EIS-funded petrophysics

Studying the physical properties of rocks.
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After a pilot project in 2020鈥21, the Geological Survey of 91短视频 (GSWA) started a long-term program to measure the physical properties of rock samples (petrophysical data) from drill cores. These samples come from important mineral deposits, areas that haven鈥檛 been well explored, and key reference drillholes.

The goal of this program is to collect detailed information about the physical properties of rocks, such as different rock-types, changes caused by fluids or heat (alteration), and minerals linked to major mineral systems. Each year, the program plans to test 1000鈥2000 samples to better understand the geology of 91短视频.

The program is funded by the Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS). It aims to help resource explorers, government agencies, and geoscientists make better decisions about the Earth's solid materials in 91短视频.

Currently, the program measures the following rock properties:

  • Magnetic susceptibility 鈥 how rocks respond to magnetic fields
  • Remanent magnetisation 鈥 the natural magnetism retained in rocks
  • Dry bulk density 鈥 how dense rocks are
  • Apparent porosity 鈥 how many tiny spaces (pores) are inside the rocks
  • Galvanic resistivity 鈥 how well rocks resist electric currents
  • Induced polarisation 鈥 how rocks temporarily store electric charge
  • Inductive conductivity 鈥 how well rocks conduct electricity
  • P-wave sonic velocity 鈥 the speed of sound waves through rocks
  • Acoustic impedance 鈥 how sound waves bounce off rock layers
  • Gamma ray 鈥 natural radiation from rocks

More properties might be added as the program grows in the future.

Petrophysical data and reports in MAGIX Online

Petrophysics data from GSWA samples and company surveys can be found within MAGIX Online by searching for 鈥淧ETROPHYSICS鈥 in the methods field. Where reports on petrophysical analyses have been commissioned by GSWA these can be found on the DMPE eBookshop. Additionally, all available GSWA commissioned petrophysics results (data and reports) can be downloaded from the below table via the MAGIX reference links for each sample batch.

DateGeological RegionMAGIX ref
2025Officer Basin
2025Tanami Region
2025Yaneena and Canning Basins
2025Agnew-Wiluna Belt
2025Canning Basin and Musgrave Province
2025West Arunta compilation
2024Pilbara Region
2024Halls Creek Orogen
2024Whaleshark Project
2024Youanmi Terrane
2024Officer Basin
2023-24Aileron Province
2023Canning Basin, Perth Basin, Tanami Basin and South West Yilgarn Terrane
2023Officer Basin, South West Yilgarn and Youanmi Terrane
2023Yilgarn Craton compilation
2023Youanmi and Southwest Terranes
2023Perth Basin
2023Paterson Orogen
2023Eucla compilation
2022鈥23Youanmi Terrane, Kurnalpi Terrane and Nifty Drillholes
2021鈥22Mt. Weld, Paterson Orogen, Southwest Yilgarn, Madura Province, Kalgoorlie Terrane and Albany鈥揊raser Orogen
2021Eastern Goldfields
2020-21Eucla, Paterson Orogen and West Arunta region

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