Conferences and Events News The opening of the new South Australian Drill Core Reference Library

On 17 February 2016, the Honourable Jay conference area, Weatherill, Premier of South Australia, including a board room opened the new South Australia Drill (with a stunning view Core Reference Library at Tonsley – a of the shelving), short distance from the Adelaide CBD another kitchen, and – in South Australia. The ASEG was several more break out invited to a welcoming ceremony by rooms. A balcony looks Minister Tom Koustantonis and enjoyed out over the core an exclusive tour of the state-of-the-art viewing area, and facility. following this around leads to the 3D The building is a prominent feature in the visualisation room. Tonsley Precinct. It stands out with distinctive grey and red cladding. The The 3D visualisation tiles are at an angle giving the impression room is a classroom- of a speeding train, but also honouring sized room with a large the idea of a core tray. As we entered the back-projected 3D building we found ourselves in a neatly projector. As we furnished foyer area, carpet underfoot, entered we were handed and a sleek desk to the side. It put me in 3D glasses and were mind of checking into a nice airport treated to a 3D view of lounge or hotel. Olympic Dam – drillholes, seismic Adjacent to the foyer area is a second, sections, hyperspectral larger space where afternoon tea was information, landscape being served. The large Copper sculpture – all in one rotating entitled ‘From The Hill’ stood in front of spectacle. the northern windowed wall. Through the doors to the south is the core viewing Our tour guide then led area: a large room with 12 conveyer belts us out to the vast – each designed to hold an entire pallets’ library section of the worth of core. building, by far the largest portion of the Next to this room – and behind the first building. At 9 metres foyer area – are the administration high, much of the offices, including a kitchen, a lounge, and shelves have already several break-out rooms for computer been filled with pallets work and meetings. Also here is Data full of core trays. We’re The storage section of the facility will hold more than 7.5 million metres Metalogenica: a collection of type told that this Core sections from ore deposits around the of drill core samples (photo courtesy James Knowler: http://www. Library will consolidate theleadsouthaustralia.com.au/industries/mining-resources/hitech-drill- world. Up the stairs (or the lift) leads to a all the previous state core-library-seeks-to-unearth-discoveries/

The Tonsley Drill Core Facility as seen from outside (photo courtesy Ursula Michael, GSSA).

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and the analysis room where the Hylogger™ is operated. The plan is to log the core as it arrives at the library before shelving it. The information from the Hylogger™ feeds directly into the 3D visualisation room. We were then led back to the afternoon tea area and chatted enthusiastically with our colleagues. Everyone agreed that the new facility is amazing. The place is beautifully furnished, professional looking, and designed in such a way to ensure the core view process runs smoothly, efficiently and safely. And best of all, viewing core will be free-of-charge (although you must book). This facility will be a real key for future discoveries in South Australia. The facility has been officially opened; however, it won’t open for business until The drill core viewing area has space to hold 12 pallet-loads of core (photo courtesy Ursula Michael, a little later this year. Why not visit the GSSA). facility while you’re in Adelaide for ASEG-PESA-AIG 2016? core facilities (Glenside, Thebarton, to extend the building further southwards. Whyalla, Moonta) into a single building. We’re told that the area will fit more than Philip Heath It’ll still take another few months before 7.5 million metres of drill core sample. SA/NT ASEG Branch Committee Member everything is transferred, and even then [email protected] the space won’t be filled. They expect at We were given a demonstration of the least 15 more years of core will fit in the new forklift that can reach 9 metres high, facility, and after that there will be room and then went to visit the loading bays

Drones in geophysics and geoDRONEology at SAGEEP 2016

The use of drones for capturing LiDAR, course registrants informally presented hyperspectral, low altitude L-band, tensor talks about their utilisation of VLF-EM, magnetic, and photogrammetric orthorectified photo-images and digital data were the topics of the Drones in surface models derived from the imagery Geophysics technical session at the 29th to create 3D models for analysing Symposium on the Application of formational units known to be oil and gas Geophysics to Engineering and reservoirs at depth, assessing landslides Environmental Problems (SAGEEP), at and other geotechnical hazards, and the annual meeting of the Environmental exploring for, as well as discovering, lode and Engineering Geophysics Society gold deposits. Several manufacturers of (EEGS) held from 20 March to 24 March multi-rotor and fixed wing drones as well in Denver, CO. Although it is unlikely as commercial UAS mission service that drones will replace pilot-on-board Drones in action at SAGEEP 2016. providers echoed the notion that the aircraft anytime soon because of the selection of a drone for geoscience should regulatory constraints, the presenters The application of drone based be based primarily on the data need and made it clear that it will happen photogrammetric methods to map surface site conditions. It is highly probable that eventually. Moreover, based on the geology was the fundamental theme of as the utilisation of drones increases, attendance in the session, it was evident the one day short course titled companies will invest in fleets of drones that there is an emerging and keen geoDRONEology©: integrating drones and numerous sensors. interest in the using drones for into the geoscientific and engineering geoscientific mapping of surface as well workflow. In addition to the material Ron Bell as the subsurface geology. presented by the course instructors, Ron Aerobotic Geophysical Systems, LLC Bell and Rene Perez, several of the short [email protected]

