The Tellus survey is a national programme to gather geochemical and geophysical data across Ireland – in other words, to examine the chemical and physical properties of our soil, rocks and water.
Tellus is undertaken by the Geological Survey Ireland and is funded by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. All data from Tellus is made available free of charge online.
Tellus involves two types of surveying – airborne geophysical surveying using a low-flying aircraft and ground-based geochemical surveying of soil, stream water and stream sediment.
To date, Tellus surveying has been completed in Northern Ireland (2004–2008) and the border region of Ireland (2011–2013). Tellus airborne surveying has been completed in the north midlands region of Ireland (2014–2015), the eastern midlands region (2015), and most recently the west of Ireland (2016-2017). The Tellus airborne geophysical survey has now mapped 60% of the country.
The Tellus aircraft has completed surveying in Limerick and north Tipperary. Surveying is still ongoing in the west Cork region and is expected to be complete by May 2019. From late May/June until late autumn the Tellus aircraft will move to the south east of Ireland; into counties Carlow, Wexford, Wicklow and neighbouring parts of south Kildare, south east Kilkenny and Waterford.
Tellus has established a
Product Development workstream in order to produce more focused, user-centric data products, the need for which has been identified through stakeholder consultation, independent reviews of Tellus and government policy. Product development is undertaken under five main themes: Mineral prospectivity, smart agriculture, environment and health, climate action and education.
