Federal Minister for Resources Madeleine King has officially launched the first new gravity testing site under the Australian Government’s $3.4 billion Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative, a long-term program designed to uncover the nation’s mineral, energy and groundwater potential.
King joined scientists from Geoscience Australia in Bunbury, Western Australia, to test the new site, which will serve as a crucial benchmark for further gravity tests across the region and the country.
The initiative leverages Earth’s natural gravity variations: readings are stronger over dense rocks like granite and weaker over less dense rocks like sandstone. This information is vital for geological mapping and mineral exploration. The project is focused on addressing a critical need for detailed subterranean information.
“Accurate gravity data helps us better understand the world under our feet, including potential sites for groundwater and minerals, including critical minerals,” King said.
“Detailed gravity information will enable geological mapping and mineral exploration. It also allows scientists to measure Australia’s land movement, powering the GPS and navigation systems Australians rely on every day.”
The launch used an advanced instrument, an A10 absolute gravimeter, to measure Earth’s gravity at the new Bunbury location. The results will be immediately incorporated into Australia’s existing National Gravity Database, which holds more than 1.8 million gravity observations collected since 1938.
The new data will be made freely available online, accelerating exploration and research efforts across the continent.
The Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity Initiative represents a major investment in securing the nation’s future mineral and water security using high-tech satellite and gravity data, the Government said.
