Detailed geology data release - May 2025- GeoResGlobe

Detailed Geology Data Release—September 2025

This document describes the September 2025 update of the Queensland Detailed Geology dataset, now available for viewing in the GeoResGlobe (georesglobe.information.qld.gov.au) and download from the Queensland Spatial Catalogue (qldspatial.information.qld.gov.au). Online map services can be discovered from the Queensland Spatial Portal (spatial.information.qld.gov.au). Further details on updates in this release are listed below.

Detailed Surface and Solid Geology Data extents—September 2025

For more information please refer to the detailed geology data index and geological compilation map index.

Since the September 2023 data release, new or revised compilation maps of various types and scales have been generated over the August 2022 and September 2023 data release areas. For further details refer to the geological compilation map index above. New maps will be generated over the current data release area (May 2025) and made available on or before September 2025.

Overview data release

Eastern Fold Belt revision—Mount Isa Province

An updated solid geology interpretation has been produced for the undercover areas in the central and southern parts of the Eastern Fold Belt (EFB) south and southeast of Cloncurry, Queensland. This solid geology interpretation resulted from a series of industry-supported, projects completed for the Geological Survey of Queensland (GSQ) by the WH Bryan Mining & Geology Research Centre (BRC) of the Sustainable Mineral Institute (SMI) at The University of Queensland.

The BRC projects were focused on enhancing base metal prospectivity in the Eastern Fold Belt and have been pragmatically oriented, specifically focused within practically explorable depths in both outcropping and covered areas. BRC’s 2D and 3D interpretations in the Cloncurry-Osborne region (Deep Mining Queensland (DMQ); Murphy et al., 2017), around and south of Cannington (Southern Eastern Fold Belt; Hinman et al., 2018), and immediately south-east of Cloncurry (Central Eastern Fold Belt; Connors, 2019) have advanced the tectono-magmatic-stratigraphic understanding and significantly enhanced mineral prospectivity.

The results of the DMQ study were incorporated into a revision of the geology of the Selwyn area by Ian Withnall and Paul Donchak (GSQ) and included in a previous August 2022 data release. Detailed geology data release - August 2022 - GeoResGlobe

The interpretation of the Southern Eastern Fold Belt was done by Mark Hinman, supported by funding from the Compilation Project of the Queensland Government’s 4-year Strategic Resources Exploration Program (SREP) Northwest Queensland Mineral Province Discovery effort.

The interpretation was done in MapInfo DiscoverTM and based on a regional, low resolution, magnetic stitch that comprises the Mt Isa Open Range Survey (MIMEX, 1990-1992; line spacing 200-400m, flight height 70-80m), the Boulia-Springvale Survey (GA, 1997; line spacing 400m, flight height 80m) and the Isa East Survey (GSQ, 2006-2007; line spacing 400m, flight height 80m). Detailed aero-and heli-magnetic surveys were made available to the Project by South 32, Minotaur Exploration and Sandfire Resources. These detailed surveys were clustered to the east and south of the outcropping Eastern Fold Belt and were focused on the shallower portions of the covered belt, being collected on 50-100m line spacings and 30-60m nominal height.

The iterative interpretation process involved checking and integration of constraints from all the datasets in addition to the magnetic data, including radiometric and hyperspectral data in outcropping areas and seismic and proprietary drilling data in areas under cover.

The datasets produced by Hinman and Connors although detailed and of high quality were not in a format suitable for immediate incorporation into the Statewide Detailed Surface and Solid Geology Data. The structure of the attribute tables for both polygons and arcs did not correspond to that of the Statewide data. In addition, polygons were digitised directly and not built from arcs. Consequently, faults which were digitised separately to the polygons did not exactly correspond to polygon boundaries where the latter were defined by faults. This potentially would create sliver polygons when the data was imported into the Statewide data structure.

Therefore, the Hinman-Connors data were rigorously edited by Ian Withnall (Volunteer Geoscientist, GSQ). Polygons were converted to arcs and all segments that corresponded to faults attributed as such. All duplicated segments from the fault layer were deleted. Folds and other linear features such as dykes and trends were also re-attributed. Arcs were edge-matched with adjoining areas. All arcs were checked against topology rules used by GSQ and after necessary corrections were completed, polygons were rebuilt and tagged with keys from the GSQ Rock Units database. After further topology checking and elimination of sliver polygons, the Phanerozoic cover polygons were combined with those of the solid geology and all resultant polygons tagged with both surface and solid rock unit keys.

Final checking including edge-matching and stitching into the Statewide Detailed Surface and Solid Geology Data was carried out by Departmental Spatial Information staff. A further Eastern Fold Belt interpretation to the north of Karen Connors study was carried out by Ben Jupp, Principal Geologist, SRK consulting. Similarly, these data are currently being readied for incorporating into our detailed dataset.

