AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Australian sources of iron

Australia, from its known resources, cannot be regarded as being as well endowed with deposits of high-grade iron ore as are America, Europe and Asia. Australian iron ore resources consist of about 400 million tons of demonstrated reserves, about 200 million tons of inferred reserves, about 150 million tons of indicated and inferred marginal resources (of which about 130 million tons are inferred), and a comparatively large tonnage of latent resources (2,000 - 37000 million tons). The current annual rate of consumption is about 4 million tons, but this could conceivably rise to 9 million tons by 1970. Demonstrated reserves are sufficient for 30-40 years on the basis of the higher annual rate of consumption. Marginal and latent resources are potential ores only and may never become an economic source of iron. Iron ores are widely distributed throughout Australia and its Territories, but the bulk of production has come from the Middleback Ranges near Whyalla in South Australia, and Yampi Sound in Western Australia. Small production has come from other deposits including current production from Koolyanobbing, Western Austra

Tags: AU, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record, commodities
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Hydrochemistry of a groundwater-seawater mixing zone, Nauru Island, central Pacific Ocean

Nauru Island is a karstified dolomitic limestone island in the central Pacific Ocean. A thin, discontinuous freshwater layer overlies a thick brackish water mixing zone. In the mixing zone, groundwater salinity increases gradationally downwards until seawater is encountered at about 70 m below sea level.  Fresh HC03-Ca-Mg groundwaters evolve to seawater. Saturation indices for particular carbonate minerals increase with increased groundwater salinity. Supersaturation is achieved with dolomite at 300 mg/L total dissolved solids, with calcite at 5000 mg/L, and with aragonite at 6000 mg/L. As groundwaters in the mixing zone are saturated with dolomite there is potential for dolomitisation, and this probably occurs at low proportions of admixed seawater. Open and closed system trends can be defined, based on the partial pressure of CO2 , The open system, with lower partial pressure, comprises vadose waters, cave waters and the more saline mixing zone waters; in the latter, chemical evolution is controlled mainly by mixing with seawater. The closed system comprises the freshwater layer with low proportions of admixed seawater; its chemistry is controlled by ingassing of CO2 and by dissolution and precipitation reactions.  Theoretical calculations based on simple mixing between karst groundwaters and seawater are inadequate to describe actual chemical processes, which change with the degree of mixing.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Journal, Published_External, marine
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Marine benthic communities in the Early Carboniferous of New South Wales (Visean-Delepinea aspinosa Zone)

The Delepinea aspinosa brachiopod Zone comprises two subzones: the Inflatia elegans and Linoprotonia tenuirugosa Subzones. Multivariate (cluster) analysis is used to identify benthic marine fossil communities (recurrent species associations) in samples collected from all known fossiliferous intervals of these subzones in the study area. The Euclidean distance coefficient, a weighted-pair grouping method, and a standardised data set are used to form dendrographic clusters inferred to represent recurrent species associations (communities). The results parallel those from faunas of the succeeding Rhipidomella fortimuscula Zone, i.e. several communities are evident and some species are numerically significant in more than one community.  The communities of each subzone appear to intergrade rather than form rigid, depth-limited assemblages.  Faunas of the I. elegans Subzone cluster into four communities, including the Unispirifer striatoconvolutus community, present in substrates near or below wave-base on a marine shelf. The I. elegans community is closest in species composition to the U. striatoconvolutus community, but does not occupy the same geographic range; it may be a precursor community. Two other communities, the Rhipidomella australis and Leptagonia analoga communities, overlap in range with the first two communities and are inferred to have occurred in a mid-shelf setting.  Faunas of the subsequent faunal assemblage, the Linoprotonia tenuirugosa Subzone, are present on marine shelf substrates influenced by an actively prograding shoreline.  The Rhipidomella australis community persisted into this subzone with a modified species composition. The Rugosochonetes careyi community is a new element.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Journal, NSW, Published_External, QLD, marine
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
A Geochemical Overview of Some Gippsland Basin Hydrocarbon Accumulations

