Geoscience Australia's Australian Offshore Mineral Locations map shows mineral occurrences and deposits within Australia's 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf. The map draws together data from published and unpublished marine research surveys and government records, covering minerals like manganese nodules, heavy mineral sand, phosphorites, diamonds, tin, copper, gold, and coal. It is the result of a collaborative project between Geoscience Australia, CSIRO's Wealth from Oceans Flagship, and State and Northern Territory Geological Surveys.
Use Cases
- Analyze mineral prospectivity in Australia's offshore frontier based on mapped mineral occurrences.
- Integrate mineral location data with other marine spatial layers for planning purposes using the Australian Marine Spatial Information System (AMSIS).
- Study the contextual setting of specific mineral deposits, such as manganese crusts on the East Tasman Plateau.
- Identify potential areas for marine mineral exploration and recovery based on bathymetry and mineralisation types.
Strengths
- The map covers a marine jurisdiction of 14.4 million square kilometers, greater than Australia's land area.
- It integrates data from multiple sources, including federal and state government records and marine research surveys.
- The map includes bathymetry data showing the variable physiography of the seafloor.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- The data is from August 2006; freshness should be verified.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- Geoscience Australia, CSIRO's Wealth from Oceans Flagship, Division of Exploration and Mining, and State and Northern Territory Geological Surveys.
- Collection Method
- Data compiled from published and unpublished marine research surveys and federal and state government records.
- Time Range
- August 2006
- Geography
- Australia's 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf.