the minerals industry in australia - why and how...
TRANSCRIPT
The Roadmap for Exploration Undercover
The minerals industry in Australia - why and how
UNCOVER?Robbie Rowe
Consultant to AMIRA INTERNATIONAL01 December 2016
2 Delivering solutions through collaboration2 Delivering solutions through collaboration
•Collaboration, Vision and Resilience
Impact comes from Leadership
Source: http://manage-this.com/colin-powell-on-leadership/
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•Australia’s endowment & exploration performance
•UNCOVER
•Setting the challenge & providing leadership
•Engagement for a Roadmap
•Delivering results and setting priorities – Stage 1
• Implementation plan – Stage 2
•Roadmap impact
•Summary
Overview
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National Endowment Position
Outcrop & Shallow Basement <100m
Basement depth 100 to 500m
Basement depth 500 to 1000m
Basement depth >1000m
INDICATIVE DEPTH OF COVER
Sources: MinEx Consulting © September 2015Geoscience Australia
Note: Excludes Bulk Minerals (such as Bauxite, Coal, and Iron Ore
Bubble-size refers to size of deposit“Moderate” >100koz Au, >10kt Ni, >100Kt Cu equiv, 250kt Zn+Pb, >5kt U3O8
“Major” >1Moz Au, >100kt Ni, >1Mt Cu equiv, 2.5Mt Zn+Pb, >25kt U3O8
“Giant” >6Moz Au, >1Mt Ni, >5Mt Cu equiv, 12Mt Zn+Pb, >125kt U3O8
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Exploration performance - New discoveries
Nu
mb
er
of
NEW
Dis
cove
ries
Long term divergence1. Slowly maturing search
space for new Giant and Major discoveries
2. Strong relationship between expenditure and Moderate discoveries – move to Brownfields exploration
Total Expenditures (June 2015 A$B)
Note: Excludes Bulk Minerals (such as Bauxite, Coal, and Iron Ore
Bubble-size refers to size of deposit“Moderate” >100koz Au, >10kt Ni, >100Kt Cu equiv, 250kt Zn+Pb, >5kt U3O8
“Major” >1Moz Au, >100kt Ni, >1Mt Cu equiv, 2.5Mt Zn+Pb, >25kt U3O8
“Giant” >6Moz Au, >1Mt Ni, >5Mt Cu equiv, 12Mt Zn+Pb, >125kt U3O8
Sources: MinEx Consulting © September 2015
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•Some of Endowment is
under post mineral cover
•Demonstrates potential
extends into this Search
Space
•Economic Search space?
‘Top’ - base of cover
‘Bottom’ mining limit
Why Under Cover ?
Sources: MinEx Consulting © September 2015Geoscience Australia
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•Established as a result of Theo Murphy Think
Tank in 2010 convened by the Australian
Academy of Science
•Delivered UNCOVER
Unfunded umbrella initiative
Assist develop a national scientific research
strategy
Integrate existing and new data and research into
a national approach
Stimulate collaborative partnerships
UNCOVER
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UNCOVER objectives
•Primary Objective
Improve Exploration Performance under
post mineralisation cover
•Meeting Objective
1. To focus the 3 main stakeholder groups;
Collectively identify, agree and prioritize COMMON
technical scientific challenges
Collectively identify and prioritize critical data
requirements
2. Develop coordinated, highly focused and
integrated solution options
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• Theme 1. Characterising the cover: New knowledge to
confidently explore beneath the cover
• Theme 2. Investigating Australia’s lithospheric architecture:
A whole-of-lithosphere architectural framework for mineral
systems exploration
• Theme 3. Resolving the 4D geodynamic and metallogenic
evolution of Australia: Understanding ore deposit origins for
better prediction
• Theme 4. Characterising and detecting the distal footprints
of ore deposits: Towards a toolkit for minerals exploration
UNCOVER themes
http://www.uncoverminerals.org.au/
Four broad themes emerged using a Mineral Systems approach;
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•Provided fundamental
framework and
mechanism for;
New Science Research
New Technologies
New Data
So Why UNCOVER?
