Nation's biggest core library to drive discovery
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
Senator the Hon. Mathias Cormann
Minister for Finance
The Hon Bill Marmion MLA
WA Minister for Mines and Petroleum
Perth will soon host Australia’s biggest and newest drill core facility, with construction now under way as part of a $7.3 million transformation of the Perth Core Library.
Launching the $5.1 million main construction stage today, Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion and Commonwealth Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said the historic library would be extended and modernised, increasing its capacity to drive the discovery of new resources.
“In the case of the core library, bigger is definitely better,” Mr Marmion said.
“I thank the Commonwealth Government for its $1.2 million contribution, which will help this expansion yield not only a nation-leading facility but a world-class exploration resource.
“With the challenges facing the industry, it is crucial we do everything possible to promote new mining and petroleum developments and the employment and innovations they will deliver.
“The project will also support up to 70 construction industry jobs.”
The library contains samples dating back to the 1890s and now stores more than 500 kilometres of drill core, from government drilling, mineral industry donations, industry onshore and offshore petroleum drilling, and Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) co-funded drilling.
“The Commonwealth recognises the importance of maintaining world-class management of petroleum data and samples.” Minister Cormann said. “We are pleased to support the redevelopment project by making a direct contribution.”
Mining and petroleum companies, prospectors and researchers constantly use the facility to help guide exploration programs.
“The core library project dovetails with the State Government’s successful $130 million EIS,” Mr Marmion said.
“By helping focus exploration, the information available at the core library can potentially save the industry millions of dollars.”
The expansion will extend its capacity by 3,500 square metres, allowing storage of 14,300 pallets, or about 1000 kilometres, of core.
It will also expand the viewing space for geologists and extend facilities to house the high-speed spectroscopic HyLogger imaging system, which is being used to create a virtual, online core library.
The Perth Core Library is also the western hub of the National Offshore Petroleum Data and Core Repository and stores two-thirds of all Commonwealth-managed petroleum core derived from offshore drilling around the nation.
Viewing of core inside the library has increased 300 per cent since 2006.
The expansion project is expected to be completed in November 2016.
Minister Cormann: Karen Wu – 0428 350 139
Minister Marmion: Nick Way – 0419 835 449