The future for mineral exploration in southern Australia

Wednesday, 21 June 2006

The present state and future development of mineral exploration in southern Australia is the subject of a conference at the University of Adelaide this Friday, 23 June.

Representatives from the mining industry, government and research institutions will gather to discuss the latest advances and research in South Australia for finding new mineral deposits below the surface.

Conference organiser Dr Andreas Schmidt Mumm said that mineral exploration "through cover" was the new direction being taken.

"In the past most discoveries of mineral deposits have been made through studying rocks at the surface but regions with outcropping rock make up only a small portion of Australia," Dr Schmidt Mumm said. "We all face the big challenge now of discovering mineral deposits under cover of, for example, wind-blown sands and transported sediments or below deeply weathered rock. Developing and improving methods of exploration through this cover provides access for mineral resource development of large areas of South Australia."

This conference will showcase the collaborative research and cooperation between the minerals industry, the Department of Primary Industries and Resources of South Australia, the University of Adelaide and other research organisations like Cooperative Research Centre for Landscape Environments and Mineral Exploration to advance development of methods to explore the mineral resources of the future.

The conference opening address will be given by University of Adelaide's new Chair of the South Australian Centre for Mineral Exploration Under Cover, Professor David Giles.

The conference will be held in the Mawson Laboratories, University of Adelaide, 8.30am-5.30pm on Friday, 23 June, 2006.

Contact Details