Mineral Prospectivity Mapping (MPM)
Geological Survey Ireland is undertaking a Mineral Prospectivity Mapping initiative to improve knowledge of the occurrence of Ireland’s economically important metals, such as Pb and Zn, as well as assessing the potential for critical and industrial minerals. The 2 year project (2020-2021) will produce regional, system-based mineral prospectivity assessments using the latest concepts of mineral deposit formation, relevant geological data, and state-of-the-art modelling and analysis techniques. Initial focus is on relatively under-explored areas of the northwest midlands, with initial data compilation tasks focusing on the collation of existing industry prospecting data, Tellus mapping and bedrock mapping. This project aims to de-risk prospecting activity by highlighting potentially prospective areas, and will not involve prospecting activity in the field.
View existing research projects on mineral prospectivity.
Northwest Midlands Carboniferous historic soil geochemistry
Geological Survey Ireland, is pleased to announce a major release of historical mineral exploration data for the Northwest Midlands Carboniferous study area, encompassing limestone areas of Ireland’s central and western midlands, as part of the Mineral Prospectivity Mapping (MPM) project. Comprising almost 354,000 observations collected by the private sector from 1960s-2010s, it represents the first time such ‘big data’ has been systematically digitised and compiled into one reference database. Click here to view the data.
Bedrock structural lineaments maps for mineral exploration
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.