Geoscience

The Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) has core libraries in Darwin and Alice Springs.

The libraries hold drill core and cuttings collected during government and industry mineral and petroleum industry exploration drilling.

You can search drill core and cuttings which are catalogued through the Core Library (COREDAT) spatial layer on STRIKE.

The STRIKE bookmark link displays the COREDAT layer as the active layer and shows the distribution across the NT. To search, use the search tab.

Viewing or sampling drill core and cuttings

Drill core and cuttings can be viewed and sampled by researchers in industry, government and research organisations.

You must make an appointment and obtain approval for any sampling prior to your visit.

To view or sample cores or cuttings, follow these steps.

Step 1. Fill in the form.

Request to examine/sample core PDF (181.8 KB)
Request to examine/sample core DOCX (68.5 KB)

Step 2. Email the form to core.facility@nt.gov.au.

Sampling process

As sampling usually results in destruction of the sample, you must provide raw data and details of analytical methods used in the sampling six months after sampling. The data is then made available to the public twelve months after sampling.

Sampling of core and cuttings will only be permitted if no similar analysis has been recently completed and there is sufficient sample available for the particular sample interval requested.

Read the core sampling policy DOCX (54.5 KB).

Core sample reports

You can search reports and data from studies on core and cuttings held in the NTGS core libraries in the core sample reports catalogue.

Water bore cuttings

Cuttings from water bores are also stored at the NTGS core libraries. Get the spreadsheet of water bore cuttings listing XLSX (1.4 MB).

Read more information about water bores.

Visit or contact the core facility

When visiting the core library, you must wear steel-capped boots.

The core libraries are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4:15pm.

For location details and queries, get the geoscience contacts.

You can access a wide range of geoscience information online through the systems outlined below.

STRIKE

The Spatial Territory Resource Information Kit for Exploration (STRIKE) is a web mapping tool.

You can use it to view geoscientific, minerals and energy tenure information in the Northern Territory.

It displays current exploration and resources information including:

• mineral and petroleum title applications, granted titles and reserved areas
• geology
• drilling and sampling
• geophysical images and remote sensing
• mineral occurrences
• indexes to open file exploration reports and geophysical surveys.

You can also access the following reference information:

• land administration
• native title
• roads and rail
• drainage
• water bores.

Background imagery includes geophysical imagery, aerial photography and topography.

To find out more, go to STRIKE.

GEMIS

The geoscience exploration and mining information system (GEMIS) provides access to the following information collections:

• mineral exploration industry reports and data
• energy exploration reports
  • petroleum geophysical survey reports and data
  • petroleum well reports and data
  • petroleum and geothermal tenure reports
• Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) products:
  • reports
  • annual geoscience exploration seminar proceedings
  • maps
  • datasets
• core sampling reports and data.

To find out more, go to GEMIS or read more about how to access geoscience information.

Minerals and Energy InfoCentre libraries

You can search the Minerals and Energy InfoCentre libraries through the Northern Territory Geological Survey website.

You can also read more about the libraries.

Exploration news database

Exploration news is a weekly update providing summaries of NT exploration and mining news published in:

• industry journals
• media releases
• stock exchange announcements.

The database is compiled and maintained by the Minerals and Energy InfoCentre.

You can access the exploration news database on the Northern Territory Geological Survey website.

COREDAT

The drill core database (COREDAT) is a catalogue of drill core and cuttings held in the NTGS's core libraries.

Read more about accessing the drill core library.

You can search drill core and cuttings which are catalogued through the Core Library (COREDAT) spatial layer on STRIKE.

The STRIKE bookmark link displays the COREDAT layer as the active layer and shows the distribution across the NT. To search, use the search tab.

Core sampling reports

The core sampling reports database is a catalogue of reports and data from sampling on drill cores held in the NTGS core libraries.

To find out more, go to the core sampling reports database on GEMIS.

National virtual core library

The geological surveys of Australia are building a virtual core library of high-resolution imagery and mineralogical data from hyperspectral scanning of drill core.

The data is collected using the HyLogger™ system.

To access the hyperspectral data and imagery for the NT, you can:

• go through the geoscience portal on the AGSON website
• request HyLogger™ data packages through GEMIS.

To find out more about the national virtual core library project, go to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade website.

GIWS

Through the geophysical image web server (GIWS) you can view and download geophysical survey images in ECW format.

To find out more, go to the Northern Territory Geological Survey website.

For more information about NT geophysical surveys, go to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade website.

GADDS

Through the geophysical archive data delivery system (GADDS), you can access the following NT data:

• magnetic
• radiometric
• gravity
• digital elevation.

GADDS is maintained by Geoscience Australia. It includes data from the Australian national, state and territory government geophysical data archives.

To find out more, go to GADDS. You can also get industry geophysical data through GEMIS.

Australian stratigraphic units database

Geoscience Australia maintains the official register of Australian stratigraphic units with details of definitions, relationships, name changes and references.

You can download a list of the stratigraphic units of the NT.

To find out more, go to the Australian Government's Geoscience Australia website.

You can contact the NT Geological Survey (NTGS) using the details below.

General queries

For general queries about the NTGS, call 08 8999 5313.

Geoscience information, publication and statutory reports

Contact Minerals and Energy InfoCentre for:

• all geoscience information queries
• NTGS publications
• submission of statutory technical reports required under the Minerals Titles Act, Petroleum Act and Geothermal Energy Act
• queries on statutory reporting.

Call 08 8999 6443 or email geoscience.info@nt.gov.au.

Industry facilitation and development support

Assistance and advice to facilitate development of exploration and mining projects through the range of approvals, licences and permits.

Call 08 8999 5372.

Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations program

Locations

Darwin

Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
Level 3 Paspalis Centrepoint building
48-50 Smith Street (Corner of Knuckey Street and Smith Street Mall)
Darwin NT 0800

GPO Box 4550
Darwin NT 0801

Alice Springs

Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
Arid Zone Research Institute
South Stuart Highway
Alice Springs NT 0870

PO Box 8760
Alice Springs NT 0871

Visit or contact the core facility

Appointments are required for viewing and sampling the collections.

Email: core.facility@nt.gov.au

Darwin core facility

38 Farrell Crescent (behind Discovery Holiday Park)
Winnellie NT 0820
Phone: 08 8984 3036

Alice Springs core facility

16 Power Street
Alice Springs NT 0870
Phone: 08 8951 8652.