EGPR 1 Wyndham Extractives Pilot Project: review of geoscience data and implications for extractives resource identification.
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Product description:Executive Summary:The Wyndham Local Government Area (LGA) is a significant contributor of basalt extractives products to the Melbourne Supply Area (MSA). The Geological Survey of Victoria completed a review of geoscience information over a pre-defined area, that contains two existing basalt extractives operations in the southwest of the LGA. The objectives were to evaluate basalt extractive resource prospectivity and to determine the possibility of completing a basalt extractive resource estimate. The review concluded that there is insufficient scale-appropriate geoscience data to identify basalt resource potential and estimate basalt resources in the study area. Whilst the distribution of basalt is well constrained by geological mapping there are large uncertainties associated with the lack of any extractives industry resource estimates, reliable extractives operation production data, and extractives-specific borehole data. A larger scale investigation of regional basalt resource prospectivity, beyond the study area, was completed to understand the geological controls on basalt distribution. Lithological data from downhole logs were collated and interpolated to determine basalt flow thickness as a proxy for regional scale basalt prospectivity. Additional interpretation of remote sensing imagery (light detection and ranging data – LiDAR) was also undertaken to assess techniques that may help distinguish potential high-quality basalt material across the region. The results from the basalt flow thickness interpolation and geological interpretation indicate that basalt resource potential increases to the northwest of the study area. In that region a 100-metre-thick basalt sequence is preserved in a paleovalley – this suggests that basalt resource potential is greater outside the study area. This is further illustrated by the fact that 27 per cent of the study area is covered by current work authorities and expired extractive licences. A targeted program of geoscience data acquisition and interpretation would provide the necessary data to support extractive prospectivity analysis. Early scientific evidence-based decision making is key to defining areas of high extractives resource prospectivity. This highlights the need for geoscience data and interpretations to drive the methodology for identification of areas that may be of strategic importance in terms of future extractive resources. Future work to constrain the areas of high basalt prospectivity should involve new generation geological mapping and ground geophysical surveys to determine how best to assess potential basalt resource quality, and to predict basalt flow and overburden thicknesses. Follow-up reconnaissance-style drilling would confirm basalt lithological characteristics and provide samples for mineralogical, geochemical, and physical testwork. Bibliographic Reference: Duncan, R.J., Say, M.M., Keeling, S.M., Taylor, D.H., Cairns, C.P. & Skladzien, P.B., 2019. Wyndham Extractives Pilot Project: review of geoscience data and implications for hard rock (basalt) extractives resource identification. Geological Survey of Victoria Extractives Geoscience Project Report 1. Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions. Download: The downloadable version of this report is supplied in PDF (15.6 MB). Related products:
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