Jobs could flow if they strike it lucky and get necessary approvals to mine.

The NSW government is calling for expressions of interest (EOI) for applications for group one mineral exploration licences in the Dubbo Mineral Allocation Area (MAA).

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It is collaborating with the MinEx Cooperative Research Centre (MinEx CRC) to learn more about geology, mineral and groundwater resources below the Earth's surface.

Governments, industry and organisations have joined forces with MinEx CRC under its National Drilling Initiative.

Dubbo is one of five MAAs in NSW where new group one mineral exploration licences are up for grabs.

The other MAAs are at Mundi, Forbes, and north and south Cobar.

MAAs are described as "unexplored geological extensions of areas known to have significant mineral deposits".

The Dubbo MAA covers an area of 288,410.38 hectares or 2,884.1 square kilometres to the south, west and east of the city.

This week a spokeswoman for the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment told the Daily Liberal that research into the "potential for significant deposits" of group one minerals within the Dubbo MAA was in its early stages.

Mapping and data analysis were under way, she said.

"While there are a number of known small occurrences of copper-gold and gold-silver mineralisation in the Dubbo MAA, at this stage no significant deposits have been found," the spokeswoman said.

More than 30 group one minerals are named at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/regulation/2016/498/sch2.

Metalliferous mining contributes billions of dollars to the NSW economy and directly employs about 7600 people, mostly in regional NSW.

The spokeswoman said getting a mining lease was a "stringent and rigorous assessment process" which involved extensive public consultation.

She said a significant discovery in the Dubbo MAA could benefit the region by boosting the economy and creating jobs.

The EOI process will end at 5pm on September 30 after which successful applicants will be invited to vie for an exploration licence.

For more information on the EOI process visit www.resourcesandgeoscience.nsw.gov.au/minexcrc-explorers.