Data Compilation for Geological Surveys

Historical Data Compilation – Australia

Kenex is currently working as a service provider for an Australian geological survey in a multi-year project to research, collect and collate geochemical data from historical exploration reports. The survey aims to collect all reported data in selected areas and make the non-confidential data available to the public from their website. This will give explorers free access to all the data and knowledge from previous exploration in these key areas.

Our main task is identifying, extracting, digitising, and validating all the available and locatable exploration data from a historical exploration report, including surface and drill hole data, assays results and other relevant information, such as surveys and bottom of hole lithology. Additionally, more details about the information contained in the report are noted, including if the report contains geological maps and geophysical information, downhole lithology, petrology analyses and/or other data modelling or analysis.

The reports are held as a series of scanned documents and images, available for download in pdf format. While the data contained in the documents have locations and information available, extracting and collating them in a digital format can be a challenge, especially for older reports, often handwritten and without standard projections for locations. The process involves several critical steps outlined in the diagram below. 

 

Kenex has researched and delivered data from more than 600 historical reports during the first two years of the project. The project is still ongoing – with a delivery of the collected data each month and regular meetings with the survey for feedback and discussion of project progress and technical outcomes.

Kenex has a dedicated team working on the project and have received excellent feedback on the quality of the data we deliver and on our overall communication with the survey.

‘Overall Kenex’s work remains very good. Your error rate is very low, except for a couple of systematic things, and your metadata is excellent – best of any of the contractors.’

– Feedback from the Australian Geological Survey