A new North East Queensland Mineral Deposit Atlas has been published by the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.
The online Atlas contains the latest 3D models (example pictured) and data to help explorers find new economy minerals in Queensland’s Far North.
Minister for Resources, Scott Stewart said the Atlas brought together information from multiple sources, collected over decades, into one easy-to-use data compilation.
“Data is the key to exploration and exploration is the key to making new discoveries, which creates new opportunities in the resources industry,” Mr Stewart said.
“Importantly, the data has also been used to generate three-dimensional earth models, using free software,” he said.
The Minister said the models made it easier for explorers to understand the geological nature of the deposits that were already known, so they could identify the most prospective areas to target for new projects, saving significant time and money.
Mr Stewart said the exploration and resources industry had continued to perform strongly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting thousands of jobs.
“The latest figures show exploration expenditure reached $706 million in Queensland during the 12 months to June, up by 10.3 per cent compared to the 12 months before,” he said.
“The resources sector continues to support about 80,000 jobs across Queensland, and represents $48 billion in exports that generates millions of dollars in royalties.”
Mr Stewart said the Atlas was a free resource made available as part of the Government’s five-year New Economy Minerals Initiative.
The Atlas can be accessed at this PS News link.
