Mineral Reconnaissance Programme (MRP) geochemical samples and analyses
This dataset relates to sample metadata and the results of geochemical analyses conducted on samples as part of the Mineral Reconnaissance Programme (MRP). It contains metadata including sample names, sample project areas, sample types and analytes. The MRP was a programme undertaken by BGS which ran continuously from 1973 to 1997, funded by the UK Government's Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The datasets it produced provide baseline information on areas prospective for the occurrence of metallic minerals in particular locations across Great Britain. The programme was designed to stimulate private sector exploration and to encourage the development of Britain's indigenous mineral resources. The emphasis during the MRP varied in response to market conditions and strategic interests. Work on ‘strategic’ metals, such as platinum, palladium, chromium, cobalt and nickel, dominated the 1980s. From the late 1980s, the principal focus of the programme was gold. Numerous studies examined gold mineralisation in porphyry, epithermal, orogenic and unconformity-related settings. Towards the end of the programme, a small number of projects concerned with gemstones and industrial minerals were also completed. Various samples were taken throughout the course of the programme, including rock, soil, stream sediment, stream water and deep overburden samples. These samples underwent analysis for a variety of analytes, the results of which are held by BGS. This dataset includes the geochemical information derived from the samples and sample metadata, including the location of sampling. The sampling and analysis methodology varied by MRP project area. For more information about the samples from a specific project area, refer to the MRP report for that project:
https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/cgi/search/archive/advanced?screen=Search&dataset=archive&_action_search=Search&series=Mineral+Reconnaissance+Programme
For more information about obtaining the results of sample analyses, contact BGS Enquiries
(enquiries@bgs.ac.uk
). For more information about the MRP, see the MineralsUK website:
https://www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/exploration-and-maps/mrp-reports/.
Simple
- Date (Creation)
- 1973
Distributor
British Geological Survey
-
Enquiries
0115 936 3276
The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South
,
EDINBURGH
,
LOTHIAN
,
EH14 4AP
,
United Kingdom
0115 936 3142
0115 936 3276
Point of contact
British Geological Survey
-
Enquiries
0115 936 3276
The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South
,
EDINBURGH
,
LOTHIAN
,
EH14 4AP
,
United Kingdom
0115 936 3142
0115 936 3276
Distributor
British Geological Survey
-
Enquiries
0115 936 3276
Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth
,
NOTTINGHAM
,
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
,
NG12 5GG
,
United Kingdom
0115 936 3143
0115 936 3276
Point of contact
British Geological Survey
-
Enquiries
0115 936 3276
Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth
,
NOTTINGHAM
,
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
,
NG12 5GG
,
United Kingdom
0115 936 3143
0115 936 3276
- Maintenance and update frequency
- notPlanned Not planned
- GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
- BGS Thesaurus of Geosciences
-
- EGDI
- Minerals
- Sample analysis
- Economic geology
- Sampling
- UK Location (INSPIRE)
- Geochemistry
- Geology
- dataCentre
- Keywords
-
- NERC_DDC
- Access constraints
- otherRestrictions Other restrictions
- Other constraints
- no limitations
- Other constraints
- restricted
- Other constraints
- The dataset is made freely available for access, e.g. via the Internet. Either no third party data / information is contained in the dataset or BGS has secured written permission from the owner(s) of any third party data / information contained in the dataset to make the dataset freely accessible.
- Use constraints
- otherRestrictions Other restrictions
- Other constraints
- The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, via the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Manager. Use by customers of information provided by the BGS, is at the customer's own risk. In view of the disparate sources of information at BGS's disposal, including such material donated to BGS, that BGS accepts in good faith as being accurate, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the quality or accuracy of the information supplied, or to the information's suitability for any use. NERC/BGS accepts no liability whatever in respect of loss, damage, injury or other occurence however caused.
- Other constraints
- The dataset is made available to external clients under BGS Digital Data Licence terms and conditions. Revert to the IPR Section (iprdigital@bgs.ac.uk ) if further advice is required with regard to permitted usage.
- Other constraints
- Available under the Open Government Licence subject to the following acknowledgement accompanying the reproduced NERC materials "Contains NERC materials ©NERC [year]"
- Spatial representation type
- vector Vector
- Metadata language
- EnglishEnglish
- Topic category
-
- Geoscientific information
- Geographic identifier
-
GBN
- Date (Revision)
- 2009
- Geographic identifier
-
GREAT BRITAIN [id=139600]
- Date (Creation)
- 1979
N
S
E
W
- Begin date
- 1973
- End date
- 1997
- Unique resource identifier
- OSGB 1936 / British National Grid (EPSG::27700)
- Unique resource identifier
- WGS 84 (EPSG::4326)
- Distribution format
-
Distributor
British Geological Survey
-
Enquiries
0115 936 3276
The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South
,
EDINBURGH
,
LOTHIAN
,
EH14 4AP
,
United Kingdom
0115 936 3142
0115 936 3276
Distributor
British Geological Survey
-
Enquiries
0115 936 3276
Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth
,
NOTTINGHAM
,
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
,
NG12 5GG
,
United Kingdom
0115 936 3143
0115 936 3276
- OnLine resource
- Mineral Reconnaissance Programme (MRP) reports - MineralsUK
- Hierarchy level
- dataset Dataset
- Other
- dataset
Conformance result
- Date (Publication)
- 2011
- Explanation
- See the referenced specification
- Pass
- No
Conformance result
- Date (Publication)
- 2010-12-08
- Explanation
- See http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:323:0011:0102:EN:PDF
- Pass
- No
- Statement
- Various samples were taken throughout the course of the programme, including rock, soil, stream sediment, stream water and deep overburden samples. These samples underwent analysis for a variety of analytes, the results of which are held by BGS. This dataset includes the geochemical information derived from the samples and sample metadata, including the location of sampling. The sampling and analysis methodology varied by MRP project area. For more information about the samples from a specific project area, refer to the MRP report for that project: https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/cgi/search/archive/advanced?screen=Search&dataset=archive&_action_search=Search&series=Mineral+Reconnaissance+Programme
- File identifier
- 2b5b018d-02be-317c-e063-0937940ac32c XML
- Metadata language
- EnglishEnglish
- Hierarchy level
- dataset Dataset
- Date stamp
- 2025-11-13
- Metadata standard name
- UK GEMINI
- Metadata standard version
- 2.3
Point of contact
British Geological Survey
The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South
,
EDINBURGH
,
LOTHIAN
,
EH14 4AP
,
United Kingdom
+44 131 667 1000
- Dataset URI
- http://data.bgs.ac.uk/id/dataHolding/13608329
Overviews
Spatial extent
N
S
E
W
Provided by
Associated resources
Not available
NERC Data Catalogue Service