Your average gravity anomaly map contains contributions from both shallow and deep-seated geology. If you don’t have any additional constraints, then your interpretation will be ambiguous.

However, if you have independent information about the near-surface cover sequence, then you can (1) model the gravity response of the overburden, (2) subtract the modelled response from the observed gravity data, and (3) thus lay bare the gravity responses from the underlying bed rock.

This time-honoured technique is called “gravity-stripping”.

Here is an example by Nordic Geoscience from North Central Victoria, showing both the public-domain Bouguer gravity data from Geoscience Australia, along with known significant gold occurrences, and my over-burden stripped gravity data. I used the 3D geological model of the Murray Basin by the Geological Survey of Victoria .

It is interesting to observe what has been highlighted by the gravity-stripping.

Where would you focus your exploration efforts?

If you are interested in stripping your gravity data, then contact Nordic Geoscience.