As the search for major orebodies continues, the regolith
dominated areas of the Broken Hill region remain one of the
major exploration frontiers. The past exploration philosophies
emphasising bedrock related characteristics have been limited in
their ability to effectively explore in the regolith dominated areas,
that are a feature of most of the Broken Hill region (Figure 1). If
mineral exploration is to be more effective across all of the
Broken Hill region, particularly in the regolith dominated areas,
an appreciation and increased understanding of the regolith
and landscape features are a necessity. Ironically, there have
been very few studies of the regional regolith and landscape
features of this region. Owing to the previous lack of an established regolith-landform
framework, this study initially concentrated on the general
characterisation and variation in regolith types corresponding to
the area of the Broken Hill Block, within NSW (Willis, 1989;
Stevens, 1986). The approach has been to produce a regional
regolith-landform map at 1:100 000 scale and conduct a
complimentary program of regolith sampling and site
descriptions. This was a basis to identify areas for more detailed
regolith-landform mapping (1:25 000 scale) and for producing a
regional stratigraphic framework and models for landscape and
regolith evolution. This information can then be used to provide
a basis for regional mineral exploration models and strategies.
This paper highlights some of the regionally significant
regolith-landform features and their general significance to
mineral exploration. More detailed information on specific
regolith-landform features and study sites may be found in Hill et
al (1994; 1996; in press) and Hill (in prep).