Airborne electromagnetic survey results from the Paterson Province, WA

Abstract

Geoscience Australia (GA) is acquiring regional airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data in areas of Australia considered prospective for energy commodities as part of the Onshore Energy Security Program (OESP) and to encourage industry exploration activity. The aim of the AEM surveys under the OESP is to release pre-competitive regional data and conductivity-depth information to the public. As part of this initiative, private exploration companies have collaborated with GA by subscribing to infill selected areas at closer line spacings. In return, for favourable financial conditions and management of the survey process, companies will allow GA to release the infill data to the public at the end of a twelve month moratorium period. The large volumes of data acquired under the OESP will be publicly available from GA once internal QA-QC procedures are completed. The Paterson Region in Western Australia (WA) is the first area surveyed under the AEM acquisition program of the OESP. The main aim of this survey is to promote exploration for unconformity-related uranium deposits in previously under-explored and predominantly undercover areas. The uranium systems in this area are believed to be related to the unconformity between the Coolbro Sandstone and the underlying Rudall Complex (McKay and Miezitis, 2001). They may also be related to the contact between the Broadhurst Formation and the Coolbro Sandstone, and are also likely to be controlled by the location of basement faults. Other types of uranium mineralisation that may be prospective in the survey area are surficial calcrete-style uranium systems and sandstone-hosted uranium systems that may be active within buried palaeovalleys.