New Earth Observation (EO) technologies, and new EO datasets, present new opportunities for Australia’s mining sector. These include the use of synthetic aperture radar imaging, hyperspectral imaging, and machine learning models and tools for analysing the images. SmartSat’s Queensland Earth Observation Hub recently held a workshop to investigate how EO could help support Australia’s Critical Minerals sector. With EO now proposing a significant opportunity to play an important role in in Australia’s mining activities, the workshop brought people together from the mineral resources and earth observation industries, with interesting problems to solve, researchers with expertise and capabilities.
Dr Tim Parsons presenting on unlocking the benefits of EO for Australia’s critical minerals sector.
The workshop explored areas form pre-mining exploration through to post mining rehabilitation and management, including how satellite EO can deliver innovation and efficiencies in discovery, assessment, and monitoring. The workshop facilitated discussion on specific industry challenges, and participants worked in groups to investigate potential solutions and responses to industry challenges. Jointly facilitated by Gavin Kennedy and Tim Parsons, it is hoped that the workshop and discussion will lead to new partnerships, and attendees were encouraged to progress their ideas and proposals and apply to the Queensland Earth Observation Hub’s funding round that will have critical minerals as a priority theme in the upcoming funding round.
To align with this workshop, the call for latest applications for the Queensland Earth Observation Hub funding program is now open. EO is playing an increasingly significant role in Queensland’s critical minerals sector. From pre-mining exploration through to post mining rehabilitation, earth observation can deliver innovation and efficiencies in discovery, assessment, and monitoring. New technologies and new datasets present new opportunities across these activities, including SAR and hyperspectral imaging, machine learning models and tools for image analysis.
Attendees at the recent Queensland Earth Observation Hub workshop.
The Queensland Earth Observation Hub invites Queensland industry and research organisations to create the partnerships that will realise these opportunities, and to submit applications for the funding program. Funding is not limited to critical minerals activities and proposals from other sectors are also encouraged.
Gavin Kennedy
Queensland Earth Observation Hub Coordinator