Iluka Resources OCTOBER Reaps the benefits of Western Victoria 2010 Clean Coal Victoria First technical resource assessment CO2CRC Greenhouse gas technologies Bendigo Mining Ltd Bendigo expands with merger Northgate Minerals Corporation Northgate keeps pouring Victorian gold 10 PAGE SUMMARY Resources Victoria Conference 2010 VICTORIA’S EARTH RESOURCES JOURNAL DEPARTMENT OF Regulars PRIMARY INDUSTRIES Minister’s Foreword News Updates RDV Drilling Update Peter Batchelor PAGE 3 TO 7 Round three drilling progress Minister for Energy and Resources • CO2CRC PAGE 8 PAGE 2 • Former Rio Tinto Tenement Updates Executive joins DPI What’s happening with mineral Executive in Focus • Victorian Geothermal sector applications and licences Rod Hanson heats up its community engagement PAGE 32 PAGE 13 • Victoria’s online exploration tools made easier Contacts • Dart Mining NL moves towards Your guide to Earth Resources. first Moly resource Information, contacts • Clean Coal Victoria Releases First and resources sector websites Technical Resource Assessment PAGE 33 • New legislative changes for Victoria’s mining and extractive industries CONTENTS Articles Resources Victoria Conference Minotaur Exploration Ltd Presenters Forum Summary Minotaur on the hunt for new minerals in Victoria ExxonMobil Craig Haymes page 9 Jabiru Metals Gary Comb Iluka Resources Iluka Resources Steve Wickham Above: Process plant at Kangaroo Flat. Iluka Resources to reap the benefits Bass Strait Oil Company Andrew Adams of Western Victoria Greenearth Energy Mark Miller For Discovery online visit: page 10 - 11 Heron Resources Mathew Longworth www.dpi.vic.gov.au/minpet/discovery Bendigo Mining Ltd 3D-GEO Jessie Davey or to receive your free copy send your details to: Bendigo expands with Bendigo Mining Rod Hanson BCD Resources merger Megan Temple pageS 22 - 27 Earth Resources Division page 12 Department of Primary Industries Next Generation Tools For Explorers: Phone: 03 9658 4402 Northgate Minerals Corporation Technical Forum Summary Email: [email protected] Northgate keeps Understanding the plumbing pouring Victorian gold Building Australia’s most comprehensive of the Gippsland Basin page 14 - 15 PUBLISHING DETAILS Peter Tingate onshore and offshore 3D geological model Discovery is published three times a year by Castlemaine Goldfields Ltd the Victorian Government Department of Primary Three-dimensional modelling Industries, Earth Resources Division, Melbourne, Exploration success at Ballarat after in the Melbourne Zone October 2010. Castlemaine acquisition GeoScience Victoria has started delivering outputs These products, along with those soon to be ISSN Number 13282409 page 16 - 17 Mark A. McLean from its Rediscover Victoria 3D modelling initiative. released for the Gippsland Basin and eastern For more information contact: 3D Oil Ltd New Victorian Heat Flow Map Department of Primary Industries 3D products are now available for download which Victoria, will provide explorers with new free Level 16, 1 Spring Street, Melbourne 3000. 3D Oil Ltd aims at David Taylor include: pre-competitive datasets that can be used www.dpi.vic.gov.au Bass Strait production New solution to the DISCLAIMER page 18 - 19 Ordovician-Silurian geometry puzzle predictively to reduce risk, time and cost of – 3D models of the Bendigo, Stawell, Grampians- This publication may be of assistance to you, but Ross A. Cayley discovery. the State of Victoria and its officers do not guarantee Beach Energy / Lakes Oil Stavely and Melbourne structural zones that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is Beach Energy farms into Seamless geological data wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and Lakes Oil onshore project for Melbourne Zone – 3D models and accompanying report on the therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or For more information: other consequence which may arise from you relying page 20 David Higgins hot sedimentary aquifers of the Otway Basin on any information in this publication. Providence Gold and Minerals New exploration tools Contact Dr Tim Rawling, This publication is copyright. No part may be – New 3D geophysical datasets and reports reproduced by any process without the written New Gold discovery under cover and new insights for Victoria Phone: +61 3 9658 4584 permission of the Department of Primary Industries. north of Bendigo Timothy J Rawling including isostatic gravity and potential field Email: [email protected] page 21 pageS 28 - 31 gradients ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Visit www.3dvictoria.dpi.vic.gov.au The Earth Resources Development Division acknowledges contributions made by private – Depth to basement surfaces for the whole state enterprise. Acceptance of these contributors, however, does not endorse or imply endorsement by – Numerical simulation results associated with gold the Department of Primary Industries of any product or service offered by the contributors. deposition and strain partitioning associated with mineralising events DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES Next Generation Tools For Explorers: Building Australia’s most comprehensive onshore and offshore 3D geological model GeoScience Victoria has started delivering outputs These products, along with those soon to be from its Rediscover Victoria 3D modelling initiative. released for the Gippsland Basin and eastern 3D products are now available for download which Victoria, will provide explorers with new free include: pre-competitive datasets that can be used predictively to reduce risk, time and cost of – 3D models of the Bendigo, Stawell, Grampians- discovery. Stavely and Melbourne structural zones – 3D models and accompanying report on the For more information: hot sedimentary aquifers of the Otway Basin Contact Dr Tim Rawling, – New 3D geophysical datasets and reports Phone: +61 3 9658 4584 including isostatic gravity and potential field Email: [email protected] gradients Visit www.3dvictoria.dpi.vic.gov.au – Depth to basement surfaces for the whole state – Numerical simulation results associated with gold deposition and strain partitioning associated with mineralising events Victoria’s mining sector is open for business with the world’s most modern mining laws and a wealth of geological data making the state an attractive destination for explorers and developers. The Victorian Government Statewide Geological Model Grows has put in place legislative Work is gathering pace in the drive to build up a state-of-the-art reforms designed to drive 3D geological model of Victoria, with the release of the Melbourne investment in the next Zone model the latest piece in the puzzle. This is the fourth generation of mines across section in the whole-of-Victoria model being created under the the State. Government’s $2.5 million Rediscover Victoria 3D initiative. The It is also supporting the Melbourne Zone covers 37,600 square kilometres, from Heathcote industry with innovative initiatives in the west to Mansfield in the east and from Wilsons Promontory in like a sophisticated geological the south to Shepparton in the north. Rediscover Victoria is giving model of Victoria that gives explorers free access to a sophisticated and powerful tool that will miners a head start in the hunt help them make the discoveries that will underpin the Victorian for the next big discovery. mining industry’s future. Revamped Mining Laws To Coal Study Drives Strategic Planning Boost Investment MINISTER’S FOREWORD The first technical assessment from Clean Coal Victoria has Amendments to the Mineral yielded important data about Victoria’s brown coal resources and Resources (Sustainable this is already informing decisions about how best to develop this Development) Act, which have now passed into law, are designed key strategic asset. Drilling around the Yallourn Mine confirmed to ensure Victoria has an effective and modern regulatory a significant coal resource to the east of the mine but very little framework for the sector. They strike the right balance by providing economically viable coal at Newborough on the western side. As security of tenure for committed developers while at the same time a result, the Government has moved the buffer zone between the encouraging exploration for new resources. mine and the township of Newborough, opening up more land The centrepiece of the reforms is the introduction of a new for potential residential development. Clean Coal Victoria is now retention licence to be granted when a mineral resource is processing the results from its next round of drilling at Longford, identified but its commercial viability is still being assessed. The building up a detailed picture of the State’s giant brown coal licence will deliver greater security of tenure for miners who have resource that will underpin strategic planning for future mining. a genuine intention to develop mineral resources. Relinquishment requirements will not apply to these new retention licenses, which can be held for up to three ten year periods in some circumstances. Conclusion Other measures in the amendments include the creation of This edition of Discovery tells the stories of the innovative a prospecting licence tailored to small miners, streamlining projects that are writing the next chapter in the history of our state’s of approvals processes and more consistent and accurate vibrant earth resources industry. I look forward to working with the measurement for the levying of coal royalties. mining and petroleum industries to grow the sector and create new jobs in Victoria. Future Energy Plans Feature