70th Anniversary Science Review 2 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland Foreword by Marie Cowan, GSNI Director

Minerals and other natural Aggregates such as hard rock, for one kilometre of a 6-metre- and advises on associated resources are essential to support sand and gravel are needed wide single carriageway. planning considerations to a competitive, regionally balanced for the construction of homes support the economy and protect economy and a sustainable and roads. Industrial minerals Minerals are valuable, finite the environment. quality of life for everyone. It is including salt and potash are resources that can only be vital there is a sufficient supply used by manufacturing and extracted where they occur; this This year the GSNI celebrates 70 of raw and recycled materials agri-food industries, and new poses a challenge for society as years of public service since first for manufacturing, construction, technologies are heavily reliant the demand for minerals requires opening its offices in 1947. This power generation, transportation on high-value metals such as long-term, strategic, minerals special publication marks this and agri-food. In the UK, trade gold. Energy minerals include planning and safeguarding to milestone by encapsulating how in minerals and mineral-based coal, peat, lignite and oil and gas. be balanced with environmental GSNI scientists provide this service products makes up over 20 per protection, monitoring and and its impact for Northern cent of the total, with exports of The construction sector is worth management. Ireland’s economy, infrastructure, £66 billion and imports of £85 £2.5 billion to the NI economy environment, tourism, health billion in 2014. with 12 000 firms providing 60 000 The Geological Survey of and education in the past three jobs. Sixty tons of aggregates are Northern Ireland (GSNI), an financial years ending 2016/17. Subsurface mining in Northern required for an average house and office of the Department for the Ireland dates back to 1700 and ten thousand tons of aggregate, Economy, generates and provides Marie Cowan, Director, for planning purposes minerals three thousand tons of asphalt and information, data, research and Geological Survey of Northern fall into three distinct groups. 2000 m3 of concrete are required expertise on mineral resources Ireland (GSNI), Belfast

Mr A F Fowler Mr J A Robbie Mr H E Wilson Mr A E Griffith Dr R A Bazley Mr M E YoungDr M T Cowan Mr J Arthurs Mr G Earls

1947 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2017 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 3 Foreword by John Ludden CBE, BGS Executive Director

The BGS has been surveying the without damaging the natural Programme for Government and The BGS, together with the UK’s geology since 1835; our environment and provide Industrial Strategy. GSNI, have been collaborating current role is still very similar to evidence on how competing with Geological Survey Ireland that when we were established underground activities may need This year the GSNI celebrates 70 formally since 2007 when the three during the industrial revolution. to be managed to ensure safety. years of providing this public surveys signed a Memorandum of Today we advance understanding service to Northern Ireland and Understanding to work together of the structure, properties and The BGS also leads geoscience this publication reflects on the on geoscience research in areas processes of the solid earth research of strategic importance last three years. In particular of mutual national interest. I am system through interdisciplinary to government; undertaking this it focuses on work for the delighted with our most recent surveys, monitoring and research work requires close association Department for the Economy award-winning collaboration: the for the benefit of society. with all stakeholders involved in (DfE), the Northern Ireland newly published 1:1 250 000 scale natural resource development Environment agency (NIEA) and geological map of the UK and We identify the UK’s resources including central and local councils, and its joint research Ireland. In 2016, our joint book and investigate whether they government, regulators, industry with universities and other with the Royal Irish Academy can be utilised sustainably in and other research institutes. organisations. Highlights include entitled Unearthed: Impacts of the national interest. To do this Northern Ireland being placed in the Tellus Surveys of the North of we map, measure, observe and We have offices in all four the global top ten for its policy Ireland published 30 papers with model the rocks and superficial devolved regions of the UK, perception index in relation to 28 authors and was launched at deposits from a depth of however the GSNI in Belfast is mineral exploration in the 2016 Parliament Buildings in Stormont. several kilometres all the way unique because it is an office Fraser Institute Survey of 2700 Six papers alone were published by to the surface. Providing data, of government and its staff companies, and the GSNI’s invited GSNI’s Chief Geologist and current knowledge and information on are government officials. This representation on UNESCO’s Visiting Research Professor at natural resources means that places BGS scientists central to first Global Geopark Council. Queen’s University Belfast. we identify the extent of the evidence-based policy making This reflects its expertise and resources, provide estimates and stakeholder consultation. commitment to geodiverity and John Ludden, Executive Director, on their volume, assess The GSNI is attuned to both the geotourism at home and on the British Geological Survey (BGS), whether they can be extracted Northern Ireland Executive’s international stage. Nottingham, UK 4 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland EU-DEM layers.

