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Geochemistry

Geochemistry

​Geochemical data and maps available include data from the Tellus project (stream sediment, stream water, shallow topsoil, deeper topsoil) and data from the European Geochemical Soil Analysis project GEMAS.​​​​

Tellus coverage blocks

G1: Tellus Border

G2: Leinster, South East Ireland

G3: Tellus West

G4: Tellus North Midlands (West)

G5: Tellus North Midlands

G6: Peri-urban | Dublin-Galway

Click map for further detail


​​Tellus data

Stream Sediment 'C'
Stream Water 'W'
Shallow Topsoil 'A'
Deeper Topsoil 'S'

Other data

Minerals Prospectivity Mapping (MPM) Project
Dublin SURGE Project
GEMAS
Lithogeochemistry

Soil chemical characterisation

Dublin Boulder Clay Project
Soil Recovery Facilities 


Tellus Sample Archive

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Tellus - Stream Sediment 'C'

​​​​​TypeAccess

Sample media: <150 µm fraction stream sediment 'C'

Coverage: Survey areas G1, G2, G3 and G4 (FA ICP-MS only). Including counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Clare, Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford, Wicklow, Kildare, Dublin.

Analytical methods: Laboratory tests are for multi-element total analyses of major, minor and trace elements by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRFS); and for gold, palladium and platinum precious metals by lead-collection fire assay fusion with analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Survey years: 2011-2017

Data release notes

Data Downloadlink to zip file (144 MB)
​Reportlink to PDF (379 MB) (users may experience a delay in downloading due to size of report) 
​Factsheets​link to stream sediment factsheets (redirect to Tellus website dedicated page)
​Periodic Table​link to stream sediment periodic table
Map Viewerlink to online viewer (select stream sediment, stream water, shallow topsoil or deeper topsoil tab)

​Dataset: Lithium in Stream Sediments Southeast Ireland

Coverage: Survey areas G2. Including Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow.

Analytical methods: Lithium was analysed using the AAS technique

Survey years: 1986-1990

​Data Download​link to zip file (Excel file)
​Reportlink to PDF

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Tellus - Stream Water 'W'

​​​​​TypeAccess

Sample media: <0.45 µm filtered stream water 'W'

​Coverage: Survey areas G1, G3 and G4. Including counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford, Wicklow, Kildare, Dublin.

Analytical methods: Field determinations are of pH, specific electrical conductance, and total alkalinity to assess bicarbonate concentration. Laboratory tests are for anions by ion chromatography (IC); multi-element major, minor and trace elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS); and non-purgeable organic carbon (NPOC).

Survey years: 2011-2017

Data release notes

Data Downloadlink to zip file (161 MB)
​Report​link to PDF (351 MB) (users may experience a delay in downloading due to size of report)
​Factsheetslink to stream water factsheets (redirect to Tellus website dedicated page)
​Periodic Tablelink to stream water periodic table
Map Viewerlink to online viewer (select stream sediment, stream water, shallow topsoil or deeper topsoil tab)

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Tellus - Shallow Topsoil 'A'

​​​​​TypeAccess

​Sample media: <2 mm fraction soil up to 0.20 m depth 'A'

Coverage: Survey areas G1, G3 and Dublin/Galway periurban. Including counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Mayo, Galway, Dublin, Meath, Kildare, Wicklow.

Analytical methods: Laboratory tests comprise: soil pH (CaCl2); loss-on-ignition at 450°C; multi-element total analyses of major, minor and trace elements by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRFS); and multi-element partial extract analyses of major, minor and trace elements by aqua regia digestion with an ICP finish.

Survey years: 2011-2017

Data release notes

Data Downloadlink to zip file (4.4 MB)
​Reports

link to PDF ​(1GB) (users may experience a delay in downloading due to size of report)

​Factsheetslink to shallow topsoil factsheets (redirect to Tellus website dedicated page)
​Periodic Tablelink to shallow topsoil periodic table
Map ViewerUpdate Pending. (select stream sediment, stream water, shallow topsoil or deeper topsoil tab)

​Coverage: Survey area G5 North Midlands. Including counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Longford, Roscommon, Offaly, Mayo and Galway.

Data Release Notes

​Data Download​Link to zip file (2 MB)
​QC Data ReportLink to PDF (21.3 MB)
​QC and EDA Data PackageLink to zip file (525 MB)
Map BookletLink to PDF (18.8 MB)​

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Tellus - Deeper Topsoil 'S'

Data files updated June 2021.

​​​​​TypeAccess

Sample media: <2 mm fraction soil up to 0.50 m depth 'S'

Coverage: Survey areas G1, G3 and Dublin/Galway periurban. Including counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Mayo, Galway, Dublin, Meath, Kildare, Wicklow.