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Challenge ‘How’
Challenge is how to turn scientific research “Vision and Ideas”
into action to produce tangible results that exploration can use
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•UNCOVER – Stimulated a Industry,
Government & Researcher summit in
April 2014
•Roadmap idea seeded
Seeding solutions
http://www.uncoverminerals.org.au/
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Why AMIRA ?
•Roadmap
A Science and Technology Roadmap is a strategic plan
that contains a focused, goal-based R&D agenda that
can be pursued by both individual companies and
collaborative partnerships within an industry
Not a static position, requires updating
•Examples of Roadmaps with AMIRA involvement;
Alumina Roadmap 2001
Copper Roadmap 2003
Drilling Roadmap 2006
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P1162 Roadmap - Stage 1
• Stimulate industry to agree and
articulate critical needs;
Identify and prioritize knowledge research
and technology development
Identify and prioritize key input data and
delivery platforms
Ensure integrated research and
technology projects complimented by
data compilation and new acquisition
programs are focused on increasing
performance
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P1162 Roadmap - Unlocking Australia’s Hidden Potential
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Mining &
Exploration
Companies
Industry
Advocacy Group
Geological
Survey
Organisations
METS
OrganisationsTotals
Invited 151 6 8 22 187
Supported 22 2 7 3 34
Sponsor Base 65% 6% 21% 9%
P1162 Roadmap - Stage 1 – Engaging support
•Prospectus released - May 2014
•Funded - August 2014
•Roadmap activity commenced September 2014
•Report released July 2015
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P1162 Roadmap - Stage 1 - Sponsors
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P1162 Roadmap - Stage 1
•Roadmap Stage 1
Participants - Industry, Government and Researchers
Open to all industry not AMIRA member specific
Public document, available from AMIRA
Endorsed by UNCOVER
Built and value added on work initiated by UNCOVER
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•Results Summary
• Vision and Mission developed as guiding principles
• Articulated that scale reduction steps as core driver in exploration process
• Provided granularity - 45 sub-themes
• Linked and mapped UNCOVER themes to scale reduction steps
• Separated and prioritised sub-themes into 4 output activities
• First pass time-mapping of activities
• Highlighted complex and interdependent nature of all output activities through dependency mapping
Roadmap – Stage 1 results
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Roadmap - Vision
Photo - Moon Plain, Stuart Shelf, SA (photo taken by S Hill, GSSA)
•Delivering Australia’s major new mines by locating and
unlocking future mineral wealth, positioning Australia as the
global leader in exploration beneath post-mineral cover rocks
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Scale - Terrane to Regional Regional to Camp Camp to Deposit
Objective New Area Selection Locate & Evaluate Mineral Systems Realise Economic Potential
Process Prediction > Detection Prediction ≡ Detection Detection > Prediction
Goals 1. We must be able to
recognize terrane scale fertility
under cover
2. We must be able to map
whole lithospheric terrane
scale architecture from mantle
to surface under cover
3. We must be able to predict
spatial distribution of Mineral
Systems under cover
4. We must be able to detect and
locate Camp - Deposit levels of
Mineral Systems within the
economic search space under
cover
5. We must be able to evaluate
and map size, strength and
geospatial level within Mineral
Systems to predict potential
economic endowment under
cover
6. We must be able to confidently
vector to depositional sites within
upper levels of Mineral Systems to
economic ore
7. We must be able to establish as
early as possible (and with the
least expenditure) the potential
size, orientation, average grade,
style and metallurgy of
mineralisation, to enable
preliminary judgment on economic
potential
Scale dependent goals for moving undercover
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Roadmap – Stage 1 results - Theme expansion - Example
1.
Ch
arac
teri
sin
g th
e c
ove
r:
New
kno
wle
dge
and
to
ols
to c
on
fid
entl
y ex
plo
re
be
ne
ath
th
e co
ver
1.1Understand type age, depth of cover. Compile and produce 3D Geological & Paleosurface Maps & Layers
1.2Improve data integration, compilation, migration and visualization via machine learning / data analytics
1.3 Understand use of chemistry of groundwater in mineral exploration
1.4Analysis of Hydrogeochem datasets to inform Minimum Appropriate Data MAD spacing for hydrogeochem baseline characterisation
1.5Business case into benefits of collaborating and sharing of confidential Petrophysics data Gov Academia & Industry
1.6Compilation and acquisition of current petrophysical property data. All lithology's - cover and basement
1.7Improve and refine understanding of geochemical dispersion in post mineralisation cover sequences
1.8Depth-to-basement and cover-characteristics, imaging from new targeted airborne National (20km) EM surveys.