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Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database rights 2017. Produced using Copernicus data and information funded by the European Union Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 5

Contents

Foreword 2

Introduction 6

Developing the economy 8

Research, data and innovation 12

Underpinning infrastructure 16

Monitoring the environment 20

Enhancing tourism 24

Protecting human and animal health 28

Supporting education 32

Inside the GSNI 36 6 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

Introduction

The Geological Survey Our GSNI scientists provide also hold information on geology, of Northern Ireland data, information and advice engineering geology, minerals, (GSNI) is an office of to support the legislative borehole data and site records, responsibilities and strategic mines, quarries and pits, airborne the Department for priorities of DfE, other NI geophysics, soils and water the Economy (DfE) in government departments and geochemistry. Northern Ireland (NI) agencies, Northern Ireland staffed by scientists of Environment Agency (NIEA), The GSNI is an entirely the British Geological Invest NI and council authorities. outward-facing organisation Survey (BGS) who provide so we actively engage all research services to help We are based at Dundonald sectors of society including House in Belfast on the Stormont central and local government, develop NI’s economy and Estate, where we run an enquiry industry, academia, community protect its environment. service and shop. We also organisations, non- manage a core store and sample governmental organisations repository at Mallusk. (NGOs), schools and the general public. Our primary client is the We collaborate on research DfE and key partners are Invest projects with the BGS, Geological NI; Land and Property Services; Survey Ireland (GSI) and over Northern Ireland Environment 35 universities worldwide. Our Agency; Marble Arch Caves primary datasets are available on UNESCO Global Geopark; Quarry

©Tourism Northern Ireland ©Tourism Open Data NI and Spatial NI. We Products Association NI; Queen’s Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 7

University Belfast; Royal Irish In April 2015, the responsibility Academy; W5; Ulster Museum, for planning decisions transferred Digital media and UNESCO. from the NI Planning Service GeoBlogy to 11 newly created ‘super- Twitter (Since April 2014) 72 500 average Tweet We are unique within the BGS councils’. We embarked upon a impressions per month 34 277 Individual views for as we are a government office two-year-long programme of GSNI staff blogs 33 467 top Tweet 7090 Most read blog within the DfE and our scientists engagement with CEOs, chief (most impressions) 25 GeoBlogy posts are officials of government. We planners and council officials to 960 followers by GSNI are exclusively well placed to raise awareness of our data and advise and inform policymakers expertise, as well as providing on a range of issues including guidance and advice on the the supply of energy and raw likely risks and opportunities for materials. The GSNI contributes planning in each area. to, and advises the DfE Minerals and Petroleum Branch on, In the last three financial Facebook responses to DfE private and years, we have responded to 28 364 average monthly total press offices and Northern 100 planning consultations impressions Website Ireland Assembly business. In that varied from wind-farm 10 272 average monthly the last three financial years applications to quarry extensions, reach www.bgs.ac.uk/gsni/index.html 637 followers unique visitors we answered 75 Assembly and advised on a range of 14 000 per year questions for written answer potential impacts including (AQWs) with topics ranging abandoned mines, compressible from sand and gravel resources ground and hydrogeology. We in Lough Neagh to defining the also responded to two pre- difference between conventional preferred option papers (POP) and unconventional oil and and seven POPs to date to inform gas exploration. In the same the local development plan reporting periods, we answered process which will determine 217 environmental information the next 15 years of strategic DfE ministerial and NI Assembly correspondence requests (EIRs) that arose from development for each council areas of public concern to area. Type of response Number of responses individuals and NGOs. Ministerial briefings & meetings 25

Assembly question for Informing planning policy and written answer (AQWs) 75 decisions We also act on behalf of the Ministerial correspondence 22 DfE as a statutory consultee Official correspondence 139 on planning issues in Northern Environmental information requests (EIRs) & Ireland, providing geoscience Freedom of Information (FOI) requests 217 information and advice on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unconventional gas exploration and extraction (UGEE) 25 all aspects of planning and joint research programme development. Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) 26 Unconventional Hydrocarbons Regulators’ Group