Analytical methods: Laboratory tests comprise: soil pH (CaCl2); loss-on-ignition at 450°C; multi-element total analyses of major, minor and trace elements by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRFS); and multi-element partial extract analyses of major, minor and trace elements by aqua regia digestion with an ICP finish.

Survey years: 2011-2017

Data release notes

Data Downloadlink to zip file (275.8 MB)
​QC Data Report link to PDF​ (39 MB)
​QC and EDA Data Packagelink to zip file (317.9 MB)​
Periodic Tablelink to PDF (11.9 MB)
Map ViewerUpdate Pending. (select stream sediment, stream water, shallow topsoil or deeper topsoil tab)

​Coverage: Survey area G5 North Midlands. Including counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Longford, Roscommon, Offaly, Mayo and Galway.

Survey years: 2017 -2019

Data release notes

​Data DownloadLink to zip file (2 MB)
​QC Data ReportLink to PDF (21 MB)
​QC and EDA Data Package​Link to zip file (508 MB)
​Map Booklet​Link to PDF (19.6 MB)

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Mineral Prospectivity Mapping (MPM) Project

Northwest Midlands Carboniferous historic soil geochemistry.

​​​​​TypeAccess

Sample Media: Soil (various depths).

Coverage: Galway, Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Longford, along with parts of Cavan, Westmeath and Offaly.

Dataset: Merged database of digitised historic third party private sector soil data is compiled from three sources:

i) Geological Survey Ireland: Compilation and digitisation of historic third party private sector soils data from the 'Open File' historic minerals exploration data.

ii) Vedanta Exploration Ireland Ltd. 'Geochemistry Compilation Project: Compilation of shallow soils published by the Geoscience Regulation Office (GSRO) in 2020.

iii) Geoscience Regulation Office: Recent and historic ('Legacy') third party private sector soils datasets submitted to the GSRO by exploration companies under the terms of their prospecting licences and made publically available.

This merged database includes locations and reported assays (mainly Cu, Pb and Zn), along with any information on the original data source, reporting companies, survey years and analytical methods, if available.

Survey years: 1960s to 2010s

Data release notes

MPM Historic Soils (File Geodatabase)link to zip file (122 MB)
​MPM Historic Soils (Excel files)link to zip file (112 MB) 
​​​Further detailslink to MPM project page
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Dublin SURGE Project

Dublin Soil Urban Geochemistry Project

​​​​​TypeAccess
Dublin SURGE project area

Sample media: <2 mm fraction soil between 0 - 10 cm depth.

Coverage: Greater Dublin area.

Analytical methods: Laboratory tests comprise: inorganic elements determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometer (CV-AAS) (mercury (Hg) only); organic pollutants Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) determined using gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography – electron capture detector (GC-ECD), respectively.

Survey years: 2009

Data release notes

SURGE Data download (Excel file)link to zip file (0.98 MB)
​SURGE Report link to publication page
Dublin Historic Industry Database download (Excel file)

 

link to zip file (239KB)

​​Dublin Historic Industry Database report

link to publication page

​Map viewer​link to online viewer (Select Urban Soils)

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GEMAS

Geochemical Mapping of Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil of Europe.

​​​​​TypeSource
MetadataLink to ISDE website
Data.gov.ieLink to Data.gov.ie website
Web ServicesRest Services
WebsiteLink to project website

Lithogeochemistry of rocks from southeast Ireland

Historic multielement geochemical data from samples collected in the period 1972 – 1994

​​​​​TypeAccess

​Sample media: Rock samples

Coverage: Survey areas G2. Including Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow.

Analytical methods: Samples were analysed by three techniques: X-Ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRFS) for major elements, Induced neutron activation analysis (INAA) for 33, mostly trace, elements and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) for 9 trace elements and Fe.

Survey years: 1972–1994

Data Downloadlink to zip file (Excel)
​Report​link to PDF

Dublin Boulder Clay Project

Geochemical characterization of the Dublin Boulder Clay

​​​​​TypeSource
Reportlink to PDF                                                                             
Appendiceslink to PDF
Datalink to zip file (excel file)
Further detailslink to Publication Page

Tellus Sample Archive

​​​​​TypeAccess


The Tellus Programme keeps an archive of the geochemical sample material which has been collected over the years. This archive consists of excess sample material, comprising: Shallow Topsoil ("A" soils), Deeper Topsoil ("S" soils), Stream Sediments ("C" samples), Stream waters ("W" samples) and Vegetation ("V" samples). The samples are kept at GSI Offices in Dublin. Samples can be requested by third parties to undertake their own investigations. All data acquired from new analysis of the archive must be shared with Geological Survey Ireland and is subject to GSI open data policy. New archive samples for 2022 will include the G8 Dublin Urban soils (please contact for more information).

Please complete the archive request form (below) and email to tellus@gsi.ie.

PDF Form DownloadLink to archive request form.