NSW Mineral Exploration and Investment Conference 2009,
Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney, 13-14 August.

Hon. Ian MacDonald MLC, Minister for Mineral Resources.

The NSW Mineral Exploration and Investment conference is a major biennial event featuring up to date information on government exploration initiatives, project development and investment opportunities in New South Wales.

The Hon. Ian MacDonald MLC, Minister for Mineral Resources opened the conference to over 200 delegates. The keynote address on Growing the Cadia Valley Operations was delivered by Mr Tony McPaul, Newcrests General Manager at Cadia. Several geoscientific presentations were made by Industry & Investment NSW.  Other papers were presented on subjects ranging from mineral and energy exploration through to CO2 sequestration and coal chain infrastructure by many industry and government contributors.

Mr Lindsay Gilligan, Director of the Geological Survey, gave a key presentation on mineral deposits in NSW and exploration project developments across all of NSW. In addition he gave an overview on the Governments New Frontiers initiative, a multi-year 24.5 initiative targeted at attracting new exploration investment to under-explored areas of NSW.

Mr Lindsay Gilligan, Director of Geological Survey.

John Watkins, Manager Regional Mapping & Exploration Geoscience, gave a presentation describing the success of the New Frontiers Initiative project in the Thomson Orogen. Mr Watkins presented new information on the age, geochemistry, tectonic setting and evolving ideas on the potential of the region for mineral deposits similar to those in the Lachlan Orogen, in particular deposits similar to those associated with the Macquarie Arc and Cobar Basin.

Mr Ricky Mantaring, Manager Petroleum Geoscience, summarised the results of the first three years of the petroleum program under the New Frontiers Initiative. In addition to the statewide assessment of conventional petroleum resources in NSW, he presented the latest work by the Industry & Investment NSW petroleum group on the geothermal energy assessment in NSW, in particular the high potential in the Sydney-Gunnedah Basin. Other unconventional play concepts, which may be new sources of 'clean  energy' such as deep coal seam methane, sub-thrust plays and tight sand gas were shown to exist in the Sydney -Gunnedah Basin.

Selected talks are available for download