OFR20-01, Minnesota Data Preservation Report for 2019/2020: Updated Data Inventory, Preservation of Pillsbury Hall Rock Collections and Documentation, Assembly of Mineral Potential Related Information

Abstract

Minnesota Geological Survey (MGS) activity is focused primarily on recommendations of Legislative panels that indicate that statewide coverage of layered County Geologic Atlases will be needed to support management of water resources, while concurrently being needed for applications such as mineral resources, engineering, hazards, and research. All MGS activity is reliant on geological specimens, as well as geological, geophysical, and geochemical data. The MGS long-term data preservation plan prepared in 2009 identified the highest priorities in relation to applications such as groundwater management and mineral resource assessment. Included were: 1) reprocessing of the aeromagnetic database; 2) enhancement of location precision for gravity stations; 3) vertical georeferencing of the rock property database; 4) cataloging and georeferencing of rocks and thin sections stored at the building MGS occupied from 1983 to 2015; 5) standardized formats for existing databases; and 6) scan and web enable all publications. More recently, a need was recognized for: 7) scanning, digitizing, and enhanced cataloging of borehole geophysical records, 8) comprehensive regional geophysical survey rescue, 9) enhancements to the cuttings collection and database. Objectives 1, 2, and 3 were completed with State of Minnesota support. Objective 4 was completed with multiple years of NGGDPP support. Objective 5 is ongoing. Objective 6 was completed with University of Minnesota Library support. Objective 7 was completed for gamma logs with our 2015 NGGDPP grant, and was completed for all borehole geophysical logs due to 2017 NGGDPP support. Geophysical survey rescue will remain unfulfilled due to staff availability constraints. Work on cuttings will be carried out due to NGGDPP support during 2020/2021.