South Australia invites exploration

An increase in exploration in South Australia has prompted that state’s government to commit funds for a further work program.

About A$1 million of the A$5-million program will finance airborne geophysical surveys, all data from which will be made available to industry. South Australia hosts the giant Olympic Dam copper-gold-silver-uranium oxide deposit and features the same terrane that contains the massive Broken Hill silver-lead-zinc deposits in New South Wales. But the state is largely unexplored because of widespread sedimentary and soil cover. South Australia consists of several geological provinces, including both Precambrian crustal blocks and younger sedimentary basins, which host a range of mineral and fossil fuel resources. The state is also attracting attention because of reported kimberlitic and lamprophyric intrusives, and the recovery of alluvial diamonds.