Recently released Western Australian Array seismic data will provide insight into the state’s geology and is set to help exploration companies unlock big mineral discoveries.
With a $30 million investment over ten years, the WA Array data will help target areas of high prospectivity, evaluate future competing land uses, mitigate seismic hazards and maximise Western Australia’s opportunities in the transition to net-zero emissions.
The Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) project, which started in 2022, deploys 165 seismometers arranged in a grid pattern and spaced at 40km intervals. The entire state is being mapped by relocating the instruments annually between nine regional areas.
Waveform data from Phase 1 in the South West of Western Australia is now available on the national Australian Passive Seismic Server (AusPass).
While the WA Array builds on similar surveys across the rest of Australia, the project has higher-density data collection that leads to more detailed images and models.
The GSWA will present the first detailed previews of the processed results and models from Phase 1 at its Open Day in Perth on 15 November 2024.
Western Australian Mines and Petroleum Minister, David Michael, said that WA Array is one of the world’s largest and highest-resolution passive seismic surveys and will digitally transform and supercharge the state’s resources sector.
“The freely available geoscientific data reinforces the State Government’s commitment to developing future mines, attracting downstream processing and supporting even more local jobs for Western Australians.
“Western Australia competes with many other jurisdictions to attract investment, so it’s important to keep ahead of the pack with world-leading data projects of this kind.”
