Enhanced surface and drillhole geochemistry database

The Geological Survey of New South Wales (GSNSW) is now compiling surface and drillhole geochemistry data into a single relational database to aid mineral exploration. The data is sourced from company mineral exploration reports submitted to the department as required under the Mining Act 1992, the Mining Amendment Act 2008 and the Mining Regulations 2010.

This project will be very beneficial to industry and government by enabling direct access to this extensive resource of pre-competitive, validated geochemistry data. Exploration and mining companies can use the database to better evaluate the mineral prospectivity of NSW and identify exploration targets. The newly formatted and easily accessed data should result in significant savings in time and money.

Data submitted by exploration companies in accordance with the new mining regulations will undergo a rigorous data quality assessment process that ensures it meets NSW requirements as stipulated in Exploration reporting: A guide for reporting on exploration and prospecting in New South Wales.

The extraction and validation of surface and drilling geochemistry data from company reports now occurs as they are submitted to the department. All the geochemistry data from stream sediment, soil and rockchip sampling as well as drilling data from auger, RAB/aircore, RC/percussion and diamond drilling will be loaded into a relational database, which was developed and is maintained under the GSNSW COGENT II project.

The first phase of the data capture will focus on reports from 2000 onwards that are currently held in the DIGS database where the geochemistry data is in the standard template format (txt or csv formats) as specified in the exploration reporting guidelines.

Subsequent phases will see the extraction of data submitted prior to 2000 that is held only in raster format in the DIGS report database. Tranches of this data will be made available once they are compiled.

The enhanced database will be available on the department's website. Notification will be sent to the exploration/mining companies and the wider communities through the GSNSW newsletter On the Outcrop, news bulletins and emails to subscribers to the GSNSW contact list.

Only non-confidential data will be made available to the public through the new database.

For further information, please contact Graham Butt, Manager Geoscience Information.

(Last updated on 22/02/2012)