The Australian National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) is a Federal Government initiative to renew and enhance Australian research infrastructure. The provision of eResearch resources and services for Australian researchers has been identified as a key infrastructure requirement. DataMINX is a NCRIS supported project to deliver data access, transport, management and repository services for the researcher community using and operating microscopy imaging, neutron and X-ray facilities, for the determination of molecular and materials structure. The project has a particular focus on the Australian Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility (AMMRF), the OPAL neutron facility and the Australian Synchrotron Facility (ASF).

The initial focus will be on instruments in an appropriate state of readiness, and for which existing national and international projects can be engaged. The project has prioritised five service strands, linked under an over-arching security services umbrella, to be addressed in a staged manner allowing planning, development and delivery flexibility: 1. Data access and management services (including transport and repository services); 2. Metadata services; 3. Remote access services; 4. Workflow automation services; 5. Collaboration services.

The project utilises Web and Grid technologies, and collaboratively engages outstanding national and international endeavors. Other partners in the project include Intersect, the recently established NSW eResearch Centre, and the Victorian eResearch initiative VeRSI. International collaborators include the UK Science and Technology Facility Council, the Diamond Light source and the ISIS neutron source. This site will be updated as the project progresses.