Map based index (GeoIndex) panned drainage sediment

This layer of the map based index (GeoIndex) shows the locations of panned drainage sediment samples. At most drainage sampling sites a panned heavy mineral concentrate is collected from the <2mm sediment fraction using a wooden dulang pan. For the Mineral Reconnaissance Programme these pans would be routinely analysed for mineral exploration purposes. The G-BASE project collects them at every drainage site but does not routinely submit them for chemical analyses and the samples are archived. Usually they are inspected when collected with a hand lens and the presence of mineralisation or contamination is recorded in the site information on field cards. The MRP has collected heavy mineral concentrates from some 33,000 drainage sites and analysed these for a variety of elements (predominantly by XRFS) including Ag, As, Au, Ba, Bi, Ca, Ce, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Sr, Ti, U, V, W, Zn and Zr.