Assessment of licences 14 8

Geological Survey of Northern Ireland ofNorthern Geological Survey

Courtesy ISME ©Christopher Heaney Photography agricultural sectors. the manufacturing and and raw for materials storage, groundwater gas, underground energy valuable minerals, oiland materials, construction include aggregates or range ofindustries. These for a advice andsupport providing information, and jobcreationby economic development Ireland’s Northern The GSNIsupports economy Developing the most prospective locationfor to theglobalstage. We arethe ten bygrade,hasbroughtus Curraghinalt deposit,ranked top at Cavanacaw. Currently, the mine ontheislandofIreland boasted theonlyoperatinggold Between 2007 and2012, NI of interesthasswitchedtogold. the newmillennium,focus the latter20thcenturyandinto good fordecadestocome.In salt, withreservesthatarestill material producedhasbeen century theprimaryhigh-value the country. Sincethemid20th has leftminingheritageacross and coal.Thelegacyofthattime focused ontargetingbasemetals 1700s. Thisearlyindustrywas industry thatdatesbacktothe Northern Irelandhasamining Valuable minerals The mineralssector provides is supportedby government. their responsibleexploitation growth andqualityoflife, support sustainableeconomic Minerals areessentialto Sustainability: planningpolicy the bordersofNI. diamond depositslocatedwithin platinum groupmetaland further gold,basemetal, evaluating theprospectof to investtimeandresources and companiesarecontinuing still notbeenfullyestablished minerals. Thepotentialhas for explorationhigh-value country iscurrentlyunderlicence Roughly onequarterofthe Ireland. the yellowmetalinBritainand Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 9

Underground at the Curraghinalt gold deposit. Courtesy Dalradian Gold. materials for construction and planning applications. In groundwater resources in their on the adoption of ‘mineral local infrastructure development, planning policy, the DfE and the LDPs. safeguarding areas’ to ensure and is a valued employer, GSNI have been engaging with surface development does not particularly in rural areas. It local councils on the formulation The DfE and the GSNI are jeopardise future exploitation of can also support technological of their local development plans currentlyFermanagh working with and councils Omagh Districtvaluable mineral Council resources. innovation by supplying the (LDPs). We use our professional critical metals essential for new expertise and draw upon Mapped Sand and Gravel resource coverage communication and energy information sources such as the 2 technologies. mineral resource maps of NI to Total resource area = 147 km help planners develop evidence- As mineral resources are based LDPs. DfE and GSNI staff Sand and gravel Sand and gravel finite and are not distributed have provided detailed written with areas too small resource area to work removed evenly, knowledge about their input at various stages of the LDP 2 whereabouts is needed to help process and made presentations with infrastructure = 38 km Sand and gravel resource make effective and sustainable to individual councils and the and waterways remaining, outside the planning and policy decisions Principal Planners’ Group. protected areas with removed infrastructure, water and that consider the needs of future Although the significance and minimum workable area 2 removed. 2 generations. distribution of mineral resources = 75 km = 13 km have been the main focus, our The Department for the Economy geologists have also suggested (DfE) and the GSNI provide that councils consider the support as consultees on both potential sustainable use of low planning policy and specific carbon geothermal energy and 10 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

Gravity map of Northern Ireland. ©Crown copyright and database rights MOU577.3. Photomicrograph of sandstone from the Larne No. 2 Borehole.

Basin analysis and energy remains a relatively under- an as yet unknown potential potential explored region. within NI. The most prospective areas for hydrocarbon and geothermal We hold data collected by Energy storage energy resources lie in the exploration companies, such as As Northern Ireland makes concealed sedimentary basins seismic data; well completion the transition to a low carbon across Northern Ireland. Good reports; wireline log data; thin economy it faces a number quality reservoir rocks have sections; cores, and cuttings of energy challenges. It has been identified in sandstones samples. Together they form an abundant wind energy resources of Carboniferous, Permian extensive source of information but these are intermittent and and Triassic age. Hydrocarbon about the subsurface geology of there are seasonal, diurnal and prospectivity is enhanced by NI. Our scientists also carry out hourly mismatches between the the presence of source rocks, their own research using these demand for electricity and the suitable trap structures and data, combined with outcrop supply from wind farms, leading good quality seals. Indications and borehole sample analyses, to inefficiencies in the electricity of oil and gas have been found to work out the geological system. As a result Northern in all three sedimentary basins, history and the distribution, Ireland relies on the import of which are buried underneath nature and resource potential oil and gas to manage its energy basaltic rocks. A total of of the rocks in the sedimentary needs. Energy storage can play eighteen exploration wells have basins. Other potential energy an important part in tackling been drilled in Northern Ireland, resources, such as coal-bed both these problems, firstly by three for geothermal and fifteen methane, shale gas and mine reducing the mismatch between for hydrocarbons, but it still water geothermal energy, have supply and demand and, Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 11