1.9New generation automated combined joint (Geology, Geophys, Geochem) modelling and inversion software
1.10Targeted and prioritized cover / paleosurface horizons and basement re-sampling and new sampling via Onshore Stratigraphic Drilling Initiative
1.11 Development to proof of concept next generation deep penetrating geophysical technologies
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Theme & Scale dependency matrix
Lithospheric Architecture and
Geodynamic Evolution &
Metallogenesis map Terrane
to Regional scale reduction
step
Cover, Distal Footprints and
Risk Reward for Economic
Resources map Regional to
Camp scale reduction step
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Roadmap results - Priority 1 - 8
Roadmap
RankingTheme and program
Activity
Type
1 Understand type, age & depth of cover R, DC
2 Characterise distal mineral system footprint signatures R, DC
3 Improve understanding of mineral systems R
4 Build 3D architecture of Australian lithosphere R, DC
5Depth-to-basement -imaging from new airborne National AEM
surveysDC, DA
6 Acceleration of national AusLamp long period MT DA
7 Geochemical dispersion in post mineralisation cover sequences R, DC
8 Acquire approximately ~4km grid of gravity over continent DA
R- Research, T- Technology DC - Data Compilation, DA Data Acquisition
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•Step 1 – Time dependency mapping
Map dependencies of sub-theme activities within each focus themes
against time 0-15 years
•Step 2 – Program output dependency mapping
Map each sub theme dependencies across focus themes
Roadmap – Stage 1 results - Dependency mapping
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•Step 1 - Map dependencies within focus themes against time
•Step 2 - Map dependencies across focus themes
Dependency Mapping
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Dependency Mapping - Results
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Dependency Mapping - Results
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•Stage 1 delivered;
Granularity, first pass timeframes, end user priorities for knowledge,
technology and data
•Next steps
Verified an implementation plan was required to complete Roadmap
Verified stakeholder support
Progressed Stage 2 proposal
Research community demonstrated leadership at committing to
contribute to sponsoring the Stage 2
Roadmap - Way forward – Stage 2
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P1162 Roadmap - Unlocking Australia’s Hidden Potential
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Stage 2 P1162A – Implementation plan
•Sponsors & Participants - Industry,
Government and Researchers
•Endorsed by UNCOVER
•Commenced May 2016
•Wider ‘non-sponsor’ participation
engagement
•Public document to be delivered Q1 2017
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P1162 Roadmap - Stage 2 – Current Sponsors
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Funding Options
Infrastructure Options
Program DesignCurrent State Scan & Gap
Analysis
P1162A Stage 2 Program
Sequential Methodical Program
Workshop #1
Workshop #2
1 on 1 Stakeholder engagement
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•UNCOVER & Roadmap
Stage 1 already
impacting;
Data acquisition
Research initiatives
Education and training
UNCOVER & Roadmap IMPACTING now
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•Potential to set the agenda for new geoscience by delivering;
New geoscience knowledge
New geoscience data
New exploration technologies
•Potential catalyst for changing;
How and where geoscience research is done
How geoscience research is funded
What geoscience data is required for discovery
Targeting science for mineral discovery
Changing behaviours in how and where we explore
UNCOVER & Roadmap LEADING for future IMPACT
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• Increased stakeholder cross-sector interaction and collaboration
• ALL sectors better informed of previous, current and planned activity
•Clear priorities identified – industry ‘scale reduction’ driving research,
technology and data requirements
• Articulated the requirement for real planning of sustainable geoscience
education, training and research for future capacity
•Complexity challenge highlighted. Required need for a truly integrated
research, technology and data program
• Already impacting research initiatives and data acquisition
•Continued Leadership will ensure coordination and implementation
Summary
The Roadmap for Exploration Undercover
The minerals industry in Australia - why and how
UNCOVER?Robbie Rowe
Consultant to AMIRA INTERNATIONAL01 December 2016