The object of the scoping study was to assess the feasibility of creating a BGS International Minerals Data Library by first reviewing the nature and extent of minerals-related data holdings accumulated by BGS overseas projects in the last 35 years. Other important considerations such as data quality, utility and ownership are also addressed. Minerals-related information is regarded as geological, geochemical and geophysical data which have relevance in mineral exploration, prospect assessment, resource evaluation and ore deposit exploitation. This includes surveys and multidisciplinary studies on all scales and covering a wide range of disciplines/methodologies. The only aspects that are specifically excluded from the inventory are those projects that deal solely with hydrogeological investigations, development of hardware, software and laboratory techniques, training, institutional restructuring and management. This report lists the information holdings and their various formats summarised on a geographical basis and puts forward a proposal for the development of a digital BGS International Minerals Data Library for Industry and Government.
