Transformational geoscience - Exploring for the Future final publication released

As the Exploring for the Future program officially concludes, over 750 attendees connected online across 4 days to delve deeper into the science of the transformational 8-year program.

Geoscience Australia has released a comprehensive publication Exploring for the Future - Australia’s transformational geoscience program detailing the studies, surveys and outcomes of this landmark geoscientific program.

The new volume sets out how the program went about tackling this massive scientific endeavour, building on new and legacy science to help manage our groundwater resources sustainably, secure future sources of energy and find the critical minerals and strategic materials that are vital for Australia’s low emissions future.

The publication includes a wealth of maps and figures, as well as links to more than 1,000 precompetitive geoscience datasets and products released during the program.

The program transformed Australian geoscience by expanding surveys across the continent, focusing on under-explored areas of interest and integrating science across disciplines.

“Over the past 8 years, we’ve pushed the frontiers of science and knowledge,” said Dr Andrew Heap, Chief of Geoscience Australia’s Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division.

“We combined multiple and innovative techniques and technologies in new ways, and integrated hundreds of datasets to transform our understanding of the mineral, energy, and groundwater resource potential across millions of square kilometres of Australia.

“This has been complex, pioneering work. Work that has become the gold standard that others across the world want to copy.”

The program was a $225 million Australian Government investment focused on revealing Australia’s resource potential through precompetitive geoscience, with the aim of supporting a strong economy, resilient society, and sustainable environment for the benefit of all Australians.

Precompetitive geoscience is the collection, analysis, and integration of fundamental geological data. It is publicly available, empowering industry, government as well as regional and First Nations communities to help inform decision-making on the sustainable management and development of Australia's mineral, energy, and groundwater resources.

Exploring for the Future included some of the world’s largest geophysical and geological surveys, regional projects that revealed Australia’s buried and under-explored geology and began a national inventory of resource potential.

It established partnerships across Australia, including with researchers, rangers, rural communities, and First Nations peoples. It supported Australia’s energy security, including emerging technologies and industries such as hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, and green steel.

The program’s enduring legacy has laid the foundation for Geoscience Australia to embark on the next generation of precompetitive geoscience for the nation, through the 35-year Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative.

Maintaining the momentum, we are now embarking on mapping Australia’s resources, including all Australia’s 36 critical minerals and strategic materials, all our groundwater systems, and other resources needed to support the net zero transition. We are continuing to expand coverage of Australia-wide geoscience datasets – the building blocks used to see and understand what lies below the land and seabed – and will investigate 12 onshore regions with unrealised resource potential.

This landmark initiative is set to accelerate the discovery of critical minerals and strategic materials and other resources necessary for the net zero transition, cementing our nation’s position as a global renewable energy leader.

Exploring for the Future - Australia’s transformational geoscience program is available online from Geoscience Australia.

All the Showcase presentations and new releases are now available from the Showcase webpage, with videos of each session to follow.