Airborne Geophysics Index (MAGIX)

Search for surveys and download data in the ‘Geophysical Surveys’ layers in the GeoVIEW.WA interactive map-viewing application.

Access to data is dependent on survey ownership and status indicated (see 'Obtaining survey datasets' below).

Most private company surveys in the register are those submitted to the department and released under the provisions of the Mining Act 1978, however, any airborne survey may be submitted for inclusion in the register. The access conditions for non-statutory submissions are specified by the owner of the survey data, ranging from confidentiality to open access.

Search for surveys in the ‘Geophysical Surveys’ layers in the interactive map-viewing application, GeoVIEW.WA. Access to data is dependent on survey ownership and status indicated (see 'Obtaining survey datasets' below).

You can download statewide and special-area compilation grids and images from the Regional geophysical survey data page. State compilation grids and images may also be downloaded from the GSWA Projects directory in the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre public data store.

You can register an airborne survey under the airborne survey reporting policy conditions as an alternative to submitting the data in a statutory annual exploration report.

Guidelines for Mineral Exploration Reporting.

Registration of an airborne survey under the reporting policy means the owner is guaranteed five years confidentiality from the survey date, plus an optional five years 'multiclient' data sales period with an independent sales agent. The data only have to be submitted once, and we provide you with a MAGIX registration number to be quoted in any report (instead of having to include the data).

If airborne data files are submitted with an annual report, they are held with the report under the Mining Act conditions, and the data will be released to open file when the report is released.

Note that as of May 2019, the department will no longer register aerial photography surveys under the Reporting Policy in MAGIX. These surveys are to be submitted with annual reports and held under Mining Act conditions.

Registration

To register a survey under the reporting policy conditions, download a survey registration form and submit the completed form with the located data in ASEG-GDF2 format, and a copy of the operations report (in PDF or MS Word format).

To submit data files up to 10 gigabytes online, send a request to geophysics@dmirs.wa.gov.au with the registration form attached. We will send you details on how to proceed.

Owners of registered surveys may request a copy of their data at any time.

Please note that if you are the owner of a confidential survey registered under reporting policy conditions, the department does not send out notices alerting owners to the impending expiry of the multi-client conversion option period.

The data will be released to open file if the following is not received by the option expiry date:

• written advice of placement of data eligible for multi-client conversion with an independent sales agent
• a copy of the sales agreement

Once released, the data cannot be converted to multi-client status.

Access to survey data is dependent on the data ownership and status which are shown in the list of attributes for each survey in the MAGIX register.

Download the MAGIX Register records in ArcView, MapInfo or KMZ formats from the Data and Software Centre.

(a) Open-file company data — download free of charge from the MAGIX ‘Company Airborne Surveys’ layer in GeoVIEW.WA

• Data files are supplied as they were submitted to the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA). They normally (but not always) include located and gridded data, and may also include logistics reports, images and interpretation material. They are also available on an external hard drive.

(b) Multi-client company data — contact the nominated sales agent.

• The agent is obliged to provide the data without undue delay and at a ‘reasonable’ price, without reference to the data owner. There is no obligation on the agent to provide derivative or value-added products; the agent is free to charge for any such products ordered.

(c) Confidential company data — contact the nominated data custodian.

• The owner or custodian has no obligation to provide the data and is free to set or negotiate any conditions for provision of the data.

(d) Regional Government survey data — download free of charge from the following:

• For images and grids: go to the MAGIX 'Government' layers in GeoVIEW.WA
• For located data: go to the Geophysical Archive Data Delivery System (GADDS)

(e)  Western Australia State or special-area compilations — download free of charge from Regional geophysical survey data.

Rather than downloading multiple individual survey data files, you can purchase an external hard drive containing all currently available open-file company data and government regional data (excluding very large datasets — e.g. hyperspectral and LiDAR — for which individual delivery arrangements must be made via the online order form.

The cost for the drive is $132 (including GST).

Note: These data can be copied to your own drive for a cost of $55 (including GST).

Submit an order for the data on an external hard drive.

Open-file data:  The custodian is the department’s Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA).  Download data via GeoView.WA or submit a request for data on a USB or external drive (charges may apply).

Confidential data: The custodian is the company that owns the data. There is no obligation for companies to make their confidential data available if they do not wish to do so. They are also free to set the conditions under which they are prepared to release data.

Multi-client data: The custodian is the nominated sales agent. The agent is obliged to provide the data to anyone who wishes on payment of the prevailing commercial rate for those data. If the agent refuses or is unable to sell the data, contact geophysics@dmirs.wa.gov.au.

There are four test ranges in Western Australia for the calibration and testing of airborne geophysical systems:

• gamma-ray spectrometer — Carnamah test range (250 km north of Perth)
  • Report — A review of the ground calibration methods used to date
  • Discussion document — Do we assign concentration values?
  • Datasheet
• gravity and gravity gradiometer — RJ Smith test range, Kauring (100 km east of Perth)
  • The Kauring airborne geophysical test range, Western Australia: a non-technical overview
• electromagnetic.
  • Forrestania test range (85 km east of Hyden)
  • Nepean test range (60 km southwest of Kalgoorlie)

For more information contact:
geophysics@dmirs.wa.gov.au