Gawlor Craton...unlocking......COBRA.... Boom.....3 Nov 2021 09:47
South Australia’s path to discovery
South Australia’s Department for Energy and Mining reported a steady increase in exploration spending and activities for South Australia, including a renewed interest in nickel, copper, rare earths, graphite, magnetite and uranium – all of which will play a vital role in an electrified society.
“There has been a definite pivot in exploration trends, while traditional commodities and metals still dominate, the landscape is changing to meet the needs of the looming decarbonisation and electrification of our lives,” the Department stated.
Strategy 2028, Geoscience Australia’s 10-year mineral exploration investment stimulus plan, has also recognised this growing need.
The strategy has committed to the promotion of mineral exploration investment and the establishment of new areas, including sites for the critical minerals used in battery storage technology.
“This work is important for the future supply of critical minerals for advanced manufacturing, communications and computing, defence, space and health applications, and low-carbon energy technologies,” said Britt.
Furthermore, Australia’s exploration for critical minerals such as lithium and rare earth elements has been increasing the last four years and accounted for $222 million of mineral exploration expenditure in the 2020-21 period.
As part of the State Government’s support for its mining and resources sector, programs like the Accelerated Discovery Initiative (ADI) have granted about $7.5 million to projects in its first two rounds alone.
The success of the open-source data competition, Explore SA: The Gawler Challenge, is a call for geologists and data scientists from across the globe to help uncover new exploration targets in the state’s Gawler Craton region, also derived an estimated $350 million worth of new publicly available geoscientific data for the region.
“The South Australian government continues to invest in emerging opportunities that benefit the search for resources beneath the ground, clean energy technology, and the development of skills, expertise, and innovation within the workforce of the mining sectors,” the Department stated.
Battery metals continue to feature prominently in South Australian exploration as the sector continues to evolve. Argonaut, Rex Minerals and Renascor Resources are attending IMARC to highlight the importance of South Australia’s contribution to a clean energy future.
Queensland navigating the future
The Queensland State Government’s recent budget for 2022 promised about $5 million for various programs, including $2.5 million allocated to the Collaborative Exploration Initiative grants, and $2.2 million to support the development and expansion of the New Economy Minerals sector in Queensland.
This increase reflects the booming exploration expenditure over the past financial year, with the ABS reporting an increase of $638 million to $708 million.
Queensland’s growth in expe
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