Natural Resource Geophysics In The Northern Territory - New Tools Or New Ideas?

Abstract

In the Northern Territory, natural resource assessments are performed before land is released for horticulture or for intensive agriculture. With the advent of detailed airborne geophysical surveys, funded by the NT Geological Survey, advanced assessment methodologies have been introduced. The new methods combine traditional site assessment skills with advanced image processing and GIS analysis. The assessment process targets both water and land resources, with the intention of planning and managing development in a sustainable manner. Initial tests of Enhanced Resource Assessment tools have shown the value of using airborne data to reduce the amount of ground truthing, and have been invaluable in modelling hydrogeological environments.