In the 50 years since the first commercial discovery in 1965 at Barracouta-1, and 46 years since production commenced from the Barracouta field, a total of 16.5 TCF of gas, 4026 MMbbl of oil, 385 MMbbl of condensate and 752 MMbbl of LPG have been found in the Gippsland Basin (Estimated Ultimate Recovery, as at the end of 2012). Despite these extensive resources, all from CretaceousPaleogene Latrobe Group reservoirs, there are questions regarding the effective petroleum systems, contributing source rock units, and the migration pathways between source and reservoir. Resolution of these uncertainties is essential to improve our understanding of the remaining prospectivity and for creating new exploration opportunities, particularly in the eastern, less explored part of the basin, but also for mitigating risk for the potential sequestration of carbon dioxide along the southern and western flanks.
Geochemical fingerprinting of reservoir fluids has identified that the oil and gas originate from multiple sources. The most pervasive hydrocarbon charge into the largely produced fields overlying the Central Deep has a terrestrial source affinity, originating from lower coastal plain facies (Kingfish, Halibut, Mackerel), yet the oils cannot be correlated using source-related biomarker parameters to source rocks either within the Halibut Subgroup (F. longus biozone) at Volador-1, one of the deepest penetrations of the Upper Cretaceous section, or to older sections, penetrated on the flanks of the basin. However, within the underlying SantonianCampanian Golden Beach Subgroup an oil-source correlation has been established between the Anemone-1A oil and the marginal marine Anemone Formation (N. senectus biozone) at Anemone-1/1A and Archer-1. A similar correlation is indicated for the Angler-1 condensate to the Chimaera Formation (T. lilliei biozone) in the deepest section at Volador-1 and Hermes-1. In the Longtom field, gas reservoired within the Turonian Emperor Subgroup, potentially has a source from either the lacustrine Kipper Shale or the Albian portion of the Strzelecki Group. The molecular and carbon isotopic signatures of oil and gas from the onshore Wombat field are most similar to hydrocarbons sourced from the AptianAlbian Eumeralla Formation in the Otway Basin, also implicating a Strzelecki source in the Gippsland Basin. These results imply that sediments older than the Paleocene are significant sources of petroleum within the basin.

Presented at the the AAPG/SEG 2015 International Conference &amp; Exhibition set in Melbourne

Tags: CCS Gippsland, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), Exploration Geochemistry, Gippsland Basin, Green House Gas (GHG) assessment permits 2015, Isotope Geochemistry, Organic Geochemistry, Petroleum geochemistry, Published_External, biomarkers, crude oils, laboratory analyses, molecular composition, sediment-hosted energy resources, sediment-hosted resources, source rocks, stable isotopes
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Geological Framework of the Southern Lord Howe Rise/West Norfolk Ridge Region : Project 121.30 : Post Cruise Report

Project 121.30 - "Lord Howe Rise and Norfolk Ridge 'Law of Sea' Study" -was initiatedto improve our understanding of the geological framework of the southern part of theLord Howe Rise region, in the vicinity of the Australia/New Zealand seabed boundary zone.

The major objectives of the project are:
To investigate the structure, stratigraphy and basin development of the southern LordHowe Rise, southern New Caledonia Basin and the West Norfolk Ridge.

To assess the resource potential of the major structural features within the region.

To determine the tectonic framework, crustal characteristics and evolution of the region, and attempt to understand the processes that have produced narrow strips of thinned and extended continental lithosphere ("ribbon continents") separated bynarrow ocean basins.

To acquire data to assist with the definition of Australia's 'legal' Continental Shelf on the southwestern margin of the Lord Howe Rise.

