New tool helps industry collect and share geoscience data

by Keith Powell — November 04, 2017

Cover of the Exploration Assessment Digital Data Formats guidelines.

— Photo courtesy PDAC

TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) is gearing up to launch the Exploration Assessment Digital Data Formats (EADDF) guidelines, a practice that is expected to improve discovery rates of mineral exploration in Canada.

The guidelines propose a uniform national standard for digital data submission for jurisdictional mine recording offices.

“The idea behind the guidelines is to have a consistent digital format for submitting assessment data that will greatly facilitate compiling historical exploration results,” says Charles Beaudry, chair of the PDAC Geoscience Committee.

“We believe this new format will lead to more efficient exploration resulting in more discoveries.”

Mining companies and prospectors produce vast amounts of geoscience data with results submitted to jurisdictions as assessment reports to maintain mineral tenure on properties. Data is often produced in digital format; however it is then typically submitted as a PDF equivalent or paper document.

While each Canadian jurisdiction has its own formatting requirements there are few for data submitted in digital form. PDAC recognized the opportunity of including basic survey information and metadata with digital results.

“The EADDF guidelines are very simple in structure and can easily be implemented in any jurisdiction, even those that currently require digital data because it will augment its usability,” added Beaudry.

The EADDF guidelines will be launched at Exploration ’17 in Toronto on October 23, 2017 at 4:00pm. To find out more information and to download the document in English or French visit www.pdac.ca/priorities/access-to-land/geoscience.

History of EADDF

The project began in 2009 under the guidance of Richard Moore and was later entrusted to Charles Beaudry, chair of PDAC’s Geoscience & Innovation Committee. A working group was created to focus on detailed and accurate data requirements for geochemistry, geophysics, drill hole data and geology categories.