b'AEGC 2021Keynote speaker abstractswithin the geosciences, and with engineering, ecological andpiercing points observed in a 1D drill hole (and data collected social sciences. from it) into a vast 3D volume.A mineral systems approach to exploration uses known The future of geoscience education critical elements that contribute to ore deposit formation through mapping their geological proxies. Geophysical data Richard Lillyis abounding in Australia and can link what is understood University of Adelaide - NExUSfrom drill core together with mapped geology. However, richard.lilly@adelaide.edu.au its resolution or pixel size is not comparable to the detail of Australia produces world-class geoscientists, but there ispetrophysics measured in a drill log. This inhibits data-driven a growing skills gap between what students are taught atmineral systems analysis and the development of machine university and what industry requires. How do we ensurelearning techniques for the analysis in covered regions.student engagement and sustainable employment? The minerals industry is changing fast and is facing a prolonged20 years of seismic acquisitiona semi-period of increased demand of all commodities, withautobiographical review, and predictions for the futureexploration success and industry best practice paramount in meeting the need for raw materials to build our sustainableTim Dean energy future. Geoscientists have never been so crucial toBHP society. tim.dean@bhp.comHowever, enrolments are falling nationally in all STEM subjectsThe fortunes of the seismic acquisition industry during the last and universities are burdened with a broken business model20 years have followed the oil price, which itself has varied by resulting in severe financial pressures. The results are stark,a factor of more than 7 during this period, but on steroids as with esteemed geoscience departments closing in Australia,exploration tends to be one of the first budget lines to suffer increased vulnerability for those that remain and unrelentingonce oil prices fall.pressure on an ever-reducing number of teaching staff. The student experience is also changing, with remote and on- At the turn of the century the marine seismic acquisition demand learning coming to the forefront, challenging theindustry was relatively stable, with a number of large traditional learning experience, often resulting in graduatesinternational contractors. The steady increase in the oil price in with less practical experience. the mid-2000s drove demand, and the major contractors began to look to expand capacity, acquiring a number of smaller, often Where are the geoscientists of the future going to come from?newly established, contractors. 2010 was the start of a relatively What skills will they need? How can we best prepare them forstable period in the oil price that continued up to 2014, with employment? How can companies recruit and retain the bestlittle major change in the industry. The next major fall in the talent? Collaboration between academia and industry has neveroil price in 2015, which continues to the present, precipitated been more important to forming integrated learning pathwaysa period of major consolidation, leaving Shearwater and PGS through school, university and supporting life-long learning,as the only major international marine seismic acquisition but any solution requires sustained support, coordination andcontractors. The trajectory for land acquisition has been leadership. similar, but steeper, there are no longer any major international acquisition contractors, the industry instead being dominated Mineral systems and data integration as part of theby local companies.foundation for the future of mineral exploration In technology terms, both areas have seen drives to increase Sandra Occhipintiquality and/or productivity. For marine streamer surveys this has CSIROinvolved the use of streamers with higher sensor density, and sandra.occhipinti@csiro.au increasingly multiple sensor types, coupled with larger spreads and multiple source arrays. Coincident with this has been As exploration focuses on defining new resources under largethe increased popularity of ocean bottom nodes and lately, Phanerozoic basins and thick unconsolidated cover, genericdual nodal/streamer surveys. On land we have seen steadily exploration models, following a mineral systems approach,increasing channel counts allowing larger, denser, spreads will be vital to future exploration programmes. Specific orewith productivity boosted through the use of a variety of high deposit models may not be that helpful in the early stages ofproductivity vibroseis techniques.exploration in these regions, as distinct geological signaturesIn this paper we discuss the last 20 years of seismic acquisition, usually sought, like those in soil geochemistry, will beboth from an industry and personal perspective, before making challenging to attain. some predictions about what the future holds.Sampling material at particular regolith interfaces or unconformities will be necessary to map geochemicalThe role of mine waste in the fight against climate changedispersion. Understanding landscape evolution and palaeoenvironments will be beneficial when determining theAnita Parbhakar-Fox length scales of dispersion and their direction. Geophysical1W.H.Bryan Geology and Mining Centre, Sustainable Minerals signatures mostly mapped and understood in 2D planarInstitute, The University of Queensland surfaces will have to be inverted in 3D, with an understandinga.parbhakarfox@uq.edu.auof uncertainty to estimate aspects such as the extent of cover, regolith, sedimentary or volcanic interfaces, the 3D architectureThe global response to climate change, initiated by the Paris of prospective basins as well as linking known geologicalAgreement, has been to encourage countries to transition AUGUST 2021 PREVIEW 58'