Islandmagee well site. Courtesy of Islandmage Storage Limited. secondly, by providing strategic the Permian salt beneath the environments beneath NI for supplies of natural gas on the northern parts of Larne Lough the storage of other materials, island. and Islandmagee should be such as hydrogen, that may be suitable for creating storage fundamental to our future energy GSNI staff have worked with caverns for natural gas or systems. BGS colleagues to highlight the compressed air energy storage. potential for geological storage Feasibility studies have been of energy in NI. In the Larne carried out for energy storage area of County Antrim, Triassic projects in this area and the and Permian salt beds are thick European Commission has enough and occur at sufficient recognised the importance depth for the construction of large of such facilities to the storage caverns by controlled development of a resilient energy leaching. The Triassic salt beds infrastructure on the island. vary in thickness over short distances whereas the deeper We have liaised with companies Permian salt consists of one from the early stages of their unit that has a more consistent exploration programmes and thickness but is more restricted in continue to carry out seismic its subsurface occurrence. mapping to improve our understanding of the distribution Seismic surveys and deep of the salt beds. There may boreholes have shown that also be potential in geological 12 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

Research, data and innovation

One of the GSNI’s core Unearthed: impacts of the Tellus airborne geophysical and ground roles is to acquire, survey geochemical sampling surveys maintain, analyse and The year 2016 saw the publication of Northern Ireland and the six of northern counties of the Republic interpret a vast array of Unearthed: impacts of the Tellus surveys of the north of Ireland of Ireland. geoscience information by the Royal Irish Academy. that supports and informs It tells how an unparalleled In 30 peer-reviewed chapters, decision making. Data, combined land and air survey scientists from the BGS, the GSNI, research and innovation carried out between 2004 and Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) underpin all of our work 2013 has unearthed valuable and many universities, present and support all of our key natural resources, refined our the results of the Tellus and Tellus understanding of the agri- Border surveys. From the discovery science outputs. environment and has identified of precious, industrial and critical naturally occurring hazards. metals to geothermal energy potential and from naturally Unearthed draws together occurring heavy metals in soils important findings of the largest to groundwater quality in various collaborative cross-border ecosystems, the breadth and depth programme of geoscience surveys of the results is extraordinary. ever undertaken on the island of Ireland. Some £12 million of GSI short calls government and EU funding has The GSNI works in close

©Crown copyright and database rights MOU577.3 been invested in high-resolution, collaboration with a number of Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 13

Launching Tellus Unearthed in October 2016. institutions and organisations we produced an all-Ireland Bedrock geology map at depth, as well as geological from across the UK and the Quaternary map at a scale The GSNI, together with the BGS sites of interest where clear Republic of Ireland. In 2015, of 1:500 000, which is now and GSI produced an award- examples of geological features we were fortunate to be the available as a seamless digital winning, small-scale geological have been identified. recipient of three geoscience dataset. map of the United Kingdom and research short-call grants ▪▪ All-Ireland karst features Ireland. The map incorporates The map was designed with from the GSI, part of a suite of dataset: this project extended the latest geological and input from the Earth Science research projects that included the GSI karst features dataset topographical data to provide Teachers Association (ESTA) and both public and private sector north to produce an all- an overview of the geology Geographical Association (GA) applicants. They covered topics Ireland dataset so that the of Northern Ireland, Ireland, with feedback from teachers such as minerals and mining, full extent of Irish karst can England, Scotland and Wales of earth sciences. While aimed groundwater, marine mapping, be properly visualised and and shows how geological units at a broad range of users, geotourism, geophysics, appreciated. continue across seas and borders. it is anticipated that it will geochemistry, earth observation ▪▪ Geochemical anomaly It demonstrates the important be a resource used in many and coastal and terrestrial detection, spatial analysis for role that geology has played in classrooms, teaching the next landslides. improved use of geochemical shaping our landscapes and how generation the importance of data: this project compared it can be used to sustainably what is happening beneath our The three projects that we two mathematical methods for manage our natural resources in feet. delivered were as follows: improved use of geochemical the future. data to facilitate novel use National geological model ▪▪ All-Ireland Quaternary map: of Tellus data for mineral The map includes cross-sections To complement the bedrock using data from GSI, the exploration and resources that slice through the terrain to geological map of the UK, GSNI and the BRITICE project, assessment. illustrate how the rocks change the UK3D national geological 14 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

