IE GSI Aggregate Potential Mapping Bedrock Geology Scores 100k Ireland (ROI) ITM

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Resource Identification Information:

Citation:
Title:  IE GSI Aggregate Potential Mapping Bedrock Geology Scores 100k Ireland (ROI) ITM

Reference date - creation:  2004-12-31
Reference date - publication:  2013-10-31

Presentation format:  mapDigital

Unique resource identifier:
Value: MR_MineralOccurrence_IE_GeologicalSurveyIreland_AggregatePotentialMapping_BedrockGeologyScores_100k_Ireland_ITM
Authority that defines the value:
Title:  geodata.gov.ie

Reference date - creation:  2004-12-31
Reference date - publication:  2013-10-31

Edition: 2018


Party responsible for the resource - pointOfContact: 
Individual's name: Minerals
Organization's name: Geological Survey Ireland
Contact's position: Head of Minerals

Contact information:
Phone:
Voice: +353-1-6782896
Address:
Delivery point: Block 1, Booterstown Hall, Booterstown Avenue, Booterstown, Blackrock
City: Dublin
Postal code: A94 N2R6
Country:  IE
e-mail address: support@geodata.gov.ie
Online resource:
Name of resource: GSI Website
Online location:https://www.gsi.ie
Connection protocol: text/html
Function performed:  information
Description: GSI Website
Themes or categories of the resource:  environment, geoscientificInformation, location

Place keywords:
Keywords:  Ireland

Thesaurus name:
Title:  Metadata Registry of the Publications Office of the EU Named Authority Lists - Country
Alternate titles:  MDR-COUNTRIES

Reference date - publication:  2015-03-18

Edition: 20200624-0

Theme keywords:
Keywords:  Mineral resources

Thesaurus name:
Title:  GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
Alternate titles:  GEMET INSPIRE

Reference date - publication:  2008-06-01

Descriptive keywords:
Keywords:  IE/GSI

Thesaurus name:
Title:  Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 9.1.5
Alternate titles:  GCMD Data Center Keywords

Reference date - publication:  2016-08-04

Edition: 9.1.5

Descriptive keywords:
Keywords:  National

Thesaurus name:
Title:  Spatial scope

Reference date - publication:  2019-05-22

Descriptive keywords:
Keywords:  Downloadable Data

Thesaurus name: ArcGIS Content Type
Abstract:  “Aggregates” is the term geologists use to describe rocks used for building and construction purposes. Aggregate Potential Mapping aims to identify areas where aggregate is most likely to be found. The bedrock geological map is the foundation of crushed rock Aggregate Potential evaluation. This map shows the bedrock geology (2006) used to create the crushed rock aggregate potential across Ireland. The rock units are listed alphabetically rather than stratigraphically (age).This map is to the scale 1:100,000. This means it should be viewed at that scale. When printed at that scale 1cm on the map relates to a distance of 1km.It is a vector dataset. Vector data portray the world using points, lines, and polygons (areas). The data is shown as polygons. Each polygon holds information on the county it is located, the bedrock 100k sheet number, rock unit name, rock unit code, rock unit description, geographic viability, primary rock type, secondary rock type,deleterious substances, quarries, scores and the area in m2.Please read the metadata lineage for further information.

Purpose: “Aggregates” is the term geologists use to describe rocks used for building and construction purposes. They are used in today’s world for building our roads, schools, hospitals and houses. Hard rocks can be crushed to make material for foundations and to fill in spaces. Naturally occurring sands and gravels are used for making concrete and concrete products such as building blocks. It is very important that we know where these rocks occur so that they can be used for any new projects. The aggregate potential maps show where it might be possible to find suitable rocks for building purposes. The map should be of interest to the building and road construction sectors, and planning authorities at local and regional level.

Dataset language:  eng
Dataset character set:  utf8

Status:  onGoing
Maintenance:
Update frequency:  notPlanned


Resource constraints:
Constraints:
Limitations of use: Data that is produced directly by the Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) is free for use under the conditions of Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcodeUnder the CC-BY Licence, users must acknowledge the source of the Information in their product or application.Please use this specific attribution statement: "Contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence".In cases where it is not practical to use the statement users may include a URI or hyperlink to a resource that contains the required attribution statement.

