Resources and Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King has launched the first new gravity testing site under the government's $3.4 billion Resourcing Australia's Prosperity initiative, which will use gravity readings to help identify the resources beneath our feet.
Minister King joined scientists from Geoscience Australia to test the gravity readings for the Western Australian town of Bunbury, with the highly sensitive measurement to be a benchmark for further gravity tests in the region and across the nation.
Gravity measurements differ across Australia, appearing stronger over dense rocks like granite and weaker over less dense rocks like sandstone. The information can help identify minerals or groundwater and provide data to help mineral exploration.
"Accurate gravity data helps us better understand the world under our feet, including potential sites for groundwater and minerals, including critical minerals," Minister King said.
"Detailed gravity information will enable geological mapping and mineral exploration. It also allows scientists to measure Australia's land movement, powering the GPS and navigation systems Australians rely on every day."
Minister King and scientists from Geoscience Australia used an instrument called an A10 absolute gravimeter to measure Earth's gravity at the new Bunbury location. The results will be added to existing national gravity data and will be made freely available online.
The new gravity measurements will be part of the Resourcing Australia's Prosperity Initiative, which is a long-term program to comprehensively map Australia for minerals, alternative energy sources and groundwater using satellite and gravity data.
Australia's existing National Gravity Database contains more than 1.8 million gravity observations conducted across Australia since 1938.
