Mineral Resource Maps Indexing Project

This multi-year project is currently ongoing.

With this project, we index geologic-related maps by describing the area of land represented by each map. Next we scan each map and compile the maps and database onto CDs.

The maps were prepared over the span of 120 years and occupied thousands of cubic feet of warehouse space. The maps represent exploration projects, mineral prospects, mines, drill hole logs, and quality information throughout approximately 20 states.

After the maps are indexed, the information is imported into an Access database. We built custom forms to allow the user to search the database for features in eleven categories.

Once a likely map is discovered, the user can double-click to view a scanned image of the map.

At the moment, we have indexed over 58,000 maps. While the geologic information contained on the maps is complex, the database information about the maps is really quite simple. Only a few tables are required, the largest being the table listing details indexed on each map. Currently, that information occupies about a half million lines.