Resource constraints:
Legal constraints:
Resource constraints:
Legal constraints:
Resource constraints:
Security constraints:
Classification:  unclassified

Spatial representation type:  vector

Processing environment: Esri ArcGIS 13.0.3.36057

Spatial resolution:
Dataset's scale:
Scale denominator: 100000
Spatial resolution:
Ground sample distance: 1000 m
Extent:
2004-12-31T00:00:00 2013-10-31T00:00:00
Extent:
Geographic element - Bounding rectangle:
Extent contains the resource: true
West longitude: -10.870575
East longitude: -5.879782
North latitude: 55.38538
South latitude: 51.404148
Credits: Geological Survey Ireland

Point of contact - pointOfContact: 
Individual's name: Minerals
Organization's name: Geological Survey Ireland
Contact's position: Head of Minerals

Contact information:
Phone:
Voice: +353-1-6782896
Address:
Delivery point: Block 1, Booterstown Hall, Booterstown Avenue, Booterstown, Blackrock
City: Dublin
Postal code: A94 N2R6
Country:  IE
e-mail address: support@geodata.gov.ie
Online resource:
Name of resource: GSI Website
Online location:https://www.gsi.ie
Connection protocol: text/html
Function performed:  information
Description: GSI Website

Spatial Representation - Vector:

Level of topology for this dataset:  geometryOnly
Geometric objects:
Object type:  composite
Object count: 23679

Reference System Information:

Reference system identifier:
Value: 2157
Authority that defines the value:
Title:  European Petroleum Survey Group (EPSG) Geodetic Parameter Dataset
Alternate titles:  EPSG

Reference date - publication:  2004-04-07

Edition: 9.8.12

Code space: EPSG
Version: 6.5.3(8.1.2)

Data Quality Information:

