The petrophysics dataset contains petrophysical (rock physical properties) data acquired by the Geological Survey of NSW. It stores measurements of samples and mapping sites collected under the Field Observations database, including from drillholes. It currently covers the following techniques: mass properties, electrical, radiometric, seismic rock physics, magnetic susceptibility and magnetic remanence. It contains raw readings and calculated results, from field and laboratory environments. Vector and tensor magnetic properties (remanence and anisotropic magnetic susceptibility (AMS)) are oriented to in-situ (geographic) and fold-corrected (stratigraphic) co-ordinates where sample and bedding orientation are known.

Marine protected areas are parts of the NSW marine estate managed to conserve marine biodiversity and support marine science, recreation and education. The NSW system of marine protected areas includes: marine parks – six multiple use marine parks cover around one third (approximately 345,000 hectares) of the NSW marine estate aquatic reserves – 12 aquatic reserves cover around 2,000 hectares of the NSW marine estate national parks and nature reserves – include around 20,000 hectares of estuarine and oceanic habitats.

The NSW Government has acquired hyperspectral data to aid geological interpretation. The location of hyperspectral coverage is contained within this layer. The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at time of writing (April 2017). Because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that information upon which they rely is up to date. The information contained in this publication may not be or may no longer be aligned with government policy nor does the publication indicate or imply government policy.

Areas restricted from mining or exploration. Reserves emplaced by external agencies or authorities. If a lease application covers part or all of one of these areas, it must be referred to and approved by the agency which created the restriction.

Spatial data set showing Mining Divisions within New South Wales. Each Mining Division has a Mining Registrar. A title is considered to be within the Mining Division in which the most northeasterly portion of the title lies.

This layer shows the boundaries of each airborne gravity survey acquired by the NSW Government. Details on the spacing and age of the gravity data within each project area are in the attributes. The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at time of writing (April 2017). Because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that information upon which they rely is up to date. The information contained in this publication may not be or may no longer be aligned with government policy nor does the publication indicate or imply government policy.

This data set is modified from the Australian Geological Provinces Database (Geoscience Australia) and contains descriptions and spatial extents of the fundamental geological elements of NSW. Province types include sedimentary basins, tectonic provinces such as cratons and orogens, igneous provinces, and metallogenic or mineral provinces. At its simplest, a province may describe a sedimentary basin and its fill (e.g. the Sydney Basin). However, provinces may also be defined by a complex history of tectonics, metamorphism, magmatism, or metallogenesis. Provinces outlines, including their subsurface extent, are compiled at around 1:1 million scale. Descriptions of the provinces include age and geological history, parent-child hierarchy, constituent stratigraphic units and relations to surrounding provinces.

The Critical Mineral Analysis Project data set contains the analysis of a representative collection of the Geological Survey of New South Wales (GSNSW) existing rock and analytical powder collections to support the exploration for critical minerals. Existing pulps and powders from whole rock igneous rocks and mine dump samples were submitted for geochemical analysis to ensure the application of modern analytical techniques with significantly improved precision, detection limits for an extended range of trace elements, including the full complement of rare earth elements. Suites of mineral and rock samples from the Economic Rock and Mineral Collection were also selected for analysis from a variety of deposits, deposit types and regions across NSW. These comprise mineralised rocks and drillcore billets, and aggregates of ore minerals.

The NSW Mine Reuse project investigated the occurrence of critical metals in mining waste material. It involved a preliminary geochemical and mineralogical characterisation study across multiple metalliferous and coal sites on various waste material types, aiming to identify subsequent secondary prospectivity opportunities. The study was completed in collaboration between the Geological Survey of NSW, the Sustainable Minerals Institute at The University of Queensland, Geoscience Australia and RMIT University. The program consisted of hand-auger drilling and sample collection from various waste sources, including tailings, waste rock, slags, coal rejects and fly ash. Each sample then underwent a 48-element geochemical analysis, with targeted mineralogy and mineral chemistry conducted on selected samples to better understand the distribution of elevated critical elements.

Represent areas where the Department has declared reserves over which titles cannot be granted, or can only be granted provided that special conditions are met. The layer outlines these areas, and the restrictions which apply to each of them.