Deep seismic Project

Deep crustal seismic reflection surveys have been conducted across the Mount Isa mineral province, eastwards across the Carpentaria Basin, and the Georgetown and Charters Towers Provinces. Data acquisition occurred in late 2006/early 2007. A magnetotelluric survey is planned to follow over the same route in 2008/2009. Together these techniques give a fuller picture of the geological profile at depth as they are sensitive to different structural and petrophysical properties. These newly acquired data (in conjunction with rock properties and geophysical data) are providing a much better understanding of the geology and mineral potential of Northern Queensland.

The completed Stage 1 seismic lines (orange) range between 50 and 200km, and focus on a different set of structures and incorporate different mineral deposits whose structural setting and regional context are still unclear. Processing of this data has been finalised at Geoscience Australia and an interpretation of the data has been completed.

A workshop to release the data and to present interpretations was held in Mount Isa on 24 June 2008. A CD containing the talks presented at the workshop is available.

Stage 2 data (in purple) have been processed by Geoscience Australia, and were released in Brisbane at the Digging Deeper 6 seminar on 10th December 2008. All of the remaining seismic sections and interpretations were released at the North Queensland Exploration and Mining (NQEM) Conference held in Townsville in June 2009.

Copies of the Stage 1 workshop CD and the Stages 1 and 2 DVDs containing the seismic sections and interpretations can be obtained from the Information Centre in Mineral House, 41 George Street, Brisbane, Ph: 07 3237 1434.

Line 07GA_IG01, extending eastwards from the Mount Isa Inlier, has identified a previously unknown sedimentary basin beneath the Cretaceous Carpentaria/northern Eromanga Basins. Referred to as the Millungera Basin, it is suspected to be anywhere up to 540 million years old, or could be equivalent to the more younger fossil fuel-rich basins to the south-east.

Further investigations including drilling are anticipated to reveal more details of the basin's age and geological framework.

For more information contact:

Laurie Hutton
Telephone: +61 7 3362 9347

or Geological Survey of Queensland
Block A 80 Meiers Road Indooroopilly Qld 4068

or the Geological Information Hotline
at +61 7 3006 4666 (9.00am to 4.00pm EST on working days)

or email the Geological Information Hotline 

Last Updated 07 July 2009