Scope of quality information:
Level of the data:dataset

Lineage:
Lineage statement: The Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) started a programme of aggregate potential mapping (APM) for both sand and gravel, and crushed rock resources in Ireland in 2007. The six-year project ran from Nov. 1st, 2007 to Oct. 31st, 2013. The project followed on from three county APM surveys which were completed successfully earlier in the decade: County Donegal (McCarron, 2002), County Meath (Lally, 2004) and County Wicklow (Gallagher, 2004). The method for crushed rock aggregates was developed following consultation with industry and experts in the quarry sector. The mapping method is based on a system of scores applied to geological, geographic, market and social factors. Scores were applied from 1 to 10 for seven factors: • Rock Type Suitability (2.8) • Deleterious Substances (0.7) • Number of quarries (1.2) • Area (0.5) • Overburden thickness (2.0) • Elevation (0.8) • Markets (1.2) The seven factors were weighted by a multiplication factor (in parentheses after the listed factors above). The final score is obtained by summing the weighted scores to give a final score ranging from 5 to 100. GSI holds data for numerous different geological features, including the type of rock and soil present at all locations. This information was combined with other datasets such as the location of quarries, the census of population distribution and topography to obtain the final scores. These scores are mapped as individual polygons. Methodology 1. Dataset assembly. Relevant datasets from within GSI were assembled, including bedrock, quaternary and quarry database. 2. External datasets sourced. Topography, and census data was obtained. 3. Attribution of scores from 1 to 10 to each polygon as outlined ; • Rock Type Suitability (2.8) - This tells us if the rock in an area is suitable for building purposes. • Deleterious Substances (0.7) – This tells us if there is anything within the rock that might make it unsuitable for building purposes. • Number of quarries (1.2) – This tells us if this rock is already being used for building purposes. • Area (0.5) – This tells us if there is enough rock available to be worthwhile opening a quarry. • Overburden thickness (2.0) – This tells us how much soil and other material needs to be removed to get to the rock. • Elevation (0.8) – This tells us the height above sea level. • Markets (1.2) – This tells us how close the area is to places where there will be a high demand for building materials. 4. Summation of scores multiplied by weighting factor (in brackets above) 5. Final scores assigned to category of potential The work was completed in ArcGIS in ITM projection. It must be stressed that even though an area may be designated as ‘low’ or ‘very low’ this does not mean that the area has ‘no’ potential. It may be that in a given area in the absence of better quality material a particular rock type may be the only option. Also some rocks may possess particular qualities which make them suitable for specific uses – for example a mud rock may be suitable as a source of clay for brick manufacture. The work was carried out on a county-by- county basis and then merged to produce a seamless map for the entire country. The APM project results should be of interest to the building and road construction sectors, and planning authorities at local and regional level. Full details about Crushed Rock Aggregate Potential Mapping can be found in the IE GSI Crushed Rock Aggregate Potential 1:100,000 Ireland (ROI) ITM metadata. This map relates to the Rock Type Suitability parameter. EVALUATION PARAMETERS and SCORING ALGORITHM The scoring parameters, and their integration, used in Crushed Rock APM are: [Rock Type Suitability x 2.8] + [Deleterious Substances x 0.7] + [Number of quarries x 1.2] + [Area x 0.5] + [Overburden thickness x 2] + [Elevation x 0.8] + [Markets x 1.2] The treatment of individual parameters is elaborated on in later sections. The above formula show that the Irish method uses a scoring system of Weighted Sums. A Phase 1 subtotal is arrived at after the addition of Area; this represents scoring of original Quaternary deposits or Bedrock blocks in the form in which they have been mapped. Thereafter, Phase 2 parameters are introduced which have a different geography; they are scored and then added successively, in combination with the geoprocessing operation Union. Thus, with the possible exception of very small initial units, Phase 2 evaluation is carried out on subsets of the original geological bodies. The Markets parameter is partitioned between a Construction sector (house building, and social and business infrastructure) whose proxy for scoring purposes in this project is Population Density, and a Road Building sector. Partitioning of the weight of 1.2 associated with this parameter is calculated separately for each county after a review of the product range of the more recent pits and quarries within the confines of the county. Parameters are scored from 1 to 10 or from 0 to 10. Those in the former group are Rock Type Suitability, Area, Elevation and the Population Market. Those in the latter group are Deleterious Substances, Number of Quarries, Overburden Thickness, and the Roads Market. Parameters which include a score of 0 can register an amount of zero of the factor in question, based on data to hand e.g. no recorded pits/quarries. A score of zero in other cases is used to differentiate between the lowest value and an outside designation, such as “Lake” in DTB maps from which deposit thickness is derived. Parameters whose lowest score is 1 may always offer some possibility, however small, of attaining an influence on the aggregate potential of the host e.g. a very poor quality rock type/lithology. Individual scoring scales are explained fully later on. In order that higher scores will always represent higher potential, and lower scores lower potential, some parameters of a negative character are scored inversely i.e. a high score means little of the parameter, and a low score means much of it. The factors which are scored thus are Deleterious Substances, Overburden Thickness, Elevation, and Roads Market. A large amount of Deleterious Substances lowers the potential of a rock; its score will therefore be low for this factor. A shallow thickness of overburden will increase the potential of a bedrock rock source; therefore the rock will attract a high score for this parameter. A deposit or bedrock aggregate source which is found at a high elevation will attract a low score. And finally, a deposit or rock type located a short distance from a proposed road will be given a high market potential score. The sum of weights shown in the algorithm was, at the conception of the project, designed to be 10. When multiplied by scores for each factor, the total score range would emerge as 10-100. However, with the impracticality of including several parameters which require a large time