GNS' Tony Christie launched the New Zealand Minerals Monograph 31, which will be published in November, GNS head of department regional geology Rob Smillie introduced next-generation mapping techniques, and GNS petrological scientist Rose Turnbull delivered results from an extensive soil sampling pilot programme around Southland and south Otago.
In a sign of the times, a disappointing 180 delegates have signed up for the annual conference of the New Zealand branch of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) in Wellington, compared with about 280 in Dunedin last year.
Mr Christie said his 554-page monograph was the fifth edition since 1965. It summarises mining exploration and research around the country from 2006 and includes much historical data. Otago was ''well represented'' in the publication, he said.
The monograph has 112 authors. Several of its papers have not been published before.
Mr Smillie introduced the more than 130 delegates on Sunday's opening morning to GNS' new digital Q-Map system, using computer simulation of data to move into the 3-D sphere of presentation.
''We're mapping the geology with the topography. New technology is helping see things that may not have been seen in the 1960s,'' he said.
''We are opening up new areas of prospectivity that we haven't been able to identify before,'' he said.
Mr Smillie noted all of the new Q-Map was available in hard copy as ''good old-fashioned'' maps as well
Ms Turnbull has been developing a baseline soil sampling survey, mapping the results of chemical/soil analysis from 340 sites, one every 8km, around Southland and South Otago.
She is hoping to find interest to undertake a countrywide survey, at intervals of 16km, but likely to cost several million dollars, as opposed to the $250,000 or so spent on the pilot programme.
Aside from the resource sector, and looking for specific prospective mining targets, she noted the chemical results would also provide a baseline for ongoing environmental management projects.
During the testing, with five holes at each site, one was to a depth of 30cm and a second to up to 70cm, with chemical analysis of each sample looking for mineralisation, including rare earth minerals, platinum, gold, carbon and sulphur isotopes.
