Previous mineral-resource assessment data compilation - shapefiles

The zip file contains shapefiles showing areas of mineral potential for various commodities. The datasets were compiled from previous mineral resource potential reports which covered the SaMiRA project areas. The shapefiles were compiled from datasets which had different data structure schemes and which used two different types of assessment methodology. The BLM used qualitative categorical and others used the USGS quantitative 3-part form of assessment. The original GIS data was re-formatted so that all of the shapefiles had one of two consistent attribute table structures, one for reports that had quantitative data, and one for reports with qualitative data. A general attribute table structure was created which contained fields for information on the deposit type assessed, assessment rank, type of assessment, and tract name and identifier. For the attribute table of the quantitatively assessed reports which used the USGS 3-part form of assessment, we added additional fields for the deposit model name and number, probabilistic assessment results data, and estimators. We captured the original information as presented but also standardized nomenclature when we could and referred to the report text in some instances in order to fill in missing data into the descriptive data tables.