input for data research and perhaps field checks, and due to the consideration of scores of 0 in several of the factors, revised total score ranges have come about: 4.1 - 92 in the case of Crushed Rock AP estimation. Parameters which have not been included in the NDP six-year project for reasons of time are: Crushed Rock APM • Rock Test Data from individual formations The weights assigned to the various parameters were postulated at the initiation of the Meath and Wicklow APM projects in 2002, and implemented in final form in 2003 after discussions between Minerals Programme staff and external consultant R. Fox. The experience of work within the aggregates industry was thus brought to bear. A key point for the user of APMs is to appreciate that not all initial materials of the same type, be they similar S&G deposits or similar bedrock lithologies, are ultimately of similar value as aggregates. The application of the project’s scoring algorithm models both inherent potential of a resource, and also how its value changes due to the influence of size, location and saleability. COMPILATION OF CRUSHED ROCK AGGREGATE POTENTIAL MAPS MAP OF BEDROCK FORMATIONS, with QUARRIES The bedrock geological map is the foundation of crushed rock AP evaluation. The project uses GSI’s 1:100,000 scale seamless Bedrock Geology Map (2006) as its base, with insertion of more recent 1:50,000 scale sheets in localised quadrants. In total 1150 geological units have been mapped; the majority are formations, with members, plutons and igneous varieties, and zones or facies in formations making up a smaller proportion. Examples of the latter are mylonite, dolomite, volcanics, or black shales in X Formation. A clip of each county is made at the outset from the parent map, whereupon a slight adjustment to achieve optimum – though never perfect - registry with current topographic base maps is usually necessary. This offset comes about as a result of the manner of compilation of the 20 or so map sheets which were brought together digitally to make the 1:100,000 scale seamless bedrock product: the cartographic base for these sheets was OSI half-inch to one mile (1:126,720) paper-based mapping dating from the latter part of the 20thC. The required area of each bedrock sheet was amplified to 1:100,000 scale, and geology digitised on. Throughout this process, distortions were inevitable. Although adjustments were made to bring about best fits at sheet boundaries during the production of the seamless map, the overall registry with the most recent OSI digital product is variable. With good registry in some counties, there are simultaneous offsets of up to 65m in others, with a notable extreme degree of discordance in mid and north Co. Kerry (up to 235m). The intention with this map of the Crushed Rock AP map set is to present GSI’s bedrock geology via a simplified, colourful display, in which the spatial data is clipped to the boundary of each county, and to provide an overlay of quarries from the project’s Pit and Quarry (P&Q) inventory. The legend of each county map lists formations and geological units alphabetically, rather than in stratigraphic sequence; next to each name is a descriptive phrase taken from the attribute table of the GSI master file. It is hoped that most of the terminology will be understood by the lay person, and in particular by the quarrying industry. For more details about the lithologies, the user is advised to use the Identify tool associated with the web viewer, or to consult the bedrock file’s attribute table. CRUSHED ROCK AGGREGATE POTENTIAL PROCESS MAPS (PHASE 1) Six panels are presented on two A1-sized sheets, showing colour-coded scoring of bedrock formations for: Sheet 1: 1) Primary rock type 2) Final lithology: Primary type + secondary and minor rock types and textures 3) Deleterious substances Sheet 2 : 4) Density of quarries 5) Area 6) The weighted sum of (b) – (e) SCORING OF BEDROCK BLOCKS FOR PRIMARY ROCK TYPE SUITABILITY CALCULATION OF SCORES The important parameter of rock type suitability is scored in accordance with the scale shown in the Table below, where 10 represents a rock with expected excellent aggregate properties, and 1 a rock with the poorest qualities. Scores are an average of the Intrinsic Value of the rock, derived from a survey of Irish and international test data, and the Utilization Value of the rock in the Irish State. The latter indicator is computed from the frequency of rock types in crushed rock quarries documented in GSI’s three Quarry Directories 1988/1994/2001. The two factors are brought together in the proportion 1:1. The table below is an ordering of the means of the two values, for approximately 25 rock types for which both sets of data were available. Rocks were grouped “volumetrically” first, reflecting their relative abundance in Ireland. This was done so that each group, now with a score of between 1 and 10, would contain substantial rock types, and no score would apply to an insignificant set of lithologies in terms of outcrop. Rock Type Suitability scoring scale Rock Types Score Dolerite/whinstone, Greywacke 10 Hornfels, Quartzite, Turbidite 9 Diorite/Gabbro, Basalt, Andesite 8 Limestone, Quartzitic/siliceous sandstone, Felsite 7 Granite, Sandstone/Grit 6 Rhyolite/Tuff/Acid volcanics, Granodiorite, Psammitic schist 5 Gneiss, Conglomerate/Breccia, Dolomite 4 Shale, Slate, Amphibolite/Hornblende schist 3 Schist/Pelite, Marble, Chert, Siltstone 2 Mudstone, Clay(stone) 1 The procedural step of introducing a Utilization Value score for the NDP project (it was not used in the earlier surveys of Cos. Donegal, Meath and Wicklow) arises out of observations wherein the high intrinsic scores of some basic rock types were not being reflected in levels of extractive activity in the Irish scene. It would be wrong to persist in affording these rocks such high potential if the industry is simply not in correspondence. The effect of the Utilization Value criterion is to lower the score of Sandstone/Grit notably; secondly, the scores of Dolomite, Marble and Chert are also lowered. In the case of the Sandstone group, this change can be explained in the main by the reluctance of (Irish) producers to quarry these rocks because of the costs of wear and tear on crushing machinery, and the rapid attrition of drill steel. A similar Utilization survey of S&G petrologies processed by sand and gravel companies shows that there is a high uptake of sandstone and grit when it is in granular form and not in need of blasting and crushing. This is particularly evident in glaciofluvial and alluvial deposits across the Old Red Sandstone belt in the southern province of Munster. In the case of Dolomite and Marble, the lowering of scores referred to is most probably due to these rocks being “scheduled” under current Irish Minerals legislation. They require a special licence or mining lease, entail the payment of royalties to the State, and have been traditionally subject to stricter levels of inspection