At the reconnaissance scale, a variety of geoscience information can be evaluated in order to determine regional and local scale target areas for further study. The most useful data sources at the reconnaissance scale are provincial databases such as lake sediment and water geochemistry, rock geochemistry, drill hole databases, mineral deposit inventories, generalized geological maps and geophysical surveys. At the regional scale, provincial databases can be supplemented with regional lake sediment and water geochemical surveys, overburden geochemistry, regional geology, assessment file index, and geophysical surveys. At the local scale, provincial and regional databases can be supplemented with detailed local geology, Ontario Base Maps (drainage, topography, transportation), detailed geochemical surveys and assessment file indexes. Company proprietary information can also be incorporated at the local scale. The intent of the various scales of analysis is to identify areas with geological, geophysical and geochemical anomalies which may be indicative of economic mineral concentrations. Verification of anomalies from more than one data source serves to priorize the results and thereby provides a guide for further analysis and/or exploration/target identification.

Data Analysis

Desktop-GIS is now being used for a wide variety of applications ranging from environmental assessment to marketing. For mineral exploration desktop-GIS provides the means to statistically analyse and classify geochemical data, enhance geophysical images, determine spatial relationships between point, line, polygon features, and produce charts, tables and maps of the resulting analysis. We provide value-added analysis of government or proprietary data sets on a fee-for-service basis. 

 Data Interpretation

 In mineral exploration the overlay of a variety of layers or themes representing geological, geophysical, and geochemical information has been used historically using vellum or mylar on a light table. The problem always encountered was getting all the maps at the same scale in order to analyses and interpret the results. Geographic Information Systems provide a solution to this problem and in addition provide tools to do statistical analysis of data, spatial analysis of data, image processing to enhance geophysical or remote sensing data. The addition of 3D visualization and animation to GIS geoscience data provides the 3D perspective representing both the surface (elevation) and depth component. The main objectives in mineral exploration are to find a mineral deposit and then evaluate its economic potential. GIS and related 3D tools have become an integral part of this endeavour.