model has been released, which different layers in the ground national-scale model will help shows the bedrock geology of at depth. The UK3D geological users to better visualise the the UK extended into the third model uses digital cross- subsurface at county, regional dimension, shown as a network sections of the geology across and national scale. Developed of cross-sections or vertical the UK and joins them up in a in conjunction with the BGS, slices through the Earth’s crust. ‘fence diagram’. Cross-sections the latest version of UK3D now Conventional 2D geological from UK3D can be opened in includes Northern Ireland and maps typically show the rocks Google Earth, for example, to will be useful for anyone seeking at the surface and include one rotate, tilt or zoom into an area to understand the relationship or two cross-sections that of interest and interrogate a between the underlying geology show the relationship of the geological layer at depth. This and the landscape as well as with

12° W 11° W 10° W 9° W 8° W 7° W 6° W 400000 450000 500000 550000 600000 650000 700000 750000

360,000 390,000 420,000 450,000 480,000 510,000 540,000 570,000 600,000 630,000 660,000 690,000 720,000 750,000 11° W 11° 10° W 9° W 8° W 7° W 6° W ,000 ,000 960 960 Quaternary Geological Map of Ireland

5 15 Karst Landform Map 7

Scale: 1:500,000 1:500,000 scale 950000 950000

Derived from the Geological Survey Ireland Quaternary Sediments and Geomorpholgy Map, 4 1 the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 1:250,000 Quaternary Map of Northern Ireland, 2 4 14 Coxon and McCarron (2009), Greenwood (2008), Greenwood and Clark (2009).

Compiled by S. Roberson and X.M. Pellicer. 15 6 1 Compiled by P. Wilson, S. Roberson, C. Hickey and S. Carey ,000 ,000

930 For data sources see Geological Survey Ireland Quaternary Sediments and Geomorphology Map 3 930 and GSNI 1:250,000 Quaternary Map of Northern Ireland. 12 5 7 6 For data sources see GE.IE.GSI.KARSTFEATURES2015-01-16T00:00:00 and 55° 55° N Digital map compiled in ArcGIS 10.3, designed by the Cartography Unit and published under authority of the Director, Koen Verbruggen, Geological Survey Ireland, 2017. 11 GE.IE.GSI.TRACERLINES2007-12-31T00:00:00 55° 55° N An Roinn Cumarsáide, Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide agus Comhshaoi. Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, 55° N © Ireland, 2017. 16 4 Unpublished draft by the Geological Survey of Ireland and the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland. 55° N

16 3 7 11 Basemap derived from 1: 450,000 mapping 16 5 5 © Ordnance Survey Ireland and Government of Ireland ,000 Includes Ordnance Survey of Ireland data reproduced under OSI Licence number EN 0047210. 1 ,000 Mapping © Ordnance Survey Ireland/Government of Ireland. 900 10 3 900 Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland Permit No. 50454 1 3

13 900000 With the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationary Office, © Crown Copyright 900000

This publication contains material that is based upon Crown Copyright and is reproduced with the permission of Land and Property Services under Delegated Authority 15 7 2 from the Controller of her Majesty's Stationery Office, © Crown Copyright and database right 2017. Customer ID 4104. Permit number 100132. 11

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14 Quaternary Sediments 10 11 7 Peat is a post-glacial deposit, consisting mostly of partially decomposed vegetation. 3 5 3 The peat may be deposited as blanket bog accumulating in elevated areas with 2 2 1 Peat excessive rainfall or as raised bogs or fens on lower ground. Much of Ireland’s 4 5 peat has been cut away for burning as solid fuel or has been oxidized as the result 3 10 ,000 ,000 of agricultural drainage schemes. 14

870 11 870 4 Lacustrine Lacustrine sediments were deposited during deglaciation or post-glacially in depressions 16 2 sediments left behind by the ice during retreat. These sediments are generally composed of sand, silt and clay and are commonly overlain by peat bogs infilling former lakes. 12 7 N Alluvium is a post-glacial deposit along river valleys consisting of generally bedded 6 gravel, sand, silt or clay in a variety of combinations, often with a high percentage of 3 Alluvium 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30Km organic carbon (10 – 30%). Alluvium is mapped on modern day river floodplains or Holocene river terraces. 11