14 PREVIEW APRIL 2016 Conferences and Events News Geophysics for the Mineral Exploration Geoscientist: report on the Sydney short course

This is a report on the short course jointly electrical and electromagnetic methods. information on the physical properties sponsored jointly by the NSW Branch Lectures were followed by practical of rocks. Committees of the ASEG, GSA and AIG exercises using real-world mineral 4. Emphasised extraction of maximum and held in Sydney, 16–17 February exploration datasets. Course participants geological information from 2016. were guided through the basic physical geophysical data, providing phenomena, the acquisition and explanations of data modelling, and The short course entitled ‘Geophysics for processing of geophysical data, the common interpretation pitfalls. the Mineral Exploration Geoscientist’ was creation of subsurface models and their 5. Provided examples from all the main presented by Professor Mike Dentith, geological interpretation. types of mineral deposit around the Centre for Exploration Targeting, School world. of Earth and Environment, The University The course: of Western Australia, and was based on The course targeted practising his 2014 book. 1. Explained the cutting-edge current geoscientists with less than ten years of practice in exploration and mining experience who have had limited The two day event provided a state-of- geophysics for the discovery of ‘blind’ exposure to formal education in the the-art overview of geophysical mineral deposits. application of exploration geophysics, as exploration methods without recourse to 2. Gave a practical guide to data well as unemployed/underemployed complex mathematical descriptions. It acquisition, processing, and accurate geoscientists and postgraduate students. included descriptions of all the main interpretation of geophysical datasets. The actual breakdown of the 30 attendees geophysical methods used in mineral 3. Included presentation and analysis of was: exploration; including gravity, magnetic, petrophysical data, giving key • Early career (<10 years of experience) 8 • Un/underemployed geoscientists 10 • Postgraduate students 5 • Full fee employed (>10 years) 7 The NSW Branches of the AIG, the GSA and the ASEG underwrote the costs of the presenter’s travel costs, presenter’s fee and one copy of the book for each participant. There was no industry sponsorship of this event. The initial budget anticipated a net deficit for each participating society of $3267. The event income was boosted through the attendance by seven full fee paying delegates, for a net income of $3748. Costs for the event were slightly lower than budgeted and totalled $8643, resulting in a net deficit of $4895. This result meant an event deficit for each society of $1632 – a better than expected financial outcome!

Mike Smith General Manager Exploration Participants in the Geophysics for the mineral exploration geoscientist short course held in Sydney in Austpac Resources, Sydney February 2016 (the presenter Mike Dentith is standing at centre). [email protected]

APRIL 2016 PREVIEW 15 Conferences and Events News ASEG-PESA-AIG 2016: update from the Conference Organising Committee

With less than four months to go, most of The early bird registration deadline has The organisers have decided that the the conference details are being finalised. been extended to 30 April 2016. This will programme and timetable news and give authors the opportunity to register at updates will be delivered through a mix The Exhibition Hall is filling up. At the early bird prices once their papers have traditional format (pocket programme) time of writing roughly three quarters of been accepted. If your paper is accepted and online through mediums like email, the booths have been booked, so get in as part of the conference, you have until Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. There is fast if your company is looking for 1 June to register for the conference to still an opportunity for an App, however promotion opportunities. ensure your place in the conference this won’t eventuate unless digital content We’re very pleased to announce that BP programme. sponsors can be found. will be a silver sponsor of the conference. Our team of paper reviewers are We look forward to seeing you in Welcome aboard BP! ploughing through around 200 extended Adelaide in August! abstract submissions. By the time of this Our bronze sponsors are Austhai Philip Heath Geophysical, CSIRO, and Velseis. publication the programme will be near completion. Co-chair Minerals Borehole Wireline will be the Lanyard [email protected] Sponsor, and we have some Happy Hour Stay tuned to our social media channels. sponsors lined up: stay tuned to Preview Our Twitter and Facebook feeds are Luke Gardiner for further announcements. Sponsorship updated most weekdays with news about Co-chair Petroleum opportunities are still available but will geophysics from around the world, as [email protected] close as you read this. Please contact us well as photos and news from Adelaide directly and immediately if you’re and South Australia. LinkedIn continues interested. to post updates on important deadlines.

The Scintrex IPR-8 held in the ASEG historic instrument collection. This instrument was extensively used throughout Australia in the 1970s and 1980s. It was light, easy to use and fairly indestructible. Large areas of the west coast of were surveyed using the IPR-8 by Scintrex using gradient array, pole dipole and dipole-dipole arrays between 1976 and 1983. However, the instrument was not waterproof. The high rainfall on the west coast meant that a hair dryer was an essential piece of equipment for every geophysical survey crew. The pictured instrument was one of those used in Tasmania on projects such as: gold in the Henty Fault Zone; copper in the Field; lead/zinc around ; tin near Mount Heemskirk and for base metals around Roseberry and .