Because of the presence of Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, Australia has laid claim to a large part of the seabed in the region, enveloped by a 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around each island, plus areas of 'legal' ContinentalShelf beyond the EEZ. The total area of Australia's 'legal' Continental Shelf in the Lord Howe Rise region would be about 1.65 million km2. While the seabed boundary in the northern part of the region has been negotiated between Australia and France, there is not, as yet, a negotiated boundary between Australia and New Zealand in the southernLord Howe Rise/West Norfolk Ridge region.

The proposal for Survey 114 was to acquire approximately 3250 km of multichannelseismic and associated geophysical data. The data was acquired mainly on longregional lines, two of which extended from the Tasman Basin to the Norfolk Basin, using a 3000 m streamer (120 x 25 m groups), 49 litre sleeve gun arrays, 16 secondrecords, and 30-fold coverage.

The ship departed Sydney at 2000 hrs on Friday, 6 November 1992, and, after transitingthrough rough seas, arrived in the study area on the evening of 9 November. The cablewas deployed and balanced by midnight, 10 November. The next twenty one days wasspent shooting deep crustal (16 sec.) seismic . During this period a total of 3191 km ofseismic was shot, over 70% with two gun arrays operating. This was achieved in spiteof 3.5 days loss as a result of bad weather and 20 hours loss for cable repairs as a resultof fish bites. Seismic acquisition ceased on the afternoon of 1 December. The shipreturned to Sydney at 1730 hrs on Thursday, 3 December.

Overall, the quality of the seismic data was very good. When shooting the two verylong lines, the weather remained reasonably calm, and so noise levels were withinspecifications.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record, geology, marine, marine survey, seismics
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Mount Isa area airborne radiometric survey, Queensland 1959

During the months April to July 1959, an Auster aircraft of the Bureau of Mineral Resources carried out a low level radiometric survey of the Mount Isa region in North Queensland. 1920 square miles were surveyed and 14 radiometric anomalies were recorded. At least three of these anomalies coincide with known occurrences of uranium mineralisation.

Tags: AU-QLD, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record, gamma spectroscopy, geophysics
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Some examples of self-potential surveys

The mechanism by which ore-bodies generate electric potentials is imperfectly understood. This Record gives several examples of the results of self potential surveys in Australia; some of the results are consistent with existing theory, but others are not. It is shown that striking variations in both amplitude and form of self-potential anomalies can occur during the wet season in northern Australia.

Tags: AU-NT, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Benthic Chambers Nutrient Fluxes and the Biogeochemistry of the Seafloor of Port Phillip Bay 1995 and 1996

Benthic flux studies conducted from February 1995 to January 1996 focused on 
(1) spatial and temporal consistency in benthic fluxes at key sites in Port Phillip Bay 
(2) benthic chamber calibration 
(3) bio-irrigation  measurements 
(4) direct measurements of N2 for independent assessments of denitrification rates and efficiencies at key sites.  

The most important results of the study are:
1)  The general pattern in nutrient fluxes observed in 1994, is repeated in the 1995 data.
2)  The flux data show no sensitivity toward paddle stir rate indicating that benthic processes are insensitive to diffusive boundary layer thickness over a scale factor of two.
3)  The measured N:C flux ratios for the February 1995 study, was always less than the predicted value and the missing N is interpreted to be the result of  denitrification.  Direct measurements by Gas Chromatography (GC) of N2 fluxes generally supported this conclusion.
4)  Added nitrate was advected into the sediments.  Only the naturally formed nitrate was denitrified, suggesting that there are microbial microniches in which organic carbon oxidation, ammonification, nitrification and denitrification occurs simultaneously.
5)  The mass spectrometric measurements of N2 during January/December 1996 proved beyond doubt that denitrification occurs in the sediments of Port Phillip Bay.
6)  There was a significant seasonal effect in the denitrification efficiencies (measured) at site 16 (Yarra Estuary) but seasonal effects on denitrification efficiencies in the central sediments (Site 37) were marginal.
7)  Denitrifying efficiencies were consistently high in the central basin sediments.

