Mining companies will be able to explore more effectively for minerals in any of the six continents under a proposal to build the world's most advanced mineral satellite in Australia.
An international consortium of mining companies and Government Geological Surveys has been formed to investigate the feasibility of launching the world's first satellite based imaging spectrometer.
A $1m feasibility study that could lead to the launch of ARIES-1 (the Australian Resource Information and Environmental Satellite) by 2000 was announced in Perth today by CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Malcolm McIntosh.
Besides spotting minerals from space, ARIES-1 could also provide Australia with timely warning of defence and environmental threats, land degradation and market intelligence about the state of global crops and forests.
"If the feasibility study gives the green light for the project, ARIES-1 will be Australia's most ambitious and potentially most commercially rewarding space project and play a vital role in Australia's national civilian space program which is now being administered by CSIRO," Dr McIntosh said.
The ARIES project is a joint effort between CSIRO, Auspace Ltd, the Australian Centre for Remote Sensing (ACRES) with support from Earth Resource Mapping Pty Ltd, Geoimage Pty Ltd and Technical and Field Surveys Pty Ltd.
Dr McIntosh said the project has evolved through 20 years of remote sensing R&D between CSIRO and the mining industry through the Australian Minerals Industries Research Association (AMIRA).
"The ARIES-1 Board of Management and the project team have achieved a major coup in securing government and Australian and international industry support for the full-scale commercial and technical feasibility study for the project."
"ARIES-1 will be the first Australian built and launched low Earth orbit satellite and will represent a major step forward for the construction of high-technology systems in Australia."
"The satellite's hyperspectral sensors will provide detailed information on the composition of the Earth's surface not only identifying exposed minerals but also vegetation types " Dr McIntosh said.
The ARIES-1 satellite will to provide new and unique information products for the mineral exploration industry and for resource and environmental management around the world.
Mineral exploration companies will be able to use these new products to increase the efficiency and environmental sensitivity of future exploration, particularly in remote regions of the world.
ARIES-1 will also provide a new capability for geological mapping, environmental monitoring and land use assessment for agriculture, forestry and defence applications worldwide. ARIES will monitor the globe on a regular basis to assess the extent and condition of crops and forests and to map land degradation, such as overgrazing and salinity.
The feasibility study, to be undertaken with AMIRA support, will take six months and cost in excess of $1.2 million. The Australian government is sponsoring the study with a $300,000 grant and ten international resource industry and agency sponsors have made a commitment of $75,000 each. The project partners are providing the balance of the funding. The current sponsors are:
The ARIES-1 Board have recently appointed Macquarie Bank as their financial advisers who are confident that the $70-100 million finance package required to deliver an operational satellite and the associated receiving and processing facilities by the year 2000 can be achieved.
The ARIES-1 system, when it is fully operational, will be an Australian commercial entity distributing both base products and value added information products to subscribers and customers in Australia and around the globe
For more information contact : Dr Jon Huntington 029 887 8839 or Dennis Puniard 06 216 7235(W) ,(06) 2314580(AH), 019 447 187