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Lithospheric resistivity structures and mineral prospectivity from AusLAMP data in northern Australia

Created 17/10/2025

Updated 17/10/2025

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Magnetotelluric (MT) data allow geoscientists to investigate the link between mineralisation and lithospheric-scale features and processes. In particular, the highly conductive structures imaged by MT data appear to map the pathways of large-scale palaeo-fluid migration, which is an important element of several mineral systems. New data were collected as part of the Australian Lithospheric Architecture Magnetotelluric Project (AusLAMP) under Geoscience Australia Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program in northern Australian. We use this dataset to demonstrate that the MT method is a valuable tool for mapping lithospheric-scale features and for selecting prospective areas for mineral exploration. Our results image a number of major conductive structures at depths up to ~200 km or deeper in the survey region, for example, the Carpentaria Conductivity Anomaly in east of Mount Isa; and the Tanami Conductive Anomaly along the Willowra Suture Zone. These significant anomalies are lithospheric- scale highly conductive structures, and show spatial correlations with major suture zones and known mineral deposits. These results provide important first-order information for lithospheric architecture and possible large footprint of mineral systems. Large-scale crustal/mantle conductivity anomalies mapping fluid pathways associated with major sutures/faults may have implications for mineral potential. These results provide evidence that some mineralisation occurs at the gradient of or over highly conductive structures at lower crustal and lithospheric mantle depths. These observations provide a powerful means of highlighting greenfields for mineral exploration in under-explored and covered regions.

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Additional Info

Field Value
Title Lithospheric resistivity structures and mineral prospectivity from AusLAMP data in northern Australia
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/en/dataset/eb6c4fa2-1f54-4a9d-b7b5-44876f2ef1f8
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia Data
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 08/04/2019
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
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  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal Geoscience Australia

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Geoscience Australia "Lithospheric resistivity structures and mineral prospectivity from AusLAMP data in northern Australia". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/lithospheric-resistivity-structures-and-mineral-prospectivity-from-auslamp-data-in-northern-aus