The South Australian Discovery Mapping (SADM) project is a new 3-year initiative launched in November 2021. The $5 million project will modernise the capture, management, delivery, and scope of the state’s precompetitive geological map datasets, creating a modern, world-class geoscience data asset and platform.

Geological maps are a core function of any geological survey organisation and are fundamental for understanding the geology and distribution of prospective lithostratigraphic units across any region. The Geological Survey of South Australia (GSSA) has been creating maps of South Australia at various scales since the 1890s, and continues to update, capture new data and innovate on our geological maps today.

The GSSA currently produces several different digital map layers of the geology of South Australia, available through the South Australian Resources Information Gateway (SARIG). These include the 1:1 million scale surface geology, solid geology, and regolith geology map layers as well as the 1:100,000 scale surface geology dataset, currently the best resolution publicly available. However, these products were designed primarily to be produced as printed maps and as such are generally low resolution, and are now largely based on older interpretations. These traditional maps also lack detail and consistent metadata, meaning they are unsuitable for online searching, machine-based analysis and modern exploration methods.

There are 3 major components to the SADM project:

• Design and build a new internal geological map data compilation and management system to allow the creation and rapid update of new and existing digital map products.
• Design and build a new data delivery system to allow external users to easily interact with and utilise the data. Creation of web services for all required data streams and a standalone SA Geology mobile app for easy field use of the data and the accompanying SA digital explanatory notes system.
• Translate and compile existing and new geological map data into the new SADM system.

The primary aim of the project is to make it easy for users to interact and use data in whatever way they need to. That may be via the SARIG web portal, directly via web services or machine to machine, or via the 'to be created' mobile app. All while delivering the best available seamless data across the state. The new datasets will include significantly more attribution against each line and polygon, compiled in a consistent way using validated vocabularies that are mappable to international standards. A current review of South Australia’s stratigraphic units is also underway to ensure a consistent stratigraphy across the state and delivery of detailed stratigraphic descriptions via the SADM digital platform.

The capture of more information against each spatial feature will allow for the generation of various different map products, tailorable by the user. Currently, the GSSA delivers a pseudo lithostratigraphic map (mixture of lithology based stratigraphic units and true, defined, stratigraphic units) at a best resolution of 1:100,000 scale. By including additional information on each polygon such as major lithology, alteration, regolith material, landform and TI_Scheme, users will be able to generate lithology, alteration type, regolith, landform and in situ versus transported material maps, amongst others, at the best available resolution across the state (minimum about 1:25,000 scale).

The compilation of new and detailed spatial structure layers and associated data, building on new structural interpretations based on the Gawler Craton Airborne Survey and other modern geophysical datasets, will greatly enhance the ability to model mineral prospectivity based on structural and kinematic setting. The inclusion of other chemical proxies for prospectivity, as well as new and expanded data layers such as geochronology, isotopic data and metamorphic grade, will also greatly enhance the effectiveness of regional mineral potential models.

The SADM project will deliver the best available geological mapping in an integrated, scaleless and seamless dataset across the state, together with significantly more data attributes. These fundamental datasets will be machine-ready and interoperable for direct application of machine-learning and other innovative data analytics.

By delivering a world-class geological map dataset, via free and open data standards, we hope South Australia’s spatial geological data will become the foundation for a modern data-driven exploration revolution in the state.

– Rian Dutch, March 2022

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