The Mineral Reconnaissance Programme (MRP), funded by the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) carried out baseline mineral exploration in Great Britain between 1972 and 1997. Its main aim was to stimulate private-sector exploration and the development of indigenous mineral resources. It has been subsumed into the new BGS Minerals Programme, also funded by the DTI. The Programme provides information and advice to industry, enables technology transfer and promotes wealth creation through the effective sustainable development of Britain's mineral resources. The database contains information from the MRP together with some from earlier programmes and the new Minerals Programme. Information from the early 1970s was largely concerned with the search for uranium and base-metals, while since the 1980s gold and platinum-group elements (PGEs) have dominated. A range of pathfinder elements have also been determined. Data is held on the geochemistry of drainage stream sediments, panned concentrates, soil, deep overburden, rock and drillcore samples. All geochemical results are used to populate corporate Geochemistry Database.
