Record series
Mineral and Mining Activity Reference and Working Files
VPRS 19428
1980 - 2004
Open
North Melbourne
Agencies
This record series was created by:
Geological Survey of Victoria ( VA4118 ): 1859 - 2004
Agencies responsible for this record series: Geological Survey of Victoria ( VA 4118 ): 2022 - present
Date Range
Series date range: 1980 - 2004
Series in custody:
1980 - 2004
Contents in custody:
1859 - 2004
Function / Content
This series comprises various materials relating to mineral and mining activity within the state, compiled by the Geological Survey of Victoria (VA 4118) and likely kept as reference files for use by government geologists.The files cover a broad range of topics, including correspondence, reports, publications, data, field notes and research. Examples include correspondence and memos from the Mines Department (VA 612), prospectuses produced by mining companies, progress reports for exploration and mineral search activities, quartz tailings and mining reports, reports on Victoria’s water supply and brown and black coal, data from and interpretation of magnetic surveys, plans of borehole locations, bore hole logs, and progress reports on drilling, records of work carried out by staff of the Geological Survey of Victoria (GSV), printed publications, cuttings and photocopies from newspapers, and extracts from works regarding marble, gold, gemstones, and other mineral resources within Australia, photographs of bore cores and mines, and more.
Some files also contain small volumes, including a Ballarat Office Letter Book 1912 – 1918, and notebooks on Bright District, Beechworth and Ovens District, and Harrietville.
How to use the records
Browse files by subject or title to find individual records.If known, use the catalogue number (GEDIS ID) to aid in identifying these records.
Recordkeeping system
While the contents of the files date from 1859, individual files appear to have been compiled over many years and then organised into a reference resource in the late 1980s to early 2000s. As a result, the records are not arranged according to one single recordkeeping system, but rather are more loosely organised by theme (e.g. Quarrying, Phosphate, Cassilis Mines etc.), geographic region (e.g. Bundoora, Costerfield, Mallacoota beach sands etc.), or research context (e.g. Alpine area review, Quarry file, State Parks – planning etc.). The files are thought to have been titled and registered in this way by GSV staff, with many of the files additionally categorised as either a Mineral Resources Mining Activity File, Mineral Resources Sand File, Mineral Resources Clay File, Mineral Resources Hard Rock File, Mineral Resources General File, Mineral Resources Planning Scheme File or Correspondence File.An internal reference database was introduced to Geological Survey of Victoria in the mid-1980s, known both as GEDIS and BIB, as part of a digitisation program for physical assets. As individual items (e.g., report, reference publication, set of plans etc.) were registered in the system they were assigned a unique reference ID, listed against items as catalogue number. Where there are multiple catalogue numbers listed, this means there are individual records within a file that were registered in the database, as well as the file itself.
Before coming into the custody of Public Record Office Victoria, this series was held at the Geological Survey of Victoria (GSV) Drill Core Library at Werribee.
