National Virtual Core Library (NVCL)

National Virtual Core Library in the AuScope infrastructure

The National Virtual Core Library will create an innovative earth science research network building a high resolution picture of the mineralogy and composition of the upper 1-2 km of the Australian continent based on the huge and rich legacy of drill samples already held, and to be acquired by State agencies and industry in the future.  It will build future knowledge on past endeavours, and continue this into the future to minimise further duplication.

The infrastructure to be built and deployed in this project will consist of seven of CSIRO’s robotic, automated spectroscopic machines (“HyLoggers™”) in each of seven nodes housed in each State and Territory Geological Survey.  Each robotic instrument will consist of sensitive visible and infrared spectrometers, a very high resolution digital camera, laser profilometer, robotic x/y table, power supplies, lighting, control software, and control and data management computer. The HyLogging™ systems are being built with NCRIS and CSIRO funds. 

Example of a mineralogical log derived from the HyLogging process for drill hole MJ021 from Mt Julia, Tasmania. Plot shows the proportion of the specified mineral samples per 2 metre interval.

The relevant State Geological Surveys will own the HyLoggers, maintain them and provide operational staff as their co-investment in this project. Requests for research access should be directed to the NVCL custodian in each Geological Survey. Donations of scanned cores from the private sector are also invited and will augment the value of the growing database of earth composition knowledge for future generations.  Prioritisation of cores to be scanned will be made on the basis of creating representative transects through important metallogenic provinces and mineral deposits, and to support research being undertaken in other AuScope components.

Example of a CSIRO HyLogging(TM) instrument similar to that which will be installed in each State and Territory Geological Survey.

The HyLoggers will each be supported by Australian-developed software known as TGS-Core™ (www.thespectralgeologist.com) for the processing, analysis, visualisation and generation of information products comprising a part of the knowledge infrastructure and the basis of the ensuing research.  Virtual semi-quantitative descriptions (geocoded digital tables, graphs and multiple resolution images) of the mineralogical composition of drill cores and drill chips will be stored in web-accessible relational databases.  Copies of the processed TSG drill-hole files will also be available upon application to each Survey NVCL custodian.  A demonstration web site is available at http://nvcl.csiro.au and feedback is welcomed.  Meritorious student projects utilising the infrastructure, or the collected data, are strongly encouraged.

For more information on current and potential projects or accessing AuScope’s National Virtual Core Library infrastructure component for a project of your own please contact the Program Director.

Program Director - Dr Jon Huntington

State NVCL Node contacts

NSW - Meagan Clissold
Queensland – Suraj Gopalakrishnan
Western Australia – Lena Hancock
South Australia - Alan Mauger
Tasmania – David Green
Northern Territory  – Belinda Smith
Victoria - Helen Lynch

Last updated 16 August 2011