1887
ASEG2012 - 22nd Geophysical Conference
  • ISSN: 2202-0586
  • E-ISSN:

Abstract

Summary

The Frome airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey is the largest of three regional AEM surveys flown under the 5-year Onshore Energy Security Program (OESP) by Geoscience Australia (GA). The aim of the survey is to reduce risk and stimulate exploration investment for uranium by providing reliable pre-competitive data. The Frome AEM survey was flown between 22 May and 2 November 2010, is approximately 95 450 km2 in area and collected 32 317 line km of new data at an average flying height of 100 m. The Frome AEM survey covers the Marree (pt), Callabonna (pt), Copley (pt), Frome (pt), Parachilna (pt), Curnamona, Olary and Chowilla (pt) 1:250 000 standard map sheets in South Australia and was flown largely at 2.5 km line spacing, with the northern portion flown at 5 km line spacing. GA partnered with, the Department of Primary Industries and Resources South Australia and an industry consortium.

The survey results indicate a depth of investigation (DOI - depth of reliable signal penetration) of up to 400 m in areas of thin cover and resistive basement (e.g., Adelaidean rocks in the Olary Ranges). In Cenozoic – Mesozoic sediments in the Frome Embayment and the Murray Basin the DOI is up to 100-150 m. A range of under-cover features are revealed, including (but not limited to): extensions to known palaeovalley networks in the Frome Embayment; the under-cover extent of the Benagerie Ridge; regional faults in the Frome Embayment and Murray Basin; folded and faulted Neoproterozoic rocks in the Adelaide Fold Belt; Cenozoic – Mesozoic stratigraphy in the Frome Embayment; neotectonic offsets in the Lake Eyre Basin; conductive Neoproterozoic rocks associated with coppergold mineralisation; and, coal-bearing structures in the Leigh Creek area, as well as groundwater features.

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/content/journals/10.1071/ASEG2012ab071
2012-12-01
2026-01-23
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References

  1. Brodie, R., 2010, Holistic Inversion of Airborne Electromagnetic Data: PhD thesis, Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra.
  2. Brodie, R. and Sambridge, M., 2006, A holistic approach to inversion of frequency domain airborne EM data: Geophysics, 71, G301-313.
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  5. Hutchinson, D.K., Brodie, R.C. and Costelloe, M.T., 2011, Frome Embayment TEMPEST™ AEM Survey: Inversion Report: Geoscience Australia, Canberra, GEOCAT #72589, 57 pp.
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  8. Wilson, T., Bosman, S., Heath, P., Gouthas, G., Cowley, W., Mauger, A., Gordon, G., Baker, A., Dhu, T., Fairclough, M., Delaney, G., Roach, I., Hutchinson, D. and Costelloe, M., 2011, What is in the data release for the Cariewerloo Basin: the potential for unconformity-related uranium mineralisation in South Australia: Unlocking SA’s mineral wealth technical forum, Adelaide, Primary Industries and Resources South Australia, 21-22.
/content/journals/10.1071/ASEG2012ab071
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): airborne electromagnetics; Frome Embayment; groundwater; Murray Basin; uranium
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