Wind-blown sand is deposited following ice sheet retreat. These deposits are composed 4 Wind blown sand of well sorted medium to fine sands and are found along coastal areas in the form of sand 11 850000 850000 dunes or sand sheets. 3 10 Legend Marine and estuarine deposits comprise sand and gravel beach sediments, raised 1 Marine and beaches, tidal marsh deposits and estuarine silt and clay. These have been 4 5 6 10 estuarine deposits deposited as the ice sheet retreated from the continental shelf and sea levels rose. ,000 ,000

840 Slope deposits consist of an assemblage of rock fragments, blocks and sediment at 840 Karst Landform the base of steep slopes and cliffs in the form of sheets or cones. These are created 11 by large scale slope movements, continuous rock fall, peat slides, debris flows or 6 Slope deposits 11 4 9 15 periglacial processes. Very large slope failures took place immediately following the 2 5 retreat of the last ice sheet, as the Earth's crust rebounded. Smaller scale slope 4 5 16 deposits are still being formed today. 4 5 Bedrock INSET Glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine sand and gravel are indirect glacial deposits 1 6 transported to their final position by melt-water during the ice sheet meltdown and 1 3 Glaciofluvial and Non-Limestone sorted in this process. Glaciofluvial deposits are generally represented by stratified 16 9 7 glaciolacustrine 1 15 ‘sands and gravels’, the clasts are usually (sub)rounded and loosely packed. 6 sand and gravel Glaciolacustrine sediments often include bottomset facies composed of fine sand and silts overlain by coarser sediments ascribable to foreset and topset facies. 10 Impure Limestone 7 54° N Glaciomarine sediments are indirect glacial sediments recorded in marine depositional 7 7 8 Glaciomarine sediments environments including glaciodeltaic sediments, subaqueous fans and submarine 54° N

54° 54° N avalanche deposits. 6 5 Pure Bedded Limestone ,000 ,000 5 15 810 810

Tills are tightly packed, unsorted, unbedded, glacial deposits possessing many different 10 54° N Till derived from 3 16 9 particle sizes with commonly sharp, angular to sub-angular clasts. Till forms beneath a 1 9 5 limestones glacier as it erodes the bedrock or pre-existing sediment that it is flowing over. Glacial Pure Unbedded Limestone 800000 800000 ice is the principal depositional agent, but gravity and, in some cases, water, also plays 10 Till derived from a part. In Ireland, till lithology can often be related to the type of bedrock directly beneath sandstones and shales it (e.g. Dempster et al., 2013). Tills presented in this map are categorised according to 16 their dominant lithology. Till lithology is important, as it greatly influences the physical 15 Till derived from 7 11 properties of the till, e.g. shear strength, porosity and cohesion. The transport and sandstones deposition of tills by the movement of an ice sheet means that in some cases, tills of a specific lithology becomes ‘smeared’ across a lithological boundary. These ‘smears’ of 8 Till derived from till may be up to 10 km in length and can be recognized using field observations, maps 12 10 12 Devonian sandstones of soil geochemistry and radiometric data. The action of ice sheets deposits till in a range of landforms that can be characterised 10 9 5 Till derived from 13 and grouped as landform associations. These landform associations can be used as 9 acidic volcanic rocks 9 1 predictive tools to reconstruct the nature and extent of past glacial events. The most common till dominated landform associations encountered in Ireland are: (i) ice-marginal 10

,000 11 ,000 Till derived from moraines consisting of irregular ridges indicative of the former position of the edge of 14 4 780 basic igneous rocks an ice sheet; (ii) drumlin and ribbed moraine topography consisting of rolling landscape 7 7 780 composed of high-frequency, low altitude elongated hills (drumlins) and flat-topped 7 Till derived 5 15 ridges (ribbed moraines) - both indicators of direction of movement of former ice sheets from granites in the Northern sector of Ireland; (iii) rolling landscapes comprising rounded or elongated 1 low altitude and low frequency hills with generally gentle slopes and; (iv) flat to gently 1 Till derived from undulating topography or till plains - commonly occurring in low lying areas of the 7 16 metamorphic rocks Irish Midlands. 7

