The Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations (GDC) program awarded up to $3 million in Round 17 to co-fund exploration projects that increase geoscientific knowledge, test new ideas, stimulate exploration, and drive resource development across the Territory. The program is designed to deliver new, publicly available geoscience data and information to benefit explorers now and into the future.
As part of the NT Geological Survey’s commitment to maximising the impact of the program, our new annual summary reports highlight the work, outcomes, and innovative techniques shaping exploration across the Territory.
The full report includes overviews and links to all 23 completed programs. The newly collected data improves regional geological datasets, offering valuable insights to guide future exploration. Notable technical outcomes include a deep diamond drillhole in the Bynoe pegmatite field that demonstrated ambient noise tomography’s effectiveness in targeting blind pegmatites, highlighting its potential applications in critical mineral exploration. Marking a first for Australia, the newly developed quantum gravity technique, Gravio™, was trialed to evaluate its potential to enhance the spatial resolution of gravity surveys. In addition, several large-scale geophysical surveys improved resolution over key underexplored regions, enabling the generation of multiple new exploration targets. These results are expected to inform follow-up programs and support industry investment.
To read more, download Northern Territory Geological Survey Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations Summary Report Round 17 2024–2025
To find out more about the GDC program and how to apply for next year's grant round visit, Exploration grants | Resourcing the Territory