Integration of regional scale geophysical data to generate a 3D geological model of the Paterson Province

The Paterson province is host to significant gold and copper deposits, however, deep Phanerozoic cover overlying strongly deformed Proterozoic sedimentary basins, means that it remains poorly understood, especially in 3D. IGO's early-stage exploration strategy is based on building a robust regional 3D geological model utilising the large amounts of geophysical, geological and geochemical data available in the region. The pillars of the geological model are based on building knowledge around the sedimentary hosted copper deposit model, where basin architecture, fluid pathways and metal source rocks are critical ingredients to generate a world class deposit. A wide range of regional scale geophysical datasets have been used to assist in the creation of the model: airborne magnetics, gravity, airborne electromagnetics, ground and airborne natural source electromagnetic surveys. A combination of 1D, 2D and 3D inversions of this data were generated to provide detailed physical property models that cover all or most of the project region. The integration of all these datasets in a 3D environment has resulted in the creation of a geological model of stratigraphy and structures. Most importantly, the model is created with the aim of developing an understanding of the timing relationships between magmatic and deformation events and the deposition of the Proterozoic sedimentary basins. The resulting model is a live resource subject of constant updates as new data is collected. Recent drilling has validated some of the interpretations generated from the 'live' geology model.