included an industry representative.

Each project was considered on its merits using the following criteria;

That the project:

  • addresses significant knowledge gaps in key areas eg bedrock and stratigraphic drilling in key areas, focussed geological mapping, acquisition and interpretation of geophysical surveys.
  • will result in promotion of new and/or credible under utilised exploration technology.
  • will result in the promotion of key prospective areas.
  • will improve access and delivery of geoscientific information in key areas.
  • outputs are likely to be taken up by Mineral Resources Group customers.
  • involves significant joint venture contributions.

The successful projects from the selection process are summarised below together with other ongoing TEISA projects to be undertaken by MER Geological Survey Branch.

Geoscientific Information Management Program

Program Leader: Domenic Calandro

Surface Geochemical data base

This project will involve the compilation of open-file, surficial geochemistry from regional investigations and company exploration throughout South Australia. In particular, digital data collected during the period 1995-2001 will be combined with analogue data from targeted regions considered highly prospective, for example, parts of the Gawler Craton and Curnamona Province. The digital data set will include sample location coordinates, the sample type, analyses values, analytical methods, mesh size, date collected and position in the landscape, if known.

Company Exploration (Minerals) Report Scanning

Technical data must be submitted by exploration companies for permanent storage according to South Australia’s mining and petroleum legislation. Storage and maintenance of these data must also conform with the State Records Act 1997. The current storage mechanisms are considered inadequate and its digital capture and archiving has been identified as now being of a high priority. Digital capture will not only ensure preservation of data integrity, but also ensure its long term availability, minimise the risk of data loss and facilitate the efficient provision of data to future explorers.

In the first year it is anticipated that some 400 000 pages of text and 30 000 large format plans will be scanned. The documents represent approximately 20% of the total estimated number archived by this Department. Only those company reports that have been identified as the most relevant and important will be scanned as part of the TEISA Minerals Program this year.

Musgrave Block

Program Leader: Warwick Newton

Bedrock and Groundwater Drilling

Broad spaced reconnaissance RC percussion or RC air core drilling is planned along tracks and fence lines in the MANN, WOODROFFE and ALBERGA sheets where sedimentary cover is relatively thin. cApproximately 200 holes for a total of 6 000m is planned, sited on ground geophysical profiles. Whole-rock and trace-element analysis and petrology will be undertaken on bottom hole samples along with trace element geochemistry of the weathered basement profiles. Groundwater will also be sampled to facilitate planning for future development.

Curnamona Province

Program Leader: Stuart Robertson

Basement Geological Mapping

Geological mapping of the Proterozoic basement, particularly the Willyama Inliers but also including the Mt Painter Inliers, will continue throughout year 4 of the TEISA Minerals Program. This project includes outcrop mapping, interpretation of covered areas, geochronology, and studies of the intrusive, tectonic, metamorphic and metallogenic history of the region. The aim is to produce key geoscientific datasets and concepts to facilitate efficient, targeted exploration. Planned outputs for 2001-2002 include mapping in the Mingary area ,Coppertop and Outalpa Inliers and in the Billeroo South area; an isotope and geochemical study of the Plumbago granites and metasediments, along with several summary technical reports.

Sedimentary Cover and Regolith Studies

This project will involve assessment of the sedimentary and regolith cover of the Northern Murray Basin (NMB), Callabonna Sub-basin and Willyama Inliers. It includes reassessment of current geological information, the potential for sedimentary uranium, heavy mineral sands and other commodities and will investigate the effect of cover/regolith on the exploration of the underlying basement. Outputs will include; compilation of existing data for the northern Murray Basin, a summary report on the Northern Murray Basin Drilling Program (2000-01) and a preliminary compilation of data and palaeochannel map for the Callabonna Sub Basin.

Delamerian Orogeny

TEISA is contributing to a three year SPIRT study (January 2001- 2004) by Dr Martin Hand, University of Adelaide, on the timing of deformation and syn-metamorphic mineralisation in the Delamerian Orogeny.

Pine Creek Kimberlite

This project aims to examine the secondary dispersion of indicator minerals from the Pine Creek Kimberlite to assist exploration for diamonds across the State by a better understanding of the relationship of indicator anomalies to source. Regolith mapping, RC drilling, trenching and loam sampling is proposed to test the primary dispersion of diamond indicator minerals. The Pine Creek Kimberlite was chosen because it’s large area, indicator minerals and suitable topography.

Proterozoic Sedimentary Copper

Contribution to a three year AMIRA Project (P544) by CODES and other researchers commenced in 2000. The study specifically includes factors that influence copper transport, concentration and deposition as well as possible remobilisation during basin evolution and definition of possible vectors that indicate ore both on a deposit scale and a district scale. Comparison between the Neoproterozoic Southern African copper belt and Australian Neoproterozoic, particularly the Adelaidean rocks in South Australia so that better exploration models may be developed.

Gawler Craton

Program Leader: Michael Schwarz

Greenstone Drilling Project Phase1

This project, currently in progress, has been designed to test the ultramafic/mafic/BIF sequences in the Lake Harris, Hopeful Hill and Talia Hill – Mullina Well regions. Approximately 2800m of RC, 340m RAB and 360m diamond core have been completed for a total of 89 holes to date, and a further 800m RC and 700m of diamond core is planned for July 2001.

Greenstone Drilling Project Phase 2

Phase Two will see an additional 4000m of RC sampling and 1000m of diamond core acquired in late 2001. The drilling program will focus on accessible ground geophysics profiles across the yet to be tested parts of the sequence to determine strike continuity and composition of the ultramafic units.

Greenstone Regolith

This project involves detailed regolith mapping of selected areas of the Harris Greenstone Belt along with detailed regolith sub-surface modelling based on drillhole data. Comparative studies of this area and the Yilgarn province will be undertaken to assist in the development of exploration models for both precious and base metals in the Gawler Craton.

Kingoonya Palaeochannel

A sedimentological study of the main palaeochannel cross-cutting the Archaean Greenstones and adjacent Proterozoic goldfields will be carried out in late 2001. Study of the evolution of the palaeochannel system should assist in the definition of possible placer deposits and aid the interpretation of the Lake Harris and Hopeful Hill Airborne EM surveys.