and post-closure remediation. In the case of chert, it is not clear why the inclusion of a Utilization Value should negatively affect the intrinsic value score; perhaps as in the case of sandstone, quarry companies prefer a softer rock if there is an alternative. The spreadsheet “Rock Type Ranking” has several footnotes which will it is hoped explain the thinking which has led to the ranks/scores discussed here. A case in point is the way in which a score of 3 is assigned to Shale. This is a rock type which would be traditionally seen as being of poor quality as an aggregate, but also being of high value in specific applications related to construction e.g. brick clay, cement clay. Unfortunately, there is no way of distinguishing between shale end use types based on Intrinsic Value data; Irish Utilization returns would require very specific analysis of sourcing and production patterns in the industry, not feasible for time reasons at this stage of the project. Therefore, the higher than expected Irish Utilization Value for shale, 5 - which includes all end uses - is combined with its low Intrinsic Value (based on test data), 1 to give an average of 3. DERIVATION OF INTRINSIC ROCK VALUES Intrinsic Values are calculated from physical and mechanical rock test data which the project was able to gather or consult. The physical data gathered include results of Dry relative density (g/cc), Bulk density (g/cc), Water absorption (mass %), Compressive strength, Tensile strength, and Shear strength (all N/mm2) testing. Nine international and one Irish source were drawn from, indirectly through, or as reported in published technical literature in the main. Only those tests underlined were used to produce a ranking of rocks, as results from the others were not plentiful enough to make statistically sound averages. The mechanical data gathered include results of Aggregate Impact Value (AIV), Aggregate Crushing Value (ACV), Aggregate Abrasion Value (AAV), Los Angeles Abrasion Value (LAAV), and Flakiness Index (FI) testing – all mass %; and also testing for Ten Percent Fines Value (TFV, in kN), MgSO4 Soundness Volume Stability Value (mass % loss), and Polished Stone Value (PSV, with a method related scale). Twelve international and three Irish sources were drawn from, as reported in published technical literature or in primary reports to hand. Only those tests underlined had a consistency of reporting across many rock types, so as to allow them be used for ranking purposes. The full list of reference texts and sources of testing is given in the spreadsheet “Rock Type Ranking”. The physical properties ranking scale is arrived at by ordering averages of the three tests chosen. The mechanical properties ranking scale is arrived at by combining AIV, AAV, and PSV with the average of ACV + TFV, and placing the average of the four in order. ACV and TFV are reduced to one result as they are related in purpose: the latter is in fact a supplementary test to the former. The physico-mechanical rank of rocks, which is termed their Intrinsic Value in the APM method, is calculated then by combining the above two results in the proportion 3:4, reflecting the number of tests employed by each. APPLICATION OF SCORES Where more than one rock type competes equally as primary lithology, scores in the Rock Type Suitability scoring scale table are averaged. In practice, the Phase 1 attribute tables of each county utilise a 20-point scale during scoring of lithology, whereby close averages can generally be more clearly seen. The legend of the process map “Scoring for Primary Rock Type” groups scores to the nearest integer for simplicity of display, and returns to the basic 1-10 scale. From the “documented” rock types in the table below, scores for some 50 extra rock types which are cited in GSI’s 1:100,000 and 1:50,000 scale Bedrock Mapping Reports (1992-2010) are derived. A list of lithologies with whole derived scores, at its present state of completion, is given in the table below. Rock Type Suitability scale with Derived scores Rock Types Score Specialist: brick clay, red Triassic marl, quartz rock/silica sand rock 10 Sills, Metagreywacke, Metadolerite 9 Basic lava, Basic intrusives 8 Microgranite, Quartz diorite, Dacite, Metabasalt, Metagabbro 7 Dolomitic limestone, Clastics, Acid intrusives, Intermediate volcanics, Mylonite 6 Granite gneiss, Porphyry, Appinite, Acid pyroclastics, Trachyte/Latite, Marl 5 Granulite, Migmatite, Syenite, Agglomerate 4 Semi-pelitic schist, Calc-silicate schist, Argillite 3 - 2 Mudrock, Talc schist 1 The process of introducing these additional scores into the lithology table is in fact ongoing as more counties are examined during the course of the project. An example of a derived score is 6 for the oft-mentioned Clastics, calculated from the average of the documented rocks shale, siltstone, sandstone, quartzite and greywacke. Derived scores may also have decimal points. These are additional to the types shown in the table above. Of the lithologies with decimals, Basic volcanics (6.5), Metabasite (5.5), Volcaniclastics (5.5), Basic gneiss (3.5), and Phyllite (2.5) are the most widespread. Phyllite, as a case in point, is calculated by combining the two documented rocks slate and schist. SCORING OF BEDROCK BLOCKS FOR SUITABILITY OF FINAL LITHOLOGY Final lithology refers to the combination of primary rock types(s) and secondary and minor rock types and textures. Secondary elements include rock types and compositional variation making up between 10 and 50% of the whole, and also pervasive textural and structural features. (An example of a secondary compositional variation which is not a specific rock type is the adjectival argillaceous or muddy when describing limestones). Minor or tertiary elements consist of rock types/compositions making up <10% of the whole, and occasional or rare textural/structural features. In the APM Phase 1 scoring table of each county, in which these parameters are considered, there is only one field (column) for description of secondary elements, and one for minor/tertiary. This is done to avoid over-complication of the table; within each field, nevertheless, there is a breakdown of numerical score increments among the rock characteristics considered, usually given in brackets. A separate score field then presents the net increment. Increments due to a secondary rock type or composition may alter the primary lithology score, on the scale of 10, by up to two points either upwards or downwards, depending on whether it is ranked as superior or inferior to the primary type. Two secondary lithologies/compositions may effect additive changes of up to 4 points, either upwards or downwards, or indeed cancel each other out if one is superior and one inferior to the primary type. Changes are obviously limited so as not to carry scores beyond those of the secondary lithologies themselves. Pervasive textures or structures may alter primary rock scores to a similar extent as secondary lithologies, in