CuBAS – Structural and sedimentological reconstruction and fluid flow simulations for copper exploration in the Yeneena Basin – Paterson Orogen, WA

The Challenge

Western Australia’s Yeneena Basin likely contains significant copper resources, but this potential cannot easily be realised through established exploration workflows due to the extensive cover rocks masking prospective geology. This establishes a value case for improving systematic understanding of the evolution of this basin in relation to known episodes of regional mineralisation.

Proposed Solution

This project aims to improve understanding of the exploration search parameters for copper in the Yeneena Basin through an integrated portfolio of assessments, including:

• Reconstruction and analysis of evolving basin architecture over time and the corresponding pathways available to mineralising fluids;
• Stratigraphic modelling of potential host and source rock distributions to develop a systematic copper mineralisation model for the basin, and;
• Computer simulations of ore fluid development and migration over time.

Proposed Benefits to WA

The understanding generated by this project will support improved copper exploration workflows and correspondingly reduced exploration risk for the Yeneena Basin, promoting investment this under-explored region. Validation of the techniques applied here would also have wider application to reducing mineral exploration risk in other Western Australian basins.