About Data Metallogenica

What is DM on-line?

Data Metallogenica on-line is a continuously expanding searchable database for global mineral deposits with over 40,000 image and text files containing:

Professional quality digital images of 3,400 plate-mounted sets of mini-specimens (approximately 70,000 samples), from over 3,000 mineral deposits in 70 countries and 6,000 photographs of individual samples from important representative deposits.
More than 5,500 interpreted mineral reflectance (PIMA) spectra of epithermal and porphyry deposits, together with selected other deposit styles.
Deposit summaries, deposit descriptions, typical cross-sections, map and image galleries, district overviews, and exploration case histories: constantly being expanded. University theses are also being included.
A powerful and extremely fast text-based search and select capability, allowing searching by deposit name, geological province, country, state, region, commodity, deposit type etc. Directed searches can be very specific, for example, search for: copper & gold & not molybdenum in British Columbia & Alaska.

AMIRA International is proud to own Data Metallogenica on behalf of the world-wide minerals industry as a self-funding not-for-profit enterprise. DM's internet database is now on-line and available to anyone wishing to subscribe. The rate is a sliding scale to make it affordable both for individuals and for organisations of different sizes. A special rate has been struck for universities and geological surveys, with significant discounts available to companies and institutions that sponsor DM including AMIRA's foundation projects P554 and P554A (1999-2004).

Website subscriptions are currently available. Click here for more information on subscriptions.

Tell me about DM and its data

Data Metallogenica™ is a unique mineral deposit information system. Data Metallogenica is self-funding, owned and operated by AMIRA International on behalf of the global minerals industry and associated institutions. AMIRA International is the mineral industry's own research association which is governed by an elected council.

The nucleus of DM is the world's most comprehensive and representative sample collection of ores, alteration, host rocks and regolith from more than 3000 deposits in 70 countries (now over 70,000 samples, an increase of 40% since its acquisition by AMIRA). This original collection was developed privately by Professor Peter Laznicka over a period of 30 years. Nearing retirement from his position as Professor of Mineral Deposits at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, he approached AMIRA International for assistance in securing its survival in the public domain (click here for an early history of DM).

AMIRA International, together with the former Australian Mineral Foundation, and the South Australian Government (PIRSA) assisted in making this a reality. In December 1999 the Data Metallogenica Centre housing the original collection was officially opened in Adelaide by the Hon. Rob Kerin, Deputy Premier and Minister for Primary Industries, Natural Resources and Regional Development, South Australia.

Peter, his geologist wife Sarka and their family moved to Australia with the collection and continued to assist the Centre extend the collection. AMIRA projects P554 and P554A allowed the expansion of the collection as well as making it available around the world through the World Wide Web.

The scope of DM is continuously being broadened through addition of supporting technical information such as deposit descriptions, maps & sections, field and mine photographs, petrographic photographs and spectral mineralogy. Information on mining, mineral processing, environmental and other mining-related aspects will be added progressively in the future.

Funding in its foundation stages has been made possible through the generous support of over 100 large and small mining and exploration companies, government institutions, and learned & professional societies around the world, managed through two AMIRA collaborative projects:

Data Metallogenica is required to be financially self-sufficient such that subscription and sponsorship revenues must cover running costs. As a not-for-profit minerals industry research association which receives no government grant, AMIRA International needs the support of industry and teaching institutions worldwide for it to continue fulfilling the vision of providing unique information to future generations of explorers and educators.

What is the Data Metallogenica Centre?

The Data Metallogenica Centre in Adelaide, South Australia houses approximately 70,000 rock samples, 1,500 thin and polished sections, a large literature collection, 30-years' worth of field photography, 140 shelf-metres of library, a map collection, and an archive of newly created digital rock sample images. It has a 'viewing room' with excellent natural light, microscopes, and facilities for making presentations to small groups.

