National Virtual Core Library (NVCL) Building Australia’s mineralogy database
Georgina Gordon inspects drill core from the Geological Survey of South Australia’s Hylogger facility. Image: Supplied
A geologist's library looks very different from one we might imagine filled with books. In Australia, geologists have access to the National Virtual Core Library (NVCL), full of data about minerals and rocks from around the country. This ‘treasure-trove’ helps explorers better understand the geology and locate essential minerals for the future.
This page describes our NVCL capability for researchers and industry geologists who wish to enhance their work using NVCL in some way. If you are interested in learning about the real-world impact of NVCL, rather, please jump to the bottom of the page.
Overview
The NVCL is the world's largest drill core mineralogical database, freely accessible to users anywhere in the world. NVCL's hyperspectral reflectance spectra is available via the AuScope Discovery Portal.
The CSIRO-developed HyLogger-3 hyperspectral core-scanning system is the backbone of the NVCL infrastructure. Users can find these HyLogging systems in six State and Territory geological surveys together with experts who operate instruments, perform quality control on data, and upload it to the AuScope Discovery Portal for open access. Survey staff also use the collected data to build case studies to help users utilise NVCL data.
NVCL facilities are located in six State and Territory geological surveys around the country. Image: AuScope
The Hylogger-3 system combines visible and near-infrared, shortwave and thermal infrared reflectance spectroscopy, robotics, materials-handling, and automated mineralogical interpretation to provide continuous downhole hyperspectral mineralogy from drill core can then be visualised and analysed in CSIRO-developed The Spectral Geologist (TSG) software.
Log screen in CSIRO’s The Spectral Geologist (TSG) software. Image: TSG.
What We’re Working On
Improving Data Quality, Integrity, and Interpretation
The NVCL team works in collaboration with the NVCL nodes and researchers to ensure data quality and integrity, provide QA/QC of NVCL datasets, and data validation. This includes continued enhancement of TSG’s mineral spectral reference libraries (SRL), development of SRL’s tailored for specific geological provinces and mineral systems, as well as the development of a rock-assemblage library. We also undertake ongoing validation of NVCL datasets and actively encourage users to contribute samples and case studies. Questions? Please ask Dr Ian Lau and Monica LeGras at CSIRO – Mineral Resources.
Accessing New Geological Systems
The NVCL supports greater nation-wide representation of core data collection from underrepresented, difficult to access, and economically important regions. This is achieved through moving regional and remotely stored cores to research infrastructure nodes at the geological surveys and additional operation support. To date we have helped access 192,000 meters of drill core, adding new and exciting datasets to our NVCL database. Questions? Please ask Dr Carsten Laukamp at CSIRO – Mineral Resources.
Providing FAIR Data
The NVCL is committed to providing findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) data. To do so, we are continually improving the NVCL database in the AuScope Discovery Portal. The NVCL Data Analytics Layer available on AuScope’s Discovery Portal allows researchers to search for mineral groups of interest from more than 3500 drill core data sets. We also undertake activities to improve data interpretation and integration methods required for the use of the NVCL datasets by Australian researchers Questions? Please ask Shane Mule at CSIRO – Mineral Resources.
Outreach and Training
The NVCL team offers workshops several times a year to help provide students, researchers and industry geologists with the background knowledge and tools to make the most out of the NVCL datasets. These workshops focus on accessing and the use of NVCL datasets, including case studies and a hands on TSG training component. We also organize a yearly NVCL technical meeting which brings together the entire NVCL community for discussions and knowledge transfer on the advances in data collection, interpretation and analysis. Questions? Please ask Dr Jessica Stromberg at CSIRO – Mineral Resources.
News
Check out our latest video, celebrating the NVCL journey to date. Video: Mintox Media, 2021
Pathways to Impact
Over the last twelve years the NVCL has:
Created the world’s largest publicly available drill core database, with over one meters of core scanned to date (with more being scanned every week!)
Enabled Australian researchers to produce over 35 journal publications with over 300 citations, over 140 publicly available reports, and over 200 conference presentations using NVCL datasets. Check out our list of key journal publications.
Provided over 400 industry geologists and students with the training and knowledge they need to access, and utilise the NVCL datasets
Facilitated the uptake of the HyLogging system and HyLogger datasets by six of the Australian State and Territory Geological Surveys, Australian Researchers, and the Resources Sector. HyLogger3TM datasets have been taken up as a standard dataset in the MinEx CRC National Drilling Initiative.
Generated international recognition for Australia as a hub for cutting edge core scanning technologies and best practices in drill core analytics.
Created the space in which Australian service providers such as Corescan now operate and are leading the field of hyperspectral sensing for the resources industry.
Inspired and informed other nations and governments to create their own NVCL capabilities.
Played a key role in the development of the next generation of hyperspectral line scanners, the HyLogger4TM (commercialized by Corescan), which is a world-first VNIR-SWIR-MIR-TIR hyperspectral scanning system and will be key component of the future NVCL infrastructure.
QUICK LINKS
Access geolocated mineralogy and image data in the AuScope Discovery Portal, or access our training and/or resources:
PROGRAM LEADER
Dr. Carsten Laukamp
CSIRO – Mineral Resources
ACTIVITY LEADERS
Dr. Ian Lau, Monica LeGras,
Dr. Carsten Laukamp, Shane Mule
and Dr Jessica Stromberg,
CSIRO – Mineral Resources
SURVEY LEADERS
Phil Blevin, GSNSW (NSW)
Belinda Smith, DPIRS (NT)
Suraj Gopalakrishnan, DNMRE (QLD)
Georgina Gordon, GSSA (SA)
David Green, MRT (TAS)
Lena.Hancock, GSWA (WA)
Rob Duncan, GSV, (VIC)
PROGRAM DURATION
Operating since 2006
NEWS & RESOURCES
NVCL LinkedIn (News, Events)
NVCL YouTube (Training)
The Spectral Geologist (Software)
IN THE MEDIA
