Regional geology of NSW overlain on a 3D basemap in MinView.

The Geological Survey of New South Wales (GSNSW) has unveiled their recently upgraded mining and petroleum data repository and viewer, MinView. MinView is a web-based delivery system that uses your internet browser to deliver an interactive mapping application in which you can display and explore the GSNSW’s rich collection of geoscientific data.

Spatial Vision were engaged to design and develop the new release of the interactive web mapping application. Users can search, find and view a wide range of geoscience related map layers as well as add additional government data services or even their own project data for viewing alongside the Geological Survey’s comprehensive collection of geoscientific data.

MinView lets users view and download their open file repository of minerals and petroleum data, including more than 140,000 wells and associated analyses.

Geoscientific data held by the government is a valuable and strategic resource that is vital for Australia to remain competitive on the global exploration and mining stages.  It’s also very important to the sustainable management of our natural resources and the protection of our environment. The data available through MinView is drawn from field mapping and research conducted by the Geological Survey as well as work undertaken by exploration and mining companies operating in NSW.

Exploration companies invest millions of dollars in order to better understand the Australia’s geology and mineral prospectivity, effectively generating billions of analytical data points that need to be managed. And by being able to build upon existing knowledge of past exploration and mining activities whether it is drilling programs, geochemical analyses of rock samples or airborne geophysical surveys provides significant cost savings.  State Geological Surveys are capturing this data as part of the conditions placed on exploration and mining licences, and storing this data in large data repositories to facilitate its re-use once it qualifies as open file data under state regulations.

MinView enables users to:

• Add their own data to the map, whether from services or uploaded files
• Save, retrieve and share map views
• Query and search map data, including in 3D
• Draw to the map to highlight areas of interest
• Print the current map to PDF or image formats

But don’t let the name confuse you; MinView isn’t just for those in the resources sector.  This data will also benefit a broad range of professionals and organisations, from farmers to archaeologists, geotechnical engineers and environmentalists, who would not be able to afford to capture the information or who may not even be aware of it.

MinView is free to access, try it here.