Exploration in the House 2015: NSW Seamless Geology Project: Progress to date and what’s next? by Glen Phillips

1. NSW Seamless Geology Project:
Progress to date and what’s next?
Glen Phillips
Regional Mapping
Contact: glen.phillips@trade.nsw.gov

2. Talk Content
1. Overview and Aims of the Seamless Geology
Project
3. Some novel applications
4. What’s next?
2. Building the Geodatabase & Data management

3. Overview of the Project
5 Year project to compile the best available mapping
data for the state of NSW.

4. http://www.resourcesandenergy.nsw.gov.au/miners-and-explorers/geoscience-
information/products-and-data/geoscience-data-resources/geoscience-data-
packages/data/seamless-geology-data-package-zone-56
Easier to GOOGLE: GSNSW Seamless Geology

5. Overview of the Project
5 Year project to compile the best available mapping
data for the state of NSW.
*Project is ahead of schedule*

6. Aims of the Project
To create a fully scalable, internally
consistent mapping database for the
state of NSW.
Aims of the Project
To create a fully scalable, internally
consistent mapping database for the
state of NSW.
To move past ‘map-sheet geology’ and
the problems associated with this
approach.
To develop a ‘single point of truth’ for
the states geological data.
Aims of the Project
To create a fully scalable, internally
consistent mapping database for the
state of NSW.
To move past ‘map-sheet geology’ and
the problems associated with this
approach.

7. Compile best available mapping data
Rectify spatial discrepancies
Re-format data to adhere to statewide
format
Stitch data to remove joins between
datasets
Seamless Geology Workflow
Rectify spatial discrepancies

8. Improving the spatial accuracy of our data
Old map data on
modern base map
• As data is compiled into
the Seamless Geology
format, spatial accuracy
is checked against
modern base maps.
• Vector data often shows
considerable
discrepancies due to the
older base data that the
original geology was
compiled on.
• Vector data is spatially
rectified before bringing
into the Seamless
Geodatabase.
Seamless Geology Workflow

9. Compile best available mapping data
Rectify spatial discrepancies
Re-format data to adhere to statewide
format
Stitch data to remove joins between
datasets
Seamless Geology Workflow
Rectify spatial discrepancies
Re-format data to adhere to statewide
format

10. Most importantly, assign
data a ‘layer’
Seamless Geology Workflow

11. Compile best available mapping data
Rectify spatial discrepancies
Re-format data to adhere to statewide
format
Stitch data to remove joins between
datasets
Seamless Geology Workflow
Rectify spatial discrepancies
Re-format data to adhere to statewide
format
Stitch data to remove joins between
datasets

12. Seamless Geology Workflow
1. Connect line mismatches
2. Harmonize stratigraphic
units
3. Interpret undercover for
solid basement maps

13. Attribution is extremely important:
• This is particularly the case for solid geology maps, as
linework comprises a compilation of mapped geology
and geophysical interpretation.
• All line data is attributed, so users can carry out
QA/QC on the data.
• Data lineage is also preserved so users can return to
the source.
Data management
Attribution is extremely important:
• This is particularly the case for solid geology maps, as
linework comprises a compilation of mapped geology
and geophysical interpretation.
• All line data is attributed, so users can carry out
QA/QC on the data.
• Data lineage is also preserved so users can return to
the source.
Attribution is extremely important:
• This is particularly the case for solid geology maps, as
linework comprises a compilation of mapped geology
and geophysical interpretation.
• All line data is attributed, so users can carry out
QA/QC on the data.
• Data lineage is also preserved so users can return to
the source.

14. Attribution example 1
Attribute data includes:
• Line last edited by
• Data capture method
• Capture scale
• Geological feature and confidence
• Description
• Structure name
• The source of the data

15. Attribution example 2 - QA/QC by simple query
Query for ‘faults: position accurate’

16. Applications: Rock Unit attributes
Unit Name
Rock Type
Igneous type
i.e. S-, I-, A-type
Age
information

17. Applications: Rock Units by a simple query
All data
Query – granite; S-type
Export S-type granites

18. ~ 70, 000 points of
structural data
across the state.
Includes bedding, facing
information, foliation &
lineation.
Applications: Structural Data

19. Plot structural data using third party
software (Stereonet by Allmendinger)
Plot a sub-set of the data to analyse structural geometry.
Applications
Bedding data isolated from database
by searching data-type attribute
1% area contour
plot of poles to
bedding: girdle
defines fold
profile and
calculated plunge

20. What’s next?
Business as usual
1. Seamless Geodatabase
for Zone 54.
To also include:
1. Fact map of Broken Hill
Domain based on 25
000 map series.
2. Seamless Geology of
the Curnamona
Province (with GSSA).

21. Outcrop Geology Map
Solid Geology map gives false perception of the amount of outcrop
What’s next?
Southern Clarence Moreton Basin

22. FieldObs CSIRO Soils map Outcrop Map
What’s next?
Outcrop Geology Map

23. Solid Geology map gives false perception of the amount of outcrop
What’s next?
Outcrop Geology Map
Outcrop geology map provides an overview of where rocks are
most likely to be exposed

24. What’s next?
Seamless – 3D integration

25. What’s next?
Using cross-sections built from
the Seamless Geodatabase
Contact: jamie.robinson@trade.nsw.gov.au

26. What’s next?
Stratigraphic Unit Tables

27. What’s next?
Seamless Geology
in the GSNSW Map
Viewer
Map Viewer
currently shows
1:1 500 000 geology
Contact: David.collins@trade.nsw.gov.au
http://www.geoscience.nsw.gov.au/phonemaps/
Will be updated with
Seamless Geology
when available