Four reports released this week outline the progress of a package of emerging drilling and sensing technologies within the Mineral Exploration Cooperative Research Centre (MinEx CRC) research portfolio, supported by Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA) to address the key challenges of minerals exploration in Western Australia.
“The contribution of the minerals industry to the Australian economy has been based on the exploration of only around 30 per cent of the Australian continent,” said MinEx CRC CEO Andrew Bailey.
“The remaining 70 per cent is hidden by flat-lying layers of mud, silt, sand and dunes, which have proven to be an effective barrier to mineral exploration.”
“These hidden rocks could have the potential to deliver the next generation of mineral deposits, including the minerals critical to our transition to a low-carbon economy.
“Finding and developing these deposits will require us to think differently and invest in new technology.”
MinEx CRC is tackling these challenges by reducing the cost and improving the effectiveness of drilling to reach these covered targets, and by developing active sensing methods (based on geochemistry, geophysics, petrophysics, and even drilling performance) supporting rapid exploration decision-making.
Research continues within the MinEx CRC to further develop and commercialise these technologies for the benefit of Australian mining and related industries.
In releasing the reports, MRIWA CEO Nicole Roocke said “The MRIWA-supported work being led by the MinEx CRC is developing new knowledge that could be instrumental in delivering significant new mineral discoveries in Western Australia.”
“By supporting the work of the CRC, the Western Australian government is supporting the exploration industry developing the tools it needs to succeed.”
The individual MRIWA reports released this week can be downloaded here:
509a Coiled Tubing Drilling for Definition of Mineral Deposits: MinEx CRC Project 2 – Phase 1
509b Petrophysics for Mineral Discovery during Drilling: MinEx CRC Project 4 – Phase 1
509c Seismic in the Drilling Workflow: MinEx CRC Project 5 – Phase 1
509d Centrifuge Optimisation for Fluid Management in Coiled Tubing Drilling: MinEx CRC Project 20.1
