Researchers at Australia's Curtin University announced that they are working on a project to develop a new fingerprinting tool capable of delving deeper into the Earth's rock layers.
In a press release, the scientists said the mechanism promises to be crucial for the country's mining and petroleum sectors because it will enhance their understanding of the Earth's sedimentary rocks.
Northern Star Resources and the Geological Survey of Western Australia will participate in the research.
Fieldwork involves investigating case studies at the Yilgarn Craton, Australia's premier gold and nickel province, spanning from Meekatharra to Western Australia's South-West including Kalgoorlie, as well as the Canning Basin, located in the Kimberley, and the Northern Carnarvon Basin.
"In recent years the number of significant discoveries has fallen and those that have been identified tend to be at greater depths," Curtin University Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Garry Allison, said in the media brief. "This new research will develop a new fingerprinting tool capable of shedding more light on some of the world's oldest rocks with the aim of helping Australian mining and petroleum explorers to uncover major new mineral and hydrocarbon deposits."
The experts, who are based at the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, secured A$352,000 in funding from the Australian Research Council's Linkage Project to go ahead with their plan.