Sample-sets are drawn from nearly 4,000 mineral deposits of all types in 70 countries on all inhabited continents. Most were collected personally by Peter Laznicka. His philosophy of seeking truly representative samples of ores, alteration, host rocks and regolith from each deposit, provides important consistency and a unifying strength to the sample base that is rarely found at this scale of development. The major mines of the world, understandably, are well covered, but unusually this extends to minor occurrences and thereby provides important breadth to what might be seen in any given mineral district.

Data Metallogenica contains not just one sample collection but two, and each is designed to address a different information need:

The Lithotheque Collection of mini-samples is the most extensive. It houses 90% of all samples which are arranged in sets of 20, permanently bonded to aluminium sheets that fit into slotted shelves. Most Lithotheque sets come from a single mine or mineral occurrence but are well supported by a useful number of district lithology sets. Digital imaging of the entire Lithotheque collection was carried out to commercial standards using an in-house photo-studio and the highest resolution digital scientific camera then available. Colour calibration and manual proofing were employed in the quality control process. Images are of extremely high resolution and use advanced data compression for the web. In addition, each 18 Mb photographic source file is parent to six smaller ones of different type and quality, designed to meet a range of identified needs. Click on the link above for more information on digital imaging.

The Macrotheque Collection contains approximately 8,000 hand-specimens ordered in 365 sets by geological setting. Only selected of these sets have so far been captured as digital images.

NOTE: Following termination of it's lease, the DM Centre was temporarily closed in December 2005 with the physical collection in storage pending finding a new home. Website access has not been affected.

The international minerals community has funded Data Metallogenica so that it may continue to develop as a major reference, training and educational resource available to all. A significant core of data is already in place and accessible on the web because of 30 years effort by the Laznicka family and two major AMIRA projects. Long term growth and success requires the engagement of companies, institutions and individuals by using the resource and continuing to contribute non-sensitive data on their own operations.

DM already is, and has the capacity to further develop, as a critical repository of past and current data on mineral deposits not easily available from other sources or which will be lost as mines progressively close and a uniquely experienced generation leaves the industry.

For information on how to contribute company or personal data, please click here. All contributions will be acknowledged and attributed.

How can I optimise my screen configuration?

This site is best viewed with Internet Explorer, screen resolution at least 1024 x 768, and at least 16-bit High Colour.
Images are high quality when viewed on a good colour monitor: increasing brightness and/or contrast settings may be necessary for optimum viewing

- Acrobat Reader® is required: click here to download free viewer . Click here for help on using Acrobat Reader
- Microsoft PowerPoint is recommended: click here to download free viewer.
- Microsoft Excel is needed to view inventory files.

Two image file formats, JPEG and the highest resolution MrSID are offered. It is is recommended you load the self-installing MrSID software viewer now by clicking one of the download links below. MrSID delivers detailed images at a range of magnifications. Each file contains data from multiple resolutions stored in a single pixel database. The MrSID viewer starts viewing an image at the smallest resolution view and allows complete control to zoom through all resolution levels using selective decompression to decode only the portion of an image necessary for viewing. This makes rapid viewing of large images possible while maintaining image quality.

Download Note: MrSID images average 500 - 600kb in size. Download times approximate 2 minutes over a 56Kb dial-up modem line or 5 - 10 seconds over broadband.

The current (P554A) development phase was completed in November 2004, funded by a combination of sponsorship and web subscription fees. From January 2005, DM must support itself through earnings from annual web subscription fees or further sponsorships in order to continue this work. Your support is vital to this achievement:

Click here for information on sponsoring the DM development project

Click here for information on subscribing to the web database

Data Metallogenica will always be work in progress. "High level" geological data will be added as quickly as possible and progressively expanded to include information on mining, mineral processing and other aspects of industry practice.

Linkages to specific information resources such as those provided by geological surveys, universities and commercial providers will be developed to assist structured access to more detailed quality information. Significant of these provider groups are already important sponsors and supporters of DM.

Data Metallogenica intends to become an even more significant "high level" portal for information on ore deposits around the world and is already well positioned and established. It will continue to provide and develop into the future as: