The Western Australian Government has allocated an additional $5 million for the Exploration and Incentive Scheme (EIS) and $3.2 million for a new ion microprobe for Curtin University.
The investment, which forms part of the WA Recovery Plan, aims to boost exploration opportunities and provide next-generation geoscience information for Western Australia’s resources sector.
The EIS is managed by the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) and supports five high-level programs, including:
- Co-funded Innovative Drilling Program;
- Geophysical Surveys;
- 3D prospectivity mapping;
- Encouraging exploration through cover; and
- Promoting strategic research with industry.
The additional $5 million will increase funding for the EIS to $15 million in 2020-21 and will result in an extra $3 million being available across the next two co-funded drilling rounds.
The successful co-funded drilling program offers up to a 50 per cent refund for suitable innovative greenfield exploration drilling projects, capped at specific amounts.
Since 2017-18, the WA Government has invested $45 million to continue the EIS. The latest funding will accelerate the acquisition of airborne electromagnetic data from the southern half of the state, which is testing for the presence of critical battery minerals (such as nickel) and water.
Curtin University has a 27-year-old ion microprobe that previously provided valuable data about the timing of mineralising events, but it is no longer fully operational.
State funding of $3.2 million will enable Curtin to secure $5 million in Commonwealth funding to purchase a new CAMECA-1300 Ion Microprobe, which will be an Australian first and one of only five in the world.
In addition to its geoscience applications, the instrument will be used to support the Australian Space Agency’s interest in increasing Australian participation in international deep space sample return missions.
Premier Mark McGowan said the additional $5 million funding will invigorate the industry and allow more exploration companies to participate in the co-funded drilling program.
“The flow-on effect from this additional investment in exploration and technology will result in drilling companies deploying more rigs and workers, and lead to new resource discoveries.”
The news was welcomed by the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME).
CME Chief Executive Paul Everingham said the injection of $3 million of resourcing for the co-funded drilling program sent a really positive signal to the industry.
“Explorers across WA are focused on the resumption of their exploration programs to assist in the post-COVID economic recovery,” Mr Everingham said.
“The Western Australian mining industry recognises it is in a privileged position being able to continue to operate with the support of government, in comparison to our global competitor jurisdictions, which have been heavily impacted by COVID-19, including South America and Africa.”
“The EIS funding boost will drive further investment in exploration and allow more companies to receive support through the co-funded drilling program.”
“Ongoing, sustained investment in exploration is critical to the discovery of deposits and a pipeline of resource projects for the benefit of Western Australians,” he commented.
Chief Executive Officer of the AMEC, Warren Pearce, said the funding will enable better understanding of how Australia’s mineral deposits have been formed and will ultimately help the targeting and discovery of future mineral resources.
“Combined with the recent announcement of a $7 million expansion of the Kalgoorlie Core Library, these commitments are a substantial investment into the future development of the mineral exploration industry in Western Australia,” Mr Pearce said.