Some attributes of arcs in the Hinman-Connors data such as the timing and relationships of faults and folds to deformation events could not be easily incorporated in the Detailed Surface and Solid Geology data structure, so users who need to access such interpretations should consult the original files in the sources listed below

References

Hinman, M., Huisman, D., Little, G. & Porter, M., 2018. Solid Geology Interpretation of the Southern Eastern Fold Belt, Mt Isa, Northwest Queensland. GSQ Commissioned report by SMI BRC WH Bryan Mining & Geology Research Centre, University of Queensland, as part of the NW Mineral Province New Discovery Program. https://geoscience.data.qld.gov.au/data/report/cr108143

Murphy, T., Hinman, M., Donohue, J., Pirlo, M., Valenta, R., Jones, M. & Pratt, A., 2017 Deep Mining Queensland: Prospectivity Analysis in the Southern Cloncurry Belt, Queensland, Australia. GSQ Commissioned Industry Study by SMI BRC WH Bryan Mining & Geology Research Centre, University of Queensland. https://geoscience.data.qld.gov.au/data/report/cr102015

Connors, K, 2019. Central Eastern Fold Belt, Northwest Queensland Solid Geology Interpretation and Insights from Crustal Architecture. GSQ Commissioned report by The Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland. https://geoscience.data.qld.gov.au/data/report/cr123565

Calen and Proserpine region—solid geology

These changes were made possible by:

References

Revision 2025 by J.S. Spence, Geoscientist, Minerals Geoscience, Geological Survey of Queensland, Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development. See Spence, 2023 for summary. Available at: https://geoscience.data.qld.gov.au/data/report/cr143974

Further details of the Calen and Proserpine 1:100 000 map sheet areas revision are contained in the May 2025 data release notes Detailed geology data release - May 2025- GeoResGlobe

This revision of the solid geology of the Georgetown–Croydon region is based mainly on a study of drill core held by the Geological Survey. Basement cores from more than forty holes were examined and a diverse array of rock types identified, highlighting the difficulty in integrating the solid geology interpretation, based mainly on remote sensing (aeromagnetic) data, with the surface geology coverage based mainly on field observations.

Recent surface and solid geology mapping completed over the Calen and Proserpine 1:100 000 map sheet areas between 2021 to 2022 (see Spence, 2023 for more information).
The largely sparse cover across the Mackay, Mirani, Hillalong, Urannah, and part of the Bowen 1:100 000 scale map sheet areas which facilitated solid geology interpretation through the use of satellite imagery and geophysics.

References

Further details of the Calen and Proserpine 1:100 000 map sheet areas revision are contained in the May 2025 data release notes Detailed geology data release - May 2025- GeoResGlobe

New geology updates—September 2025

Line ID descriptions for data extents—September 2025

Line ID descriptions for data extents and errors

The seamless departmental detailed geology datasets have been compiled from multiple sources over many years, and inconsistencies may be present in some cases. Note also that these mismatches may extend across multiple map sheets. These issues are being addressed progressively, as they are identified, to improve data quality. Any constructive feedback from our data users is welcomed and can be directed to the email address below.

Please e-mail your feedback to:

Geological Information
Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development
geological_info@nrmmrrd.qld.gov.au
Attn: Geoscience Data Management Team, Spatial Information

Link to detailed geology data index

Queensland detailed geological data index

This index represents data capture scales. Large areas of the State, most particularly in the State’s southwest, were mapped in the 1960’s and 1970’s using 1:85 000 aerial photography. Subsequent mapping progressively used more detailed larger scale photography as it became available. Recent data capture has used the best available satellite imagery and geophysical survey information.

Link to geological compilation map index

Queensland geological compilation map index

Since the September 2023 data release, new or revised compilation maps of various types and scales have been generated over the August 2022 and September 2023 data release areas. For further details please refer to the geological compilation map index and accompanying spreadsheet via the above link. In coming months, maps will be generated over areas covered by the more recent May 2025 and September 2025 data releases.

All areas covered by new or revised data will have new compilation maps generated. These maps will be available from the GSQ Open Data Portal soon. GSQ Open Data Portal | Business Queensland

QSpatial Data Package Contents

The latest detailed geology data can be downloaded from QSpatial Catalogue (qldspatial.information.qld.gov.au). Data is provided in three separate packages for structure, surface and solid geology. Each of these packages contains an ESRI file geodatabase, shapefiles and MapInfo tab files. In this release, ESRI .lyr and .lyrx files are included. The layer files refer to the feature classes inside the geodatabases. Please note due to ArcMap being retired in March 2026, all future data releases will only supply ArcGIS Pro layer (.lyrx) files. Symbology is also provided as .qlr files for use in QGIS.

Proposed content future data releases

March 2026 data release

Eastern Fold Belt revision—Mount Isa Province (northern part)—B. Jupp (SRK consulting)
Updating of geology Ayr 1 : 250 000 map sheet area to match revised topographic coastline

September 2026 data release

Stage 2, Georgetown Region Solid Geology revision—R.J. Bultitude (GSQ)
Stage 3, Georgetown Region Solid Geology revision—J.S. Spence (GSQ)