the manner described above. Textural/structural elements may be positive or negative in determining quality of an aggregate, and can include: • Porosity (primary or secondary) • foliation, cleavage and fissility (not applicable to rocks defined by such features) • grain size: equigranular, uneven, large or small grains (not applicable to rocks defined by large/small or bimodal grain size) • thickness, evenness or absence of bedding • degree and closeness of interbedding • cleanliness of sediment • degree of cementation, hardness, formation of ledges or prominences • form of occurrence e.g. seam-like, nodular habit • weathering, karstification. Increments due to a minor or tertiary rock type/composition may alter the accumulating primary + secondary score by 1 point, either upwards or downwards, on the scale of 10. The increment sign will depend on whether the tertiary rock is ranked as superior or inferior to the primary type. Two minor lithologies/compostions may effect additive changes of up to 2 points, either upwards or downwards, or indeed cancel each other out if one is superior and one inferior to the primary type. Changes are limited so as not to carry scores beyond those of the minor lithologies themselves. Minor textural features may alter accumulating primary + secondary rock scores to a similar extent as minor lithologies, in the manner described above. Textural/structural elements may be positive or negative, and can include any from the list detailed previously. Frequency and form of occurrence are typical criteria in assigning minor status to elements within the rock; qualifiers such as occasional, rare, locally, lenses, horizons, towards the top/base, possible, and thin are taken into account for this purpose. A Final Lithology Score field is present in all Phase 1 tables, showing the result of any increments from the above which affect the primary score. The range of scores is colour coded as shown in the second panel of the Crushed Rock AP process maps for each county. SCORING OF DELETERIOUS SUBSTANCES Deleterious substances or features are distilled from the descriptions of each formation in GSI Bedrock Mapping Reports. They are harmful to the performance of the rock, in aggregate form, in a structure; the deleterious action may be mechanical or chemical. Scoring is applied according to the amount or level of occurrence of the substance, rather than to any comparative criteria between different substances. Reference is made to the scale shown in the table below. Scoring of deleterious substances Deleterious Substance Occurrence Categories Score No deleterious substances documented 10 1 item, of single or very occasional occurrence 9 1 item, occasionally, or of local occurrence in discrete beds 8 1 item, of local occurrence (upper, mid, lower formation), or potentially locally throughout 7 1 item locally or potentially throughout 6 1 item throughout, or 2 items of local occurrence (upper, mid, lower formation) 5 2 items locally or potentially throughout 4 2 items, one regularly throughout and one locally throughout 3 2 items regularly throughout, or more than 2 items locally or potentially throughout 2 More than 2 items regularly throughout 1 The list of deleterious substances across the study area is rather broad: to date some 65 items have been catalogued and scored. (The spreadsheet “Deleterious Substances” may be consulted for a full list). The reasons why a given substance may be harmful derive both from an appreciation of its geological characteristics (crystallography, chemistry, hardness etc.), and from research in the technical literature into performance of aggregate containing the material or feature. These reasonings are stated with some frequency in Phase 1 scoring tables, in the field Evaluation. SCORING OF BEDROCK FORMATIONS BASED ON DENSITY OF QUARRIES Quarries are counted in each geological formation present in the county. The base data for the counting of quarries derives from the project’s “Map of Pits and Quarries”. As many sources of data as possible are used with a view to establishing categories of quarries, varying in age and size. The categories of quarry arising out of these sources are displayed in the Table below, each category being assigned a weight reflecting its importance. It will be noted that the maximum score for quarries is 15, as opposed to 12 in the case of pits. This is designed to reflect the fact that many quarries on 6” maps were in fact walling and other dimension stone operations, in an era (19th and early 20thC) before the modern large scale use of aggregates. As dimension stone is not considered in the APM project, the relative importance of these old quarries is lessened in some measure by increasing the scores of modern aggregate operations. All pits on 6” maps, in contrast, were producers of sand and gravel for construction purposes, as is the case today. Classification and scoring of quarries Category Name Content Weight S261 large Applications with Local Authorities since 2004, of area >3 ha* 15 S261 small Applications with Local Authorities since 2004, of area <3 ha* 12 Quat Map Active Quarries noted as active during GSI Quaternary mapping 1992-present 12 Quat Map Ann Active Annotations indicating active quarries on GSI Quaternary maps 1992-present 12 Three QDs Quarries recorded in GSI Quarry Directories, 1988/1994/2001 12 Rec MinLocs Recent quarries, dating from the 1970’s-1995 in GSI MinLocs database 12 Ind Mins DB Quarries recorded in GSI Industrial Minerals database; activity dates variable 8/12 S261 dorm Applications with Local Authorities since 2004, generally of small area and deemed to be dormant* 8 Quat Map Ann D1 Annotations indicating quarries recently disused, on GSI Quaternary maps 1992-present 8 Newer MinLocs Quarries dating from the 1930’s-1970 in GSI MinLocs database 8 Quat Map Disused Quarries noted as disused on GSI Quaternary maps 1992-present 8 Bedrock Map Disused Quarries noted as disused during GSI Bedrock mapping projects 8/(3) Quat Map Ann D2 Annotations indicating historic, closed quarries on GSI Quaternary maps 1992-present 3 Old MinLocs 19th-early 20thC quarries in GSI MinLocs database 3 Six Inch Quarries noted during OSI/GSI 6”: 1 mile mapping 1 * The division of Section 261 quarry size at 3ha was made so as to assign approximately half of the quarries digitised so far to the larger, and the other half to the smaller category. “Applications” includes both submissions for registration as quarries during the year April 2004-5, as required by law, and also planning applications in respect of new or existing quarries since 2004. Note: minor adjustments in weight to the above table will be found in individual counties to accommodate local age/size situations and at the same time keep scoring charts reasonably compact. Quarries are assigned to one or other category in the scoring table. The computation of the total quarry score is achieved by weighted sum across all categories, followed by division of that