Latest round of Co-funded Drilling Program opens on 23 February 2018 and closes 6 April 2018
| Date: | Friday, 23 February 2018 |
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Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston today officially opened Round 17 of the Co-funded Drilling Program at the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) Open Day 2018.
Supported by the Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS), the program offers co-funding for innovative exploration in underexplored greenfield regions.
Minister Johnston applauded the flagship drilling program’s many successes and economic benefits.
“The program greatly assists resource exploration in Western Australia, as it adds to our geological knowledge of the State, helps diminish risks for future explorers, improves exploration efficiency and supports a range of employment opportunities,” he said.
“The application process is keenly contested, which reflects the quality of the program and our reputation as a global centre for mining and energy excellence.”
Recent success stories from previous rounds include important finds in the eastern Pilbara, including Antipa Minerals Minyari copper–nickel–cobalt discovery, Sipa Resources’ Paterson North copper–gold project and Encounter Resources’ copper and zinc prospects.
In the Eastern Goldfields, Great Boulder Resources discovered significant copper–nickel–cobalt at Mount Venn, east of Laverton.
Funding single deep holes has encouraged companies to drill for mineralisation well below shallow surface anomalies. MacPhersons Resources recently intersected visible gold in the Boorara dolerite zone 310 m below previous known gold mineralisation.
Round 17 applications will be reviewed by an external expert team, along with senior staff from the GSWA.
Successful applicants will be announced in May–June 2018, and they will have 12 months to carry out drill programs from July 2018 to the end of June 2019.
More information on Round 17 of the Co-funded Drilling Program is available on the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety website.
GSWA’s popular annual Open Day is a platform for conveying the latest geoscience information and the GSWA’s recent activities.