Tags: AU-VIC, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record, marine, marine survey
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Explanatory notes, Julia Creek Sheet, Queensland (BMR Explan Notes and map)

The Great Artesian Basin Party of the Bureau of Mineral Resources mapped the Julia Creek Sheet in 1961 as part of a programme of regional mapping covering the margins of the Eromanga Sub-Basin in Western Queensland. The Julia Creek area forms the western and northern margins of the Eromanga Sub-Basin, where it is mainly composed of Cretaceous rocks overlying a shallow, crystalline basement. Small outcrops of Precambrian granite and metamorphics occur in the south-west. Thin veneers of Cainozoic sand and gravel, and recent alluvium mask large areas of the Cretaceous rocks.

Tags: AU-QLD, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record, geology
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
5028 Block 3 (Northwest) Grid of uranium ground concentration with NASVD and standard reductions applied

The radiometric, or gamma-ray spectrometric method, measures the natural variations in the gamma-rays detected near the Earth's surface as the result of the natural radioactive decay of potassium (K), uranium (U) and thorium (Th). The data collected are processed via standard methods to ensure the response recorded is that due only to the rocks in the ground. The results produce datasets that can be interpreted to reveal the geological structure of the sub-surface. The processed data is checked for quality by GA geophysicists to ensure that the final data released by GA are fit-for-purpose.
This radiometric uranium grid has a cell size of  degrees (approximately 20m) and shows uranium element concentration of the Narryer in units of parts per million (or ppm). The data used to produce this grid was acquired in 2024 by the WA Government, and consisted of 415090 line-kilometres of data at 100m line spacing and 50m terrain clearance.

Tags: Australia, EARTH SCIENCES, Earth sciences, GADDS2.0, NASVD, NCI, Published_External, U, WA, airborne digital data, gamma-ray, geophysical survey, geophysics, grid, rad, radiometrics, raster, spectrometry, survey 5028, uranium
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
The Proterozoic and Palaeozoic rocks of The Granites-Tanami region, Western Australia and Northern Territory, and interregional correlations

The Granites-Tanami region links the mainly Proterozoic areas of northwestern and central Australia. It is made up of two main tectonic units: The Granites-Tanami Block, which consists of metasediments and metavolcanics of the Lower Proterozoic Tanami Complex, younger Lower Proterozoic sedimentary and acid volcanic rocks, and 1820-1710 m.y. old granites; and the Birrindudu Basin, which contains the mainly clastic sedimentary rocks of the Carpentarian Birrindudu Group, dated at about 1560 m.y., and the Adelaidean Redcliff Pound Group, which was probably deposited less than 1000 m.y. ago, and their possible stratigraphic equivalents. The Proterozoic rocks are overlain by Early Cambrian Antrim Plateau Volcanics and younger Palaeozoic non-marine sediments. Five major phases of tectonic activity, ranging in age from Lower Proterozoic (1960 m.y.) to early Carboniferous (Alice Springs Orogeny), can be recognised. The Proterozoic and Palaeozoic rocks are correlated with similar rocks in the Kimberley region to the northwest, the Victoria River region to the north, the Arunta Block and Amadeus Basin to the south, the Tennant Creek region to the east, and the Canning Basin to the west. The best substantiated correlations are the Tanami Complex with the Halls Creek Group of the Kimberley region, and the Redcliff Pound Group with the Heavitree Quartzite and Bitter Springs Formation of the Amadeus Basin. The latter correlation indicates that when these units were deposited the Birrindudu and Amadeus Basins were interconnected.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Journal, NT, Published_External, WA
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
SI 1031 Cape Leeuwin, WA (HIPP) Bathymetry Acquisition (20220015S)

The Cape Leeuwin bathymetry survey was acquired for the Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO) onboard the MV Mermaid Searcher during the period 5 Dec 2022 – 4 Apr 2023. This was a contracted survey conducted for the Australian Hydrographic Office by MMA Offshore as part of the Hydroscheme Industry Partnership Program. The survey area encompases an area in Cape Leeuwin, WA. Bathymetry data was acquired using a  Kongsberg EM2040P, and processed using  CARIS HIPS and SIPS processing software. The dataset was then exported as a 30m resolution, 32 bit floating point GeoTIFF grid of the survey area.