figure by the area of the lithology surveyed (within and outside the county, as explained below). The presence of quarries is tabulated for formations or intraformational facies in the parent Bedrock 1:100,000 scale scoring table, covering the whole APM area. This table is constantly being added to as new counties are examined. Some formations extend beyond the borders of individual counties, and quarries in these extensions are also included, the objective being to acquire a quarry density figure which is statistically as broadly based as possible. The extent to which counting in these extensions is carried out depends on (a) the state of documentation of quarrying history i.e. finalisation of the quarry inventory, in adjoining counties (counties which have no APM are not included) (b) lithological similarity between geographically separate parts of the formation. With regard to point (b), a good number of widely-exposed formations exhibit geographic variation, to the point of producing quite different Final Lithology scores. This is particulary characteristic of limestone-shale formations of the Lower Carboniferous: 1. The Lower Limestone Shale varies in primary lithology from Sandstone,Mudstone to the tripartite Siltstone,Mudstone,Limestone, and in pervasive textural descriptions it varies on the basis of bedding thickness and competency 2. the Ballysteen Formation usually has Limestone as its primary lithology, but in places this divides to an equal presence of Limestone,Shale, or Mudstone,Limestone. Additionally, some fifteen secondary lithological descriptions have been synthesised from GSI’s mapsheet booklets, varying in aspects of bedding style, amount of argillaceous material, and fossil content 3. the Waulsortian Limestones vary considerably at a local level due to facies exposure. In the central facies,the rock is massive, often sparry, and dolomitisation can affect its usability. Where off-reef facies are present, intertonguing chert and wavy bedding become important; both of these alter the aggregate properties of the formation 4. the Lucan Formation varies in primary rock type from Limestone to Limestone,Shale. Its secondary lithologies are also variable, chiefly in argillaceous content and the presence of chert interbeds. Where regional variation of the types explained above exist in any formation, either within or outside a given county, quarry counting is subject to the corresponding limitation of extent. Once the necessary count has been completed, a clip of the county under study is made. Most of the formations will thus inherit the density figures of the parent file, and any cut polygons which do not, because of the absence of quarry figures in an adjoining county, are computed on their own and incorporated into the rest of the formation in the county at this stage. Final density figures are split into ten ranges and colour-coded to produce the display shown in the fourth panel of the Crushed Rock AP Process Map sheets. SCORING OF BEDROCK BLOCKS FOR AREA For the purpose of applying scores to Area in the case of crushed rock resources, it was deemed appropriate to define workable units more accurately. This is done by focussing on bedrock blocks rather than whole formations. Bedrock blocks need to be of a reasonable size to allow for the development of a modern extractive operation. Blocks are portions of formations which are bounded by stratigraphic or structural, or indeed geographic limits. Geological limits begin with the upper and lower formational boundaries, which by definition mark a change to different lithologies. The most usual intraformational boundaries are faults; formations in some part of the country are also split into blocks by dyke swarms. Geographically, some formations are artificially split in this project by county boundaries so that county APMs can be delivered. In conclusion, blocks are presumed to be continuous workable areas of the lithology in question, within local authority confines. Blocks that are of small area may benefit from good depth penetration, if they dip steeply. The rock may be amenable to deep excavation if it is not overly fractured. Notwithstanding these considerations, area alone is used here as a layer of evidence for AP estimation, without modification for depth extension, nor indeed for high length:breadth ratios which produce constraining elongate shapes. These would both be useful to include, but have not been modelled due to limitations of time. Scoring is designed to reflect potential yield of a bedrock block: how many quarries and of what size could an individual block provide space for? Estimation and classification is based on the size of Irish crushed rock quarries; the largest recorded during digitising of recent and operating quarries (2010) measures 149ha (Irish Cement Ltd.'s Castlemungret Quarry and Cement Plant, Co. Limerick); the second in size measures 142ha (Roadstone Huntstown Quarry, Co. Dublin). There is a small number of similarly very large quarries or quarry-plant complexes until the extent of operations drops to c. 55ha. Below this size quarries approximate each other more closely in dimensions. Thus, for the purposes of this project it is practicable to consider 'large' quarries as being within the broad range of 50 - 150 ha. in size. Deriving from this, the classes shown in the Table below are used to score area. Scoring of bedrock blocks for Area Size Range Bedrock block potential/characteristics Score >1500 ha Long-term extraction foreseen 10 1000-1500 ha Potential for 10 to 15 large quarries 9 700-1000 ha 5 to 10 large quarries 8 350-700 ha 2 to 5 large quarries 7 150-350 ha Probably not more than 2 large quarries 6 50-150 ha Potential for 1 large quarry 5 25-50 ha 1 quarry of moderate size 4 5-25 ha 1 moderate to small quarry 3 1-5 ha A small borrow quarry, or one below Section 261 threshold for EIA* 2 ≤1 ha Insignificant resource 1 * EIA: Environmental Impact Assessment WEIGHTED SUM SCORE, PHASE 1 The sixth panel in the Crushed Rock AP Process Map sheets shows the effect of combining the previous four parameters, in the following weighted sum sub-total: [Lithology Final Score x 2.8] + [Deleterious Substances score x 0.7] + [Quarry Density score x 1.2] + [Area score x 0.5] This corresponds to the first part of the Crushed Rock AP scoring algorithm; its result is termed the Phase 1 Score in attribute tables thereafter. Phase 1 scores are divided into ten classes based roughly on an equal area distribution, with rounding off of decimals, and classes are then colour coded as shown on the panel. The spread of values, and hence the class breaks, varies from county to county due to the quality and size of bedrock blocks. In 2023 the data was imported into GSI’s ESRI enterprise database using ArcGIS Pro. Using ArcGIS Pro 3, the dataset was renamed as part of a GSI data standardisation process. Metadata was updated to the new GSI standard based on INSPIRE and ISO standards and validated using the INSPIRE validator.

