Next-gen technology to supercharge exploration in WA
Western Australian Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael on Tuesday unveiled a next-generation spectral scanner set to accelerate resource discovery across Western Australia.
The HyLogger 4 system captures high-resolution data from drill core samples, providing a fast way to analyse geology that will help explorers better target resources and reduce costs.
The Cook government invested A$380 000 in the system, which was developed by CSIRO and commercialised by Perth-based company Corescan. This investment benefited from a contribution by AuScope and a significant discount on the total purchase price of A$983 300.
Located at the Perth Core Library and managed by the newly formed Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration (DMPE), the HyLogger 4 replaces the ageing HyLogger 3.
Since its commissioning in 2009, the HyLogger 3 analysed more than 600 000 m of drill core from more than 2 000 holes across the state. A significant portion of this core was collected by companies participating in the government’s Exploration Incentive Scheme.
While the HyLogger 3 delivered reliable mineralogical data, the HyLogger 4 offers higher-resolution capture and enhanced analytical capabilities, improving the detection and understanding of mineralisation undercover.
The next-generation system also enables DMPE to continue supplying high-quality data to the National Virtual Core Library – the world’s largest online drill core database, with more than 1.6-million metres of data freely accessible to exploration companies worldwide.