This dataset is not to be used for navigational purposes.

Tags: AusSeabed, EARTH SCIENCES, Earth Science | Oceans | Bathymetry/Seafloor Topography | Bathymetry, HVC_144641, Oceans, Published_External, bathymetric grids, bathymetry, multibeam
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
New Exploration Opportunities in the Offshore Northern Perth Basin

Release Area W11-18 is a very large block over the offshore northern Perth Basin, covering parts of the Abrolhos, Houtman and Vlaming sub-basins and the Beagle and Turtle Dove ridges. Geoscience Australia (GA) has assessed the petroleum prospectivity of this area as part of the Australian Government's Offshore Energy Security Program. This assessment includes the first published synthesis of data from fourteen new field wildcat wells drilled in this part of the basin since the Cliff Head-1 discovery (2001), and the interpretation of new regional 2D seismic data acquired during GA survey 310 (2008-2009). A refined tectono-stratigraphic model for the offshore basin provides insights into basin evolution and prospectivity. 

Oil has been produced since 2006 from the Cliff Head oil field in WA-31-L, which is directly adjacent to Release Area W11-18. Three petroleum discoveries are included within the Release Area, with oil and gas in Dunsborough-1, and gas in Frankland-1 and Perseverance-1. These accumulations are reservoired in Permian sandstones and have primarily been sourced from the Hovea Member of the Kockatea Shale, which has also sourced the majority of producing oil and gas fields of the onshore Perth Basin. 

New seismic data show Permo-Triassic strata that are stratigraphic equivalents of the productive onshore and nearshore Perth Basin petroleum system, also occur within Permian half-graben in the outer Abrolhos and Houtman sub-basins. Source rock, oil stain and fluid inclusion sampling from this interval suggest that the proven onshore-nearshore petroleum system is also effective and widespread in the offshore. There is also evidence for an active Jurassic petroleum system within the Release Area. The Release Area offers a range of plays in a variety of water depths, predominantly less than 200 m, and is highly prospective for oil and gas.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Report, marine, petroleum potential
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Sydney Harbour Sediment Sampling Results: Cooperative Research Centre for Coastal Zone, Estuary and Waterway - Management (Coastal CRC) - Coastal Water Habitat Mapping Project Milestone Report CG1-03 for the Coastal Geomorphology and Classification Subproject

This Milestone Report documents the results of the analysis of sediment samples collected during the survey of Sydney Harbour in August, 2003. The samples were collected by Geoscience Australia (GA) and Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). The sediment sampling programme was undertaken as part of the coastal geomorphology and classification sub-project of the Coastal CRC - Coastal Water Habitat Mapping Project. Samples were collected to assess the physical character of the sediments and map their
distribution for comparison with the geomorphology of the estuary floor using new and existing swath bathymetry data.

The analysis of the sediment samples will be used to groundtruth the areas surveyed with the Coastal CRC's Reson SeaBat 8125 multibeam sonar mapping system. Approximately one third of the targeted area was covered by the Seabat 8125 in the first survey, due to problems with the survey boat. The remaining area will be surveyed in the second Sydney Harbour survey, which is planned for September/October 2004. The sediment data will be used to assess how the physical properties of the benthos vary spatially and how they influence acoustic backscatter waveforms to classify benthic habitats. The study builds upon the existing knowledge of the geomorphology of the seabed in Sydney Harbour.

The report also discusses issues of interpretation and equipment selection for the toolkit as well as other completed work.

Tags: AU-NSW, Earth Sciences, External Publication, Published_External, Report, coasts, marine, sedimentology
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data