PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (Amec) has welcomed a A$12-million investment by the Western Australian government into a state-wide passive seismic survey to unlock more resources.

Minister of Mines and Petroleum Bill Johnston on Monday announced that the WA-Array programme would be one of the largest of its kind undertaken in the world.

The subsurface imaging program will deploy 165 seismometers in a grid pattern at 40 km intervals, providing valuable insights into the state's mineral deposits.

The program will also provide new insights into Western Australia's critical minerals resources, and promote investment in exploration and developing future mines and downstream processing. 

All data collected will be rigorously assessed before being made freely available to resource explorers, researchers and the Western Australian community. Seismometers will be relocated annually, with the entire State being mapped over 10 years. 

"The WA-Array program will help unlock a new generation of resource discoveries that will create more jobs and potentially billions of dollars of economic benefits for Western Australia,” said Johnston.

"It will digitally transform and supercharge the State's mining industry - helping to attract investment and support even more local jobs for Western Australians. The global transition to clean energy presents significant opportunities, which is why the government is working hard to invest in and attract new industries to Western Australia. 

"Battery and critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel face ever increasing demand, so we need to keep supporting the search for the mines of tomorrow."

Amec CEO Warren Pearce said on Monday that greenfields exploration and the search for deeper deposits was challenging and expensive, and that the investment to the WA-Array program shows the government is making a significant commitment in supporting the state’s mineral exploration industry to increase exploration, and unlock a new generation of discoveries.

“Mineral explorers have always relied on publicly available geological surveys and mapping to assist with early stage targeting and project generation. From this starting point, these companies raise private funds and develop targeted exploration programs.

“For small exploration companies it is virtually impossible for to raise funds to complete regional data acquisition. This commitment by government will help to attract new private investment to the state.  

“Ultimately these investments will be critical for helping Western Australia to discover new mineral projects, encouraging explorers to look in new areas and at depth, increasing investment and employment opportunities for the state,” said Pearce.