Available Exploration Data
Since 2000, the Exploration and Mining Division (EMD) is releasing all of its non-confidential exploration data. The types of exploration data made available by EMD includes:
- Prospecting Licence Ground Status
- Exploration Company Reports
- Drillhole Data
- Airborne Geophysics Data
- Bibliography of Irish Mineral Resources
Prospecting Licence Ground status
The status of exploration ground is available online though EMD’s Location / Permit Status web mapping service. This should be consulted before applying for licences.
Exploration Company Reports
All Prospecting Licences (PL) holders in Ireland are required to submit exploration reports. Normally submitted every two years to EMD, reports are released free online after six years or upon surrender of a licence if earlier. To date, in excess of 2200 company reports relating to over 1700 PL Areas have been made available online. To view these reports, please use our search engine.
Geochemistry Compilation Project - Vedanta Exploration Ireland Ltd.
As part of a regional exploration programme, Vedanta Exploration Ireland Ltd. (VEIL) undertook a project to capture and digitize data from Open File geochemistry map images. A series of datasets were produced for deep burden samples, deep overburden profiling, roadside samples, shallow soil data and stream sediment sampling.
The data from this project was publicly released in February 2020. The data is available for download from the exploration report database (zip 64MB). Please contact EMD for the complete VEIL Geochemistry Compilation Project.
Drillhole Data
The Exploration and Mining Division has released online data for over 5,000 drillholes to date. This information can be accessed through the our Interactive Map.
Airborne Geophysics Data
EMD holds all airborne survey data flown by industry in Ireland, since 1995. This data is made available after 6 years to exploration clients by request on CD. To learn more about which airborne surveys are available, please take a look at (The Airborne Data Release Initiative).
In 2007 the Central Ireland Basin was re-processed and re-interpreted as part of a project between EMD and PGW Europe Ltd. Geophysical interpretation and total field magnetic maps have been produced, which are also available from EMD, free of charge. An information leaflet called the Airborne Magnetic Interpretation Initiative is with more information.
EMD has made available a bibliography of publications and selected reports concerning Irish mineral resources (1750-2007). The references themselves are not available from GSRO. Should any one identify any erroneous or missing mineral resource references, please feel free to advise GSRO by emailing GSRO@DECC.GOV.IE
In addition to specialist exploration data, EMD has also produced a number of more general publications on exploration and mining in Ireland.