Data quality report - Domain consistency:
Conformance test results:
Test passed: false
Meaning of the result: The INSPIRE Directive or INSPIRE lays down a general framework for a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) for the purposes of European Community environmental policies and policies or activities which may have an impact on the environment.

Description of conformance requirements:
Title:  COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
Alternate titles:  D2.8.III.21 INSPIRE Data Specification on Mineral Resources –Technical Guidelines version 3.0

Reference date - publication:  2010-12-08

Data quality report - Domain consistency:
Conformance test results:
Test passed: false
Meaning of the result: See the reference specification

Description of conformance requirements:
Title:  COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
Alternate titles:  Regulation 1089/2010 COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services

Reference date - publication:  2010-12-08

Data quality report - Domain consistency:
Conformance test results:
Test passed: true
Meaning of the result: See the reference specification

Description of conformance requirements:
Title:  COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1205/2008 of 3 December 2008 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards metadata
Alternate titles:  COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1205/2008 of 3 December 2008 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards metadata

Reference date - publication:  2008-12-04

Distribution Information:

Distributor:
Distributor information - publisher: 
Individual's name: Information Management
Organization's name: Geological Survey Ireland
Contact's position: Head of Information Management

Contact information:
Phone:
Voice: +353-1-6782896
Address:
Delivery point: Block 1, Booterstown Hall, Booterstown Avenue, Booterstown, Blackrock
City: Dublin
Postal code: A94 N2R6
Country:  IE
e-mail address: support@geodata.gov.ie
Online resource:
Name of resource: GSI Website
Online location:https://www.gsi.ie
Connection protocol: text/html
Function performed:  information
Description: GSI Website
Format:
Format name: Enterprise Geodatabase Feature Class
Format version: 10.7

Transfer options:

Metadata Information:

Metadata language:  eng
Metadata character set:  utf8


Last update:  2023-10-09
Maintenance:
Update frequency:  asNeeded



Metadata constraints:
Constraints:
Limitations of use: Data that is produced directly by the Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) is free for use under the conditions of Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcodeUnder the CC-BY Licence, users must acknowledge the source of the Information in their product or application.Please use this specific attribution statement: "Contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence".In cases where it is not practical to use the statement users may include a URI or hyperlink to a resource that contains the required attribution statement.

Metadata constraints:
Security constraints:
Classification:  unclassified

Metadata contact - pointOfContact: 
Individual's name: Information Management
Organization's name: Geological Survey Ireland
Contact's position: Head of Information Management

Contact information:
Phone:
Voice: +353-1-6782896
Address:
Delivery point: Block 1, Booterstown Hall, Booterstown Avenue, Booterstown, Blackrock
City: Dublin
Postal code: A94 N2R6
Country:  IE
e-mail address: support@geodata.gov.ie
Online resource:
Name of resource: GSI Website
Online location:https://www.gsi.ie
Connection protocol: text/html
Function performed:  information
Description: GSI Website
Scope of the data described by the metadata:  dataset
Scope name: dataset

Name of the metadata standard used: INSPIRE Metadata Implementing Rules: Technical Guidelines based on EN ISO 19115 and EN ISO 19119
Version of the metadata standard: V. 1.2

Metadata identifier: MD_MR_MineralOccurrence_IE_GeologicalSurveyIreland_AggregatePotentialMapping_BedrockGeologyScores_100k_Ireland_ITM