Workshop convenor/Contact: Satyam Pratap Singh, Dietmar Müller, Jan Norbisrath, Utpal Singh (The University of Sydney / Geonome Pty Ltd)

Days: 1

Mineral deposits form in response to dynamic tectonic and geodynamic processes that operate over deep time. However, conventional prospectivity approaches rely almost exclusively on present-day geoscience datasets. This workshop introduces hyperdimensional prospectivity—a new framework that fuses spatial geodata with time-evolving plate tectonics and geodynamic parameters to reveal where ore-forming conditions have recurred across multiple tectonic cycles. Participants will learn to use Kalpa, a next-generation geospatial and spatiotemporal AI platform designed for mineral exploration. Through instructor-led demonstrations and guided hands-on sessions, the workshop will cover: Multisource geodata integration (geophysics, geology, geochemistry, remote sensing) ML methods, including PU-learning, oversampling, and deep learning. Incorporation of deep-time tectonic and geodynamic variables (convergence rates, slab geometry, crustal thickness) Construction of spatial and spatiotemporal prospectivity models Interpretation of probability maps, uncertainty, and metallogenic persistence A complete workflow is demonstrated for Porphyry Copper systems in the North American Cordillera, highlighting discovery insights and frontier targeting opportunities. This workshop equips participants with practical skills to build 4D models, integrate open-source tools (GPlates, pyGPlates), and apply Kalpa to real exploration problems. No advanced coding background is required. Participants are required to bring their own laptop.

Workshop convenor/contact: Adrian Fabris, GSSA; Kathy Ehrig, BHP; Invited industry speakers

Days: 2

26^th-27^th Aug 

Iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG) deposits form some of the world’s most significant mineral deposits. Since the discovery of Olympic Dam, IOCG deposits have been recognized elsewhere in the Gawler Craton and in a number of terranes world-wide leading to significant advances in the understanding of their formation and diversity.

This core display and associated workshop will showcase South Australia’s IOCG deposits including detailed descriptions of major deposits facilitated by the Geological Survey of SA, BHP and various experts.

Drill core will include examples from Olympic Dam, Carrapateena, Prominent Hill and Oak Dam. The workshop will cover key characteristics of the IOCG deposit style, with an emphasis on hematite-dominant deposits.

All attendees will need to organize their own travel to Adelaide and overnight accommodation for this workshop.

Course Takeaways

• Characteristics of the IOCG deposit class
• Discuss and see examples of the diversity in the deposit class, including high to low temperature alteration mineralogy
• Compare and contrast world-class and sub-economic IOCG occurrences
• Understand the ingredients necessary to form high-grade mineralisation

Workshop convenor/contact: Ryan Noble (CSIRO), Anicia Henne (CSIRO)

Days: 0.5

This is workshop is designed to learn how to generate and interpret machine learned landscape types and assess geochemical outliers from your soil surveys using LandScape+—a web-based tool designed for surface exploration in Australia. 

Traditional geochemical analysis often treats all samples as a single population, ignoring the physical landscapes that influence metal dispersion. With LandScape+ geologists can create landscape-type maps from public spatial data sets, treat samples as sub-populations based on landscape types, identify true geochemical anomalies with greater confidence and use outputs to plan the next exploration steps

This workshop guides participants through the complete workflow of LandScape+® using an example project. Participants will gain practical skills for surface geochemistry and the scientific background insights to improve survey planning and data interpretation.

Whilst not a pre-requisite, participants without prior knowledge of regolith geochemistry and landscape evolution may benefit from attending Workshop 4a "Regolith geochemistry and landscape context with an emphasis on semi-arid terrains"

Please note that LandScape+(R) is currently exclusively available in Australia due to data coverage with some test work being done in other countries to support future application more broadly.

Workshop convenor/contact: Jim Austin (CSIRO), Stephan Thiel (CSIRO), Shane Mule (CSIRO)

Days: 1

This workshop will showcase the application of Geophysics to mineral system science. Targeted at mineral explorers and economic geologists, the program will blend high level overviews on a range of techniques with relevant, relatable case histories. Presenters will demonstrate geophysical approaches to exploration through cover from regional to camp scale, mantle to cover, and outline key geophysical signatures covering a range of deposit styles and commodities (e.g., Cu, Au, Fe, Ni, PGE and other critical minerals). We will explore how integration of geophysics and petrophysics, both across scales and with other geoscience data, can help answer some of the fundamental questions of mineral system science: What can geophysics tell us about Geodynamics, Architecture, Fluids sources, Pathways and Depositional Controls? 

Workshop convenor/contact: Laura Petrella, Denis Fougerouse (Curtin)

Days: 2

This workshop will introduce techniques such as EPMA, SIMS, NanoSIMS, ToF-SIMS, EBSD, TEM, and Atom Probe, followed by a half-day session focused on case studies.

