The main purpose of the work in this programme area is to establish a solid basis of targeted exploration and sustainable exploitation of mineral raw materials in Greenland and Denmark.

The work in Greenland comprises a systematic geological mapping of the ice-free land areas, partly on a scale of 1:500,000 and partly in greater detail at 1:100,000.
During the performance contract period, a major part of the mapping is placed in a specific focus area which concerns the map sheet Kong Oscar Fjord. This map sheet covers the region between 72° and 75° N in the central part of East Greenland.

The general mapping is followed by collection of data and special investigations helping to describe the Greenland raw material potential. The performance of a regional assessment of South Greenland’s mineral resources is depicted as a specific focus area in the performance contract. The data acquisition, e.g. of regional aeromagnetic measurements, and the special investigations are co-financed by the Government of Greenland, and the results are intended to strengthen the interest of the mining companies in the Greenland potential.

The exploration activities of the mining companies are soaring, and more than 70 licences are in force. The interest is especially directed towards diamond occurrences, but also towards metals, such as gold, zinc and nickel. Some of the licence agreements have been concluded on the basis of gold and zinc discoveries made during GEUS's field work.

In Denmark onshore raw materials mapping is carried out, and marine geological investigations are carried out offshore. Assistance is provided in connection with large public construction works (the Sound, Femern Bælt, Minimetro).
As specific focus area under the performance contract, a staged assessment of the main Danish raw materials is carried out. This assessment at first concerns mapping, quality analysis and analysis of market conditions as regards heavy minerals and brick clay.

The Greenland tasks accounted for the major part of the man-year consumption and the total turnover of this programme area in 1997, whereas the work in the raw materials area in Denmark was relatively limited due to lacking financing.

The systematic Greenland mapping covers field work, processing and map sheet production. 1997 saw comprehensive field activities in the Mestersvig region as first part of the production of the map sheet Kong Oscar Fjord.
Besides, other field work, though far less comprehensive, was carried out in connection with various mapping and research projects in other Greenland regions.

Field work carried out during the period from 1988 to 1990 led to the publication of the map sheet Dove Bugt on a scale of 1:500,000. This map sheet covers the East Greenland region between 75° and 78° N.

The processing of material collected from 1993 to 1995 from the East Greenland region between 78° and 81° N was continued and map sheet and a number of articles on the results are under preparation.
A special grant from the Government of Greenland made it possible to convert ten previously published map sheets on a scale of 1:500,000 into digital screen format. The digitalisation, which will be published on CD-ROM, was carried out to fulfil the particular needs of the mining industry.

The Government of Greenland also financed the continuance of the resource-demanding geophysical surveys particularly aimed at mineral exploration. The data acquisition is carried out by geophysical companies. GEUS is responsible for the project management and the subsequent presentation and distribution of data in relation to the mining industry.
In order to strengthen the mining industry’s interest in Greenland, geochemical mapping and raw material geological investigations were carried out in 1997 north of Uumannaq in West Greenland. Besides, ore geological studies were carried out in the central part of East Greenland and in Washington Land, western North Greenland. In the latter region, GEUS located a zinc-lead-silver mineralisation. The suitability for mining of this is currently being assessed by the mining industry.

In 1997 the work on the regional resource evaluation of South Greenland, where the related field work was concluded in 1996, mainly consisted in solving various IT-related questions, including questions concerning GIS application. The main part of the processing work will be carried out in 1998.

In Denmark, investigations for heavy mineral resulted in the demarcation of a large and possibly commercial deposit near Skjern in West Jutland. The promising results were published in a GEUS report issued in April 1998. The systematic assessment of Danish raw material types will be continued with focus on brick clay. A project financed by EU on the suitability of diatomite deposits (moler) as filter and construction material was initiated.

In 1997 an overview of sand and gravel deposits etc. in the inner Danish waters was prepared. This provides the Danish National Forest and Nature Agency with a basis necessary for the future administration of Danish offshore raw materials.
Besides, new seismic data were collected from the North Sea as part of the continued marine geologic mapping aimed at locating further raw material deposits.

In connection with large public construction works, GEUS gathered marine geological data from Femern Bælt for use by the Danish Ministry of Transport. In the Sound a new occurrence of coral limestone was located. This interesting occurrence was examined by diving-trained GEUS geologists.

	R996	B1997	R1997	B1998
Man-year consumption (number)	53	56	59	66
Total turnover (DKK million)	41.6	46.7	45.8	49.3
Of this basic funds (DKK million)	24	28.2	27.2	28.4
External funds (DKK million)	17.6	18.5	18.6	20.8
External funds ratio	42%	40%	41%	42%