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Conferences and Events News Near Surface Geophysics – Asia Pacific Conference 2017: update from the organisers

Planning is underway for the Near Surface Geophysics – Asia Pacific Conference that will be held in Cairns from 17–19 July 2017. This is the third planned regular Near Surface Geophysics – Asia Pacific Conference, a joint initiative of the SEG, ASEG, CSG, SEGJ and KSEG. The Conference is held every two years, the first was in Beijing in 2013 and the second was in Hawaii in 2015. The plan is to engage both geophysicists and end users of geophysics and discussions are underway with a number of possible technical partner engineering and geoscience societies. The committees that are in place for planning purposes, with membership from all participating societies; SEG, ASEG, CSG, SEGJ and KSEG, are:

Advisory Committee ASEG Phil Schmidt SEGJ Hideki Saito KSEG Dr Myeong-Jong Yi • Application of rock physics to geo- CGS Yong Chen KSEG Professor Dong-Joo Min technical engineering KSEG Cho In-Ky SEG Anja Klotzsche • Tunnels and cavity/rock defects SEG John Bradford SEG Andrew Parsekian detection – from the surface and ahead SEG Mark Everett of the tunnel face Organising Committee SEG James Irving • Shallow marine geophysics – ports, SEG Erasmus Oware coastal engineering and offshore ASEG Greg Street platforms ASEG Chair Publicity material and the conference • Landslides and geohazards ASEG Romney Rayner website are close to being finalised. • Cavity and void detection ASEG Treasurer Themes for the conference are also being • Case studies in engineering geophysics ASEG Tim Pippett finalised, but the following are under (examples of both success and failure) ASEG Exhibitions consideration and of interest to the ASEG Ron Palmer participating societies. Your feedback Environmental: would be most welcome. ASEG Sponsorships • Case studies in environmental SEGJ TBA geophysics (examples of both success SEGJ TBA Themes under consideration and failure) CGS Jian Guo • Contaminated site geophysics CGS TBA Methods: • Catchment/surface water – KSEG Dr Seho Hwang • Sessions devoted to the full range of environmental geophysics, airborne SEG Dr John Lane Jr geophysics SEG TBA Near Surface Geophysics (NSG) methods including various remote • CO2 geosequestration sensing, downhole, land, marine and Technical Program Committee Groundwater: airborne methods (seismic, magnetics, ASEG Geoff Pettifer radar, gravity, electrical and EM, NMR, • Airborne EM and groundwater – as ASEG Chair geophysical logging etc.) well as general hydro-geophysics SEG Laurie Whitesell • Full waveform seismic in NSG – new • Case studies in hydro-geophysics ASEG Deputy Chair research and developments (examples of both success and failure) ASEG Meng Heng Loke • Passive seismic methods, surface wave ASEG Binzhong Zhou methods Utility applications: ASEG TBA • UXO SEGJ TBA Geotechnical: • Forensic applications SEGJ TBA • Geotechnical characterisation of sites • UAV and agricultural geophysics CGS Jianghai Xia • Local site amplification of earthquake • Archaeometry – archaeology and CGS TBA ground motion geophysics (case studies and advances

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in LIDAR, 3D radar, ground geophysics and satellite imaging) Geology: • Volcano geophysics • Regolith geophysics Mine site and mining exploration: • Mine site geophysics • Exploration under cover – near surface emphasis (characterising and removing the cover)

Modelling: Downhole EM, MMR and IP Surveys • Relationships and opportunities for the integration of geophysical, hydrogeological and geotechnical Surface EM and MMR Surveys modelling High Power (100A) EM Surveys Workshops/courses: • S waves (1D and 2D) Surface IP Surveys including 3D • Women in geophysics • Engineering geophysics (state of the Geophysical Consulting industry and the path forward, the application of cutting edge methods) • Risk in site characterisation using Instrument Repair geophysics • Dams and Levees • Full waveform seismic • Integrating remote sensing and airborne geophysics for geoscientific analysis Possible technical excursions – ideas so far: • Great Barrier Reef (shallow marine geophysics) • Local mine site (mine site geophysics) • Local farms (agricultural geophysics) Possible accompanying partner/social excursions: • Great Barrier Reef • Daintree Rainforest • Crocodile tour Geoff Pettifer Co-chair Technical Program Committee NSG-AP 2017 [email protected]

4/133 Kelvin Rd, Maddington Western Australia 6109 PO Box 3215, Lesmurdie Western Australia 6076

p. (08) 9291 7733 f. (08) 9459 3953 e. [email protected] VORTEX GEOPHYSICS www.vortexgeophysics.com.au

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