Innovation grants for four junior mineral explorers

  Four junior mineral explorers have received a total of $145,000 in grants for innovative research projects, Queensland Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said yesterday.Mr Wilson said the grants would help the explorers access technical resources to develop or test new exploration methods and concepts to uncover further mineral wealth.He said the junior mineral explorers will be able to link with specialist partners and other support industries, which will encourage their growth and innovation."Today's exploration will yield tomorrow's jobs," Mr Wilson said. "By giving explorers a helping hand, we're ultimately investing in the people who live and work in the region."The results from all four projects will be available to all explorers in two years.Mr Wilson said Queensland Gold and Minerals Limited would use its $25,000 grant to link with Australian and overseas laboratories to date rocks in the Georgetown District that are related to mineral deposits."This data will fill significant information gaps and will be used to better understand ore-forming processes and thereby target exploration in the area," he said.Icon Resources’ grant of $40,000 will be used to link with a Queensland geophysical company to trial experimental configurations and leading-edge processing techniques on a highly prospective mineral target near Burketown.Mr Wilson said the target was located more than 300m below ground and the techniques trialled would attempt to 'see through' the overlying material."The method is an adaptation of a known electrical technique that has not been used in this way in this area of Queensland before."Success will provide an incremental improvement in the technology and lessen the exploration risks associated in areas with potential host rocks under cover in Queensland," he said.Ozmin Resources will use its $40,000 grant for detailed data gathering, review and interpretation over a large area north of Chillagoe to investigate the potential for an innovative deposit model."Success will lead to the reassessment of many mineral occurrences in North Queensland," Mr Wilson said.ActivEX Limited and consultants will investigate an under-explored area of Queensland stretching over 215km from Esk to Gayndah.The company will use its $40,000 grant for detailed data review and collection, including applying new technologies, to investigate the potential for porphyry style copper and gold deposits in an under-explored area where these techniques have not previously been applied." If successful, the results will increase the prospectivity of the region," Mr Wilson said.These Industry Network Initiative grants were the third set to be allocated under the Queensland Government's Smart Mining - Future Prosperity program.