​Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) maintains an extensive collection of drill core at its storage facility in Sandyford.  The collection has been assembled over many years and consists primarily of core drilled by GSI and core from industry, particularly the mineral exploration and mining. All mineral exploration companies are obliged to offer their core to the Exploration and Mining Division prior to disposal.  This drill core is a significant asset not only for GSI in carrying out its mandate but also serves as a valuable source for many sectors including academia, the minerals sector and the geotechnical sector.

The core store facility has exceeded its planned capacity and in order for GSI to continue to provide this service we have found it necessary to review our core holdings with a view to disposing of some core. This will allow room for newly drilled core by GSI and new offerings from third parties.  GSI contracted SLR Consulting and Dr. Michael Philcox to review the core holdings in Sandyford and to recommend core for disposal.  GSI has considered their report and are now moving to implement the findings. The core to be disposed of consists of holes identified as duplicates and are separated into geographical clusters.

GSI wishes to give any competent interested party the opportunity to voluntarily take any of the candidate holes for disposal and keep them at its own storage facility.  The offer to take into care any of the candidate drill holes will remain open until 1st August 2019.  Any competent interested party should contact GSI (gsi.corestore@gsi.ie) before this date and be prepared to collect the drill core at a mutually acceptable time.  After the 1st August 2019, GSI will dispose of any drill core listed above not removed by a third party.

GSI, at its own discretion, will record any of the drill core that it deems suitable for recording using a hyperspectral core scanner.  Any such records will be made available on the GSI's website at a time at GSI's deciding in the future.

GSI will be carrying out further assessments of its drill core holdings with a view to disposing of drill core, in order to make space available for newly acquired drill core, and further offers of drill core like this one will be issued before any disposal.  GSI will consult with stakeholders to a reasonable extent in order to ensure that essential and strategic drill core is retained.

Eoin McGrath, Head of Minerals

T:  +353 (0)1 678 2863, E: ­eoin.mcgrath@gsi.ie

Core disposal letter with list of cores identified as duplicates (PDF)

Map showing core disposal locations (PDF)