​Geological Survey Ireland is pleased to announce a release of structural lineaments maps derived from Tellus airborne geophysics for the Northwest Midlands Carboniferous area, as part of the Mineral Prospectivity Mapping (MPM) project. This encompasses limestone areas of Ireland’s central and western midlands. Derived from the magnetics and electromagnetics datasets, the maps show new and existing bedrock geology structural lineaments inferred to be associated with faults and fractures, using the bedrock geology maps and expert interpretive judgement. This data provides new evidence to support mineral exploration for Irish-type lead and zinc in the area. This reference database is now freely available to download on our Data and Maps page. Metadata describing data sources and database compilation methodologies accompany the data. Please click here to view the report.

The MPM project aims to improve knowledge of the occurrence of economically important metals to support the ‘Just Transition’ in Ireland, which seeks to secure an economically and environmentally sustainable solution to the energy transition. Possibilities exist to utilise modern Tellus geochemical and geophysical data as well as historical data to produce regional, system-based mineral prospectivity assessments for key energy transition minerals in Ireland. Geological Survey Ireland invites proposals for research on geoscience topics including Minerals through its research Short Call, which closes on 5th July 2022.