Australian Sediment Mineralogy and Cation Exchange Capacity Data

1,314 top outlet sediment samples from the National Geochemical Survey of Australia have been analyzed for bulk mineralogy, clay speciation, and cation exchange capacity. Geoscience Australia released this data in 2026 as part of the ADARER project to support rare earth element research. The dataset includes quantitative mineral identification, clay fraction analysis, and physico-chemical property measurements.

Use Cases

• Model rare earth element (REE) potential using bulk quantitative mineralogy and clay species data as predictive features.
• Analyze weathering intensity and source lithology by correlating clay mineral identification results with sample locations.
• Assess soil physico-chemical properties for environmental studies by examining cation exchange capacity (CEC) results.
• Validate remote sensing or geophysical surveys with ground-truth data from mineral identification and quantification columns.

Strengths

• Contains 1,314 analyzed sediment samples, providing a substantial national-scale reference.
• Includes three distinct analytical data types: bulk mineral quantification, clay mineral identification, and cation exchange capacity results.
• Supported by detailed contractor reports on XRD methodology and quality assurance procedures.

Limitations

• Sample size is limited to top outlet sediments (0-10 cm depth), excluding deeper soil horizons or bedrock.
• Temporal coverage of the sample collection is not specified, potentially limiting time-series analysis.
• Geographic coverage is specific to Australia, limiting global comparative studies.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, collected under the National Geochemical Survey of Australia (NGSA) project.

Collection Method

Field-collected bulk sediment samples analyzed via X-ray diffraction (XRD) by external contractor Sietronics Proprietary Limited.

Freshness

Last updated in April 2026, indicating recent data release.

Geography

Australia