9 2 5 3 11 Pre-Quaternary bedrock 1 6 2 750000 750000 Geomorphology 3 Drumlins are smooth, oval-shaped hills composed of glacial sediments, typically with a long axis aligned with ice flow direction. Drumlins are very well preserved in 9 ,000 Drumlins the northern sector of Ireland. Ice directions associated with drumlin orientation ,000

750 are indicative of a number of ice sheets interacting in the region during the 750 7 last glacial period. For cartographic reasons this map displays only c.10% of the 2 60,000 mapped drumlins in Ireland. 3 10 Eskers are elongate, sinuous ridges composed of glaciofluvial sands and gravels. 4 7 Eskers are formed by the infilling of ice-walled channels and record deposition 9 Eskers in subglacial, englacial or supraglacial drainage networks. The planform of an esker network may illustrate the geometry of a subglacial drainage network during 4 deglaciation. Eskers are common across the central lowlands and are generally 9 5 10 – 20m high and 100 – 250m wide. Individual segments can be up to 10 km long. 1 3 Moraine ridges demarcate the maximum extent of former ice sheets. Here a complex 1 3 interaction of glacigenic and paraglacial processes have combined to form a ridge of 2 Moraines sediment. Moraines are particularly well expressed and well researched in mountain 1 3 regions in Ireland, e.g. Wicklow and Kerry. 15 2 1 15 Dated Deposits 6 ,000 ,000

720 Sites dated recording sediments deposited during the last glacial period: between the 720 Last Glacial Kilfenora Interstadial at Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5d/c (120 – 115 ka BP) and the 12 Nahanagan Stadial at isotope stage 2 (c.12.9 - 11.7 ka BP). 3 2 53° N

2 700000 700000 53° N Sites recording sediments deposited during MIS 5e (132 – 120 ka BP) are rare in 7 5 Ireland because of subsequent ice sheet coverage. Two key sites are Knocknacran in 9 1 Last Interglacial Co. Monaghan and the Screen Hills in Co. Wexford. However, the Knocknacran dates could be interpreted as much later MIS 4. Similarly, the age of deposits at the Screen 7 Hills are contentious, because they are based on pollen assemblages, rather than an absolute dating method. 3 Middle Pleistocene sites record sediments deposited between MIS 11 53° 53° N (c. 424 – 374 ka BP) and MIS 6 (c. 198 – 132 ka BP). Most sites have been assigned 1 12 10 Middle Pleistocene to the Gortian interstadial (equivalent to the Holsteinian) on the basis of 1 53° N pollen assemblages, but it remains unclear whether this stage is equivalent to 3 MIS 9 or MIS 11. 6

7 ,000 Sites recording sediments deposited during the Pliocene (>2,600 ka BP). Ages have ,000 Pre - Pleistocene

690 been largely inferred from floral and faunal assemblages within these deposits. 690

Marine Isotope stages of the last 500,000 years 4 (1 ka = 1,000 years)

Age 10 (ka) 3 Cold Stage Warm stage 5 4 7 0 Nahanagan 3 7 2 Stadial 4 6

Weichselian Oxygen isotope data are derived from 650000 650000 4 5a deep sea core samples and help 100 Glaciation 7 5e Knocknacran estimating the climate of the past. Marine 6 oxygen isotope stages show alternating 15 Interstadial 9 warm (odd numbers) and cool (even 1 10 7a ,000 200 numbers) periods in Earth's paleo-climate. 5 ,000 7e 660 8 Gortian Saalian Modified from the International Commission ATLANTIC OCEAN 660 9a Glaciation of Stratigraphy Global chronostratigraphical 300 Interstadial An tAigéan Atlantach 3 9e table for the last 2.7 million. 1 10 9 6 16 400 11 12 3 9 10 500 Cold period Warm period 9 7 12

4 10 2 3

12 7

,000 6 ,000 630 630 2 4 600000 600000 6 1 12 5 16 4 3 5 9 52° N 10 9 52° N 10 6 4 13 3 6 15

5 ,000 ,000 4 5 14 600 600

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52° 52° N Extent of the Irish Ice Sheet during 12

the last Glacial maximum (c. 27 - 23 ka BP) 52° N 6 1:2,500,000 scale Derived from Benetti et al. (2010), Cofaigh et al. (2012) and Finlayson et al. (2014).

