The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety has announced that the largest survey of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data ever attempted in Western Australia has been completed.
The mapping program was made possible through Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future program and the Department’s Exploration Incentive Scheme led by the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA).
Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Madeleine King said the data collection would increase understanding of the State’s geology and resource potential, offering industry important insights to inform more targeted surveying.
“This data will deepen our understanding of groundwater, minerals, including critical minerals, and hydrogen storage which are all essential in our transition to net zero emissions by 2050,” Ms King said.
“This data is already being used by industry and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation to progress exploration for rare earth element-bearing clays and other minerals which will be the key to our clean energy future.”
She said that as the State strove towards a net zero economy “we have already seen this data being used to map salt for hydrogen storage, uncovering great potential for the development of multiple caverns underground in salt deposits”.
Minister for Mines and Petroleum, Bill Johnston said the survey was a major achievement that would keep Western Australia at the forefront of geoscientific understanding.
“Exploration is the lifeblood of our resources sector, and I am confident the AEM survey’s data will help uncover the State’s next big discovery,” Mr Johnston said.
Much of the data collected for Western Australia is already available on the Exploring for the Future Data Discovery Portal at this PS News link with the final instalment due to be released in the New Year.