Workshop convenor/contact: Albert Gilg (Technical University of Munich)

Days: 2

Clay minerals are common alteration phases in upper crustal mineral systems, including epithermal, porphyry, sediment-hosted and supergene metal deposits. They are useful vectors to mineralization, valuable ores of Li, Ni and Zn, and industrial minerals such as bentonite, kaolin, sepiolite or halloysite. However, they also are seen increasingly detrimental in mineral processing. Clays matter in economic geology. Their identification and quantification are inherently difficult due to their small size, structural complexity and mineralogical diversity. X-ray diffraction analysis is still the most versatile and effective method for clay mineral identification and quantification. We will address specimen preparation, clay mineralogy essentials, and strategies of identification and quantification of clay minerals with ample exercises using an open source software tool (Profex-BGMN).

Workshop convenor/contact: Marco Fiorentini (UWA) & Carl Spandler (Adelaide University) & Maria Cherdantseva (UWA)

Days: 0.5

The half-day short course aims to bring together the latest understanding on the physio-chemical processes that lead to the genesis of mineral systems enriched in critical metals, with specific emphasis on source characteristics, establishment of plumbing networks conducive the effective metal transport, and concentration mechanisms across the lithosphere. The focus will be laid on a range of mafic and ultramafic systems hosting magmatic sulfide mineralisation enriched in Ni-Cu-Co-V-PGE-Au, and alkaline magmas enriched in REE-Nb. 

The workshop will showcase case studies and recent research results stemming from the ARC Centre in Critical Resources for the Future, that highlight the commonalities among these apparently diverse mineral systems, putting forward the hypothesis that they are part of a metallogenic continuum. Assessment of metallogenic fertility and refinement of exploration targeting techniques will be discussed interactively.

Workshop convener/contact: Dr. Nora Rubinstein (Principal Researcher, National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET); Associated Professor in Economic Geology, University of Buenos Aires (UBA).

Days: 1

The aim of this workshop is to provide a general overview on the metallogenesis of the Central Andes of Argentina. Key topics will include the main metallogenic epochs and their relationship to the regional magmatic cycles, from the Permian to the Miocene-Pliocene, discussing their regional large-scale geodynamic controls. Besides, a review of the main Cu and Au Cenozoic deposits of economic interest will be presented, including a synthesis of the structural, magmatic and hydrothermal characteristics of key Cenozoic porphyry-type and epithermal deposits.

Workshop convener/contact: GSQ: Vladimir Lisitsin, Alkis Kontonikas-Charos, Elena Belousova

Days: 2. 

This 2-day post-conference workshop will showcase the diversity of Iron Oxide copper-gold (IOCG) and genetically affiliated deposits in the Cloncurry district of the Mount Isa Province in Queensland. Hosted in the Exploration Data Centre of the Geological Survey of Queensland (GSQ) in Brisbane, the workshop will focus on guided core viewing of representative drill cores illustrating key deposit styles of the Metasomatic Iron Alcali-Calcic (MIAC) mineral system in the Cloncurry district. Featured deposits include Ernest Henry, Eloise, Rocklands, SWAN and Maronan – as well as several recently discovered Iron Sulfide Copper-Gold (ISCG) deposits.

The workshop will include a series of introductory presentations (from GSQ experts and invited speakers) outlining the variety of deposit styles produced by the MIAC mineral system and geology of the featured deposits - including their geochemical and mineralogical signatures, latest findings on isotope geochemistry and geochronology and their genetic implications. Accompanying materials will include outputs of comprehensive drill core characterisation, including continuous hyperspectral mineralogy, micro-XRF and TIMA imagery.

Workshop convener/contact: Hamid Zekri and David Cohen, UNSW | MinEx CRC

Days: 1

Understanding regolith development and the geological processes that influence downhole geochemical, mineralogical and petrophysical patterns is important in mineral exploration. Reliable identification of changes within drillhole profiles, including boundaries related to weathering, lithology, alteration and mineralisation, can improve geological logging, sampling strategies and interpretation.

• This full-day workshop will introduce practical approaches to the analysis and integration of drillhole datasets. It will cover univariate, bivariate and multivariate data analysis techniques, with focus on supervised and unsupervised classification methods used to recognise geological patterns and support interpretation.
• Participants will be introduced to LithoBound, a web-based application developed for objective drillhole boundary detection and geological characterisation. LithoBound integrates geochemical, spectral, petrophysical and geological data to identify significant changes within drillholes and assess the variables contributing to those changes.
• Practical sessions will use example drillhole datasets to explore data relationships, select and transform variables, identify and classify geological intervals, compare results with existing geological logs, and correlate equivalent units between drillholes. Participants will also use LithoBound to prepare cross-sections and 3D fence diagrams for interpreting geological relationships across multiple drillholes.
• Topics covered:
  • Geological controls on downhole geochemical and mineralogical patterns
  • Preparation, quality control and integration of drillhole datasets
  • Univariate, bivariate and multivariate data analysis including unsupervised and supervised machine learning techniques
  • Detection and interpretation of geological boundaries using LithoBound
  • Classification and correlation of geological intervals between drillholes (Cross-sections and 3D fence diagrams)

  • Applications to geological interpretation, sampling and exploration targeting

     

Participants should bring a laptop. No programming experience is required.