Deep-dive projects Birrindudu region

The Birrindudu Deep Dive project is located in northwest Northern Territory spanning across into northeast Western Australia. It is defined as a frontier region with the exception of known resource areas (e.g. Halls Creek, Tanami region).

The project seeks to improve understanding of the under-explored and under-developed Archean to Proterozoic-aged provinces, Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic-aged sedimentary basins, and younger overlying basins to determine the potential for new resource discoveries including mineral resources, energy and geological storage, and groundwater.

Building on the early finding under the Exploring for the Future program, the Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative will acquire new data and undertake scientific studies to deliver a multi-commodity assessment of the region. The Birrindudu Deep Dive has significant resource potential and displays characteristics which are similar to numerous world-class resources located in northern Australia. These include rocks of the same age as world-class sediment-hosted lead-Zinc (Pb, Zn, Ag) deposits in the McArthur Basin and Mount Isa Province, gold resources in the Tanami region and numerous resources in the Halls Creek region (gold, copper-nickel, copper, rare earth elements, diamonds, platinum group elements, tin, tungsten).

Groundwater studies will provide vital information on the regions’ water resources which will contribute to supporting remote communities. Assessments will also be undertaken to determine the energy and geological storage potential of the region. These combined activities will contribute to the overall objectives on the Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative and enable Australia’s transition to net zero