1 550000 550000 Generalised ice sheet flow lines and moraines indicating direction of ice flow. Flow lines are interpreted from the configuration of 5 subglacial bedforms, e.g. drumlins, ribbed moraines and eskers, and proglacial terminal moraines. Off shore flow lines towards 5 the edge of the ice sheet are interpreted as reflecting the maximum extent of the last (Weichselian) ice sheet. Flow lines on shore probably relate to later stages of glaciation as the ice sheet shrank and divided into smaller individual ice masses. 9 3 ,000 ,000 Karst Landforms and Tracer Lines, 7 Flow lines and moraines are mapped from OSI and OSNI digital terrain models and INFOMAR bathymetry. 570 3 570 Acknowledgement : General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans GEBCO_08 Grid, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administration (NOAA), and National Geographic, DeLorme, HERE, Geonames.org, and Esri, and various other contributors. Counties Cavan and Fermanagh Offshore moraines Ice sheet flow lines 1:75,000 scale

7 10 Derived from Bedrock Geological Map of Ireland 1:500,000 scale

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3 ,000 ,000 540 540 Heading Text

500000 Legend 500000

Spicy jalapeno bacon ipsum dolor amet picanha ut in beef ribs ut enim. Enim filet mignon tenderloin ham consectetur corned beef irure tempor andouille doner International Border Tracer Lines excepteur elit sunt. Hamburger flank tail, et aliquip enim eu sausage landjaeger sed ex commodo nulla magna alcatra. Qui swine jowl, pig et tempor ut capicola Karst Landforms Faults

51° N ullamco nisi. Biltong shankle id eu. Id salami tri-tip t-bone est consequat.

51° N ,000 ,000 Cave 510 510 Esse exercitation burgdoggen filet mignon fugiat nisi aliqua boudin kielbasa sint Bedrock Geology nulla beef ribs. Ut capicola adipisicing nostrud laborum tongue velit leberkas ea Dry Valley The Quaternary Geology of Ireland cupim short ribs incididunt turducken swine qui. Nulla meatloaf venison, pancetta Leitrim Group; Visean mudstone, The Quaternary Period is the most recent period in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy. This period, covering References: aute beef alcatra t-bone aliqua ullamco esse excepteur labore id enim. Spare sandstone the last 2.6 million years, is subdivided into two epochs: Pleistocene (2.6 million to 10,000 years before present (BP)) and the Holocene Benetti, S., Dunlop, P. and Cofaigh, C.Ó., 2010. Glacial and glacially-related features on the continental margin of northwest Ireland mapped ribs sunt minim beef ribs proident in flank ground round ullamco frankfurter. Enclosed Depression (10,000 years BP to the present). lreland was affected by a number of glaciations during the Pleistocene. The most recent glaciation, from geophysical data. Journal of Maps, 6, 14-29. stretching from 115,000 years ago to the Holocene, gave rise to most of the Quaternary sediments we see today. The erosive power of the last ice sheet removed much of the evidence for earlier glaciations. The Holocene, in Ireland, is the post-glacial period. Cofaigh, C.Ó., Telfer, M.W., Bailey, R.M. and Evans, D.J., 2012. Late Pleistocene chronostratigraphy and ice sheet limits, southern Ireland. Marine shelf facies Quaternary Science Reviews, 44, 160-179. Ham hock enim ni si pork, venison eu andouille. Pig capicola anim enim sausage, Spring Ireland has a very rich legacy of glacial deposits and landforms. Glacial landforms, associated with the direct action or melting of ice, include ice-sculpted Coxon, P. and McCarron, S.G., 2009. Cenozoic: Tertiary and Quaternary (until 11,700 years before 2000). In Geology of Ireland, Holland, C.H. bedrock from glacial erosion and ice-moulded glacial deposits expressed as drumlins, moraines and eskers. Mapping the shape and the spatial and Sanders, I.S. (Eds Dunedin Academic Press, Edinburgh, pp.356-396). 450000 ullamco pork belly magna jowl cillum est ut tongue. Flank in beef ribs sint. 450000 distribution of these landforms aided the reconstruction of the glacial history of Ireland. More than 85% of the Irish land surface is covered by Namurian sandstone, shale sediments of Quaternary age. Postglacial sediments, covering a fifth of the land surface, were mostly deposited during the Holocene and include lacustrine Dempster, M., Dunlop, P., Scheib, A., and Cooper, M., 2013. Principal component analysis of the geochemistry of soil developed on till in Laborum ut tri-tip, adipisicing sunt ut pork loin velit shoulder dolor nulla ham hock Swallow Hole and alluvial plains, peat bogs and coastal landforms. Northern