Australia rolls out exploration portal

8th July 2020 By: Esmarie Iannucci - Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Australasia

Australia rolls out exploration portal

Photo by: Bloomberg

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The federal government has launched an online data portal that provides free access to around 250 datasets collected as part of its A$225-million Exploring for the Future programme.

Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt said that the portal would help the resources sector in leading the economic recovery following Covid-19.

“We know the resources sector has a lead role to play in our economic recovery, and that certainty in decision-making is a valuable commodity right now,” Pitt said.

“The portal includes data that we have collected over three-million square kilometres of northern Australia in the last four years with our state and Northern Territory partners.

“To help industry analyse this high-quality data, the portal also includes assessment and analytical tools. For example, the Economic Fairways Mapper can help companies assess the economic viability of a mineral resource in remote Australia.”

Pitt said Exploring for the Future data had already been used by mining exploration companies to make new investment decisions.

“Thirteen companies have taken up new exploration tenements in areas the program focused on - the first step toward the discovery and development of a resource. Ten of these companies have publicly recognised the role Exploring for the Future data played in their decision.”