b'Geophysics in the surveysNewsGeological Survey of Western Australia: Geological Survey of Western Australias Accelerated Geoscience ProgramDuring 202021, the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) reprioritized its work programme due to the impact of travel and operational restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. By using its extensive geoscience datasets and outstanding rock and palaeontology collections, GSWAs Accelerated Geoscience Program (ACP) aims to aid economic recovery and stimulate the exploration industry. In three digital packages GSWA has delivered new interpretive datasets across all areas of geoscience in key regions of the State, accelerating understanding of the regions geology and mineral prospectivity.To date, the ACP has delivered close to a hundred new interpreted datasets across the four projects, consisting of about 1080 interpreted data layers that comprise original work by GSWA and repurposed or reprocessed data originating from other organizations.Publication of existing data into GIS layersThe ACP has delivered previously non-digital datasets as new spatial datasets. The majority of the new datasets are delivered at the state scale including new whole rock Sm-Nd and zircon Lu-Hf and oxygen isotope maps and a new 1:250 000 major crustal boundaries layer (Figure 1) which utilises some critical new geophysical datasets and captures the nuances of State-based geological interpretations. The major crustal boundaries layer integrates the most recent geophysical data with current understanding of the geological evolution of the State at a significantly improved level of detail. For the purposes of this interpretation, a major crustal boundary is defined as a lithospheric-scale structure that is interpreted to transect the crust toFigure 1.Major crustal boundaries of Western Australia overlain on composite potential field data the Moho, and/or a structure within theconsisting of isostatic residual gravity (colour) and first vertical derivative, reduced to pole aeromagnetics crust that forms the boundary between(texture). Boundaries are symbolized and coloured according to dip direction and maximum age, interpreted tectonic units at the terranerespectivelyor province scale. The major crustal boundaries were then modeled in 3D inand contains significant deposits ofregions are likely to be as prospective order to better constrain the complexitiesgold, nickel, lithium, copperzinc,as the cratons interior (i.e. Eastern of the crustal architecture and assembly ofiron ore, tantalum, aluminium andGoldfields). Despite both regions Western Australia (Figure 2). uranium. Recent high-grade gold andbeing covered by a thick blanket of nickel discoveries in the cratons farregolith, GSWA holds a vast amount Yilgarn Craton eastern (Gruyere, Tropicana, Neale) andof geoscientific data relating to the southwestern margins (Julimar), havebedrock and regolith geology with the The Yilgarn Craton is one of Westernshown that these two poorly exposedpotential for uncovering significant, Australias most prospective regionsand geologically not well-understoodnew mineral deposits. The minerals AUGUST 2021 PREVIEW 24'