Data sources

Data Sources

No single public dataset provides complete and consistently structured coverage of mining assets globally. Sources differ in geographic coverage, the types of assets they include, the information they provide and how frequently they are updated.

Global Mining Dataset brings these sources together into a common structure. Records are standardised and, where appropriate, matched across sources to provide a consolidated view of each asset while retaining information about its underlying provenance.

Global databases provide broad geograhic coverage and form an important part of the underlying asset universe. Individual datasets have different definitions and inclusion criteria, so records from multiple sources may refer to the same real-world asset.

The ICMM Global Mining Datset is a global dataset of large-scale mining and metals faciltieis published by the International Council on Mining and Metals.

The dataset was develpped to provide a consolidated geograpic view of mining and metals activity and includes mines alongside downstream processing facilties such as smelters and refineries.

Records provide information on the identity and location of mining and processing facilities, alongside attributes such as facility tupe and associated commodities. The inclusion of mines, smelters and refineries also makes the dataset useful for distinguish9ing between mineral extraction and downstraem processing activity.

The dataset provides broad international coverage within a relativley consistent structure, making it particularly useful as a foundation for global assret anaylsis.

However, it should not be interpreted as a complete inventory of every mine, project or mineral occurrance. Its scope and inclusion criteria differ from other geological databases and it's methodology focuses on data accuracy over providing a comprehensive view. Additionally the dataset is primarily focused on mining location data, and therefore has limited ownership data.

The Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) is a large database of mineral-resource information maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey.

MRDS has been asembled from a wide range of geological and mineral-resource information and contains records covering mines, mineral deposits, prospoects and occurrences across the United States and Internationally.

Its scope is substantially broader than datasets focused primarily on active mining operations. As a result MRDS provides important coverage of earlier-stage and historical mineral sites that may not appear in operating-mine datasets.

MDRS records can contain information inclusing site names, geographic coordinates, commodities, deposit chareacteristics, development status and geological information.

The amount of information vaires considerably between recorsds. Some sites have detailed descriptions and supporting information, while others contain relativley limited occurrance-levl data.

The principal strength of MRDS is its bredth. It significantly expands the unverse of identifiable mineral sites beyond currently operating mines and established development projects.

However, MRDS is also a historical database, which is no longer activley maintained as of 2011, and assembled over a long period. Individual records can vary substantially in age, precision and completeness, and some information may no longer represent the current state of an asset.

We have primarily included MRDS records to give additional evidence and data relating to assets in combination with other data sets, and taken measures to clean remove entries with insufficient data quality.

National geological surveys and government agencies can provide more detailed coverage within individual jurisdictions than is available from global datasets.

These sources are particularly useful for improving the completness and accuracy of the Asset Universe in major mining jurisdicitons.

MinCan is a Canadian mineral-resource dataset publishedin 2024 which introduces mine level estimates for the Canadian mining industry with a coverage between 1950 and 2022.

The dataset provides a national-level view of 947 mines that complements broader international sources, and provides information on their location, company ownership, commodities produced and their years of operation.

Australian Operating Mines is a national mining dataset published by GeoScience Australia, which provides the location and status of Austrlian operating mines, mines under sdevelopment and mines under care and maintenance as of December 2025.

It provides geographic information on ~500 mining operations across Australia and forms part of Geoscience Australia's broader collection of mineral-resource and mining data. The dataset focuses on recognised mining operations which makes it particularly useful for identifying established mining activity within Australia.

Most conventional mining datasets represent an asset using a geographic point. This provides a practical reference location but does not describe the physical footprint of the mining operation.

Global Mining Dataset therefore also incorporates spatial datasets that provide additional evidence about the physical extend and location of mining activity.

Global Mining Polygons provides mapped spatial footprints of mining areas around the world.

Unlike point-based asset datasets, the dataset represents the physical land area associated with mining activity. These polygons can include open pits, waste rock areas, tailings facilities, processing areas and other mining-related infrastructure.

Within Global Mining Dataset, these polygons provide additional spatial evidence and context. A mining polygon should not necessarily be interpreted as an independent mining asset, as a single mining complex may contain multiple mapped polygons.

Records from these datasets are not simply appended together.

The same mine or project may appear in several sources, sometimes with different names, coordinates, commodities or classifications. Global Mining Dataset standardises these records and identifies potential matches before they are incorporated into the published Asset Universe.

Where sufficient evidence indicates that multiple records represent the same underlying asset, their information can be consolidated into a single asset record.

Where the evidence is uncertain, records may remain separate rather than assuming they represent the same asset.

Source provenance is retained so users can understand the underlying evidence contributing to an asset record.

Each source has its own scope, methodology, definitions, update frequency and limitations.

Coverage therefore varies between countries, commodities and asset types. Inclusion within Global Mining Dataset does not imply that every source record has been independently verified or that the underlying source provides complete coverage of mining activity.

Global Mining Dataset standardises and enriches these sources to support consistent screening, but users should refer to the original publisher where source-specific definitions, methodology or limitations are important to their analysis.