A new gravity testing site has been launched in Western Australia under the Federal Government’s $3.4 billion Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative.
Announced by the Resources and Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King, and joined at the launch by scientists from Geoscience Australia, the Bunbury site will use gravity readings to help identify underground resources.
The “highly sensitive” measurement is set to be the benchmark for further gravity tests in the region and across the nation.
“Accurate gravity data helps us better understand the world under our feet, including potential sites for groundwater and minerals, including critical minerals,” King said.
“Detailed gravity information will enable geological mapping and mineral exploration.
“It also allows scientists to measure Australia’s land movement, powering the GPS and navigation systems Australians rely on every day.”
Gravity measurements differ across the country, appearing stronger over dense rocks like granite and weaker over less dense rocks like sandstone.
The information produced can help identify minerals or groundwater and provide data to help with mineral exploration.
Geoscience scientists, with King, used an A10 absolute gravimeter to measure the Earth’s gravity at the Bunbury location.
These new gravity measurements will be part of the Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative, which is a long-term program to comprehensively map Australia for minerals, alternative energy sources, and groundwater using satellite and gravity data.
The nation’s existing National Gravity Database contains more than 1.8 million gravity observations conducted across Australia since 1938.
In the meantime, results from Bunbury will be added to this data and will be made freely available online.
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