The Queensland government has launched an airborne mapping project across North-West Queensland, investing up to AU$4 million to unlock the state’s critical minerals potential.
Spanning 40,000 kilometres north of Mount Isa, the initiative is Australia’s largest high-resolution regional Airborne Gravity Gradiometry (AGG) survey.
A low-flying Cessna aircraft will traverse the region just 100 metres above the ground, collecting precise geophysical data to map the geology beneath the surface and identify prime exploration zones.
Delivered in partnership with Geoscience Australia, the project is designed to revive investor confidence. The data will eventually be made publicly available to stimulate new exploration and investment decisions.
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last stated the survey underscores Queensland’s commitment to advancing a sector that boasts 51 of the world’s most sought-after critical minerals.
“The high-resolution survey is the first of this scale in Australia and will provide valuable data to guide new exploration and mining opportunities across North-West Queensland,” Last said.
“Queensland is home to 51 of the world’s most sought-after critical minerals and the Crisafulli government continues to deliver practical improvements to the sector to remove barriers for explorers and new development.”
He added that the government is focused on providing a stable operating environment, complemented by projects like the Queensland Resources Common User Facility to accelerate development.
The aerial survey follows the introduction of new legislation aimed at streamlining regulatory pathways and fast-tracking resource projects.
Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) CEO Warren Pearce welcomed the announcement, noting that high-quality, pre-competitive geoscience data is essential for the industry.
“By providing a reliable baseline, it allows explorers to focus their investment where it matters most, reducing duplication, lowering upfront costs, and accelerating discovery,” Pearce said.
“Making this data publicly available levels the playing field for explorers of all sizes, encourages competition and innovation, and ensures smarter, lower-impact exploration across Queensland.
“It’s a critical step in building a sustainable and responsible resources sector.”
