From exploration to mining: new geological strategies for sustaining high levels of copper production from the Mount Isa district. Mineral production at the Mount Isa copper and Ernest Henry copper-gold mines is worth more than $ 1 billion per year and this has underpinned the northern Queensland economy for a number of years. These resources are being depleted at a high rate, and no significant new discoveries have been made in over a decade. This project will provide some of the tools to defin ....From exploration to mining: new geological strategies for sustaining high levels of copper production from the Mount Isa district. Mineral production at the Mount Isa copper and Ernest Henry copper-gold mines is worth more than $ 1 billion per year and this has underpinned the northern Queensland economy for a number of years. These resources are being depleted at a high rate, and no significant new discoveries have been made in over a decade. This project will provide some of the tools to define new resources for the next generation, ensuring the prosperity of the region and bolstering the Australian economy. The timing is critical given the long lead time between discovery and production (in the order of 5 to 10 years). If successful the research may have major financial impacts at local, regional and national scales. It may also improve mine safety.Read moreRead less
Realising Australia’s rare earth resource potential. This project aims to reveal the potential for undiscovered economic deposits of rare earth elements within the Australian continent. Future supply of these elements underpins societies transition to clean energy and embrace of high-tech applications. The project expects to greatly enhance our knowledge of Australia’s endowment of rare earth element resources using an array of traditional and innovative geological research methods. Expected out ....Realising Australia’s rare earth resource potential. This project aims to reveal the potential for undiscovered economic deposits of rare earth elements within the Australian continent. Future supply of these elements underpins societies transition to clean energy and embrace of high-tech applications. The project expects to greatly enhance our knowledge of Australia’s endowment of rare earth element resources using an array of traditional and innovative geological research methods. Expected outcomes of this project include a greater understanding of how, where and when rare earth element orebodies form in the Earth's crust. This should provide significant benefits to exploring for––and discovering––new orebodies that are required to secure global critical metal supplies. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100070
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$966,283.00
Summary
Cutting-edge electron probe microanalysis driving Western Australia’s resource geosciences. This project aims to provide a new generation electron microprobe, with advances in trace element mapping and cathodoluminescence analysis to enable superior characterisation of a wide range of materials. The overwhelming demand for electron probe microanalysis from research groups in Western Australia requires renewal of over-subscribed, ageing facilities to drive innovation and alleviate bottlenecks in ....Cutting-edge electron probe microanalysis driving Western Australia’s resource geosciences. This project aims to provide a new generation electron microprobe, with advances in trace element mapping and cathodoluminescence analysis to enable superior characterisation of a wide range of materials. The overwhelming demand for electron probe microanalysis from research groups in Western Australia requires renewal of over-subscribed, ageing facilities to drive innovation and alleviate bottlenecks in advanced geosciences multi-capability workflows. The electron probe will drive underpinning geoscience, resources science and economic geology, as well as support a broad range of disciplines and diverse fields, such as nanotechnology, microelectronics and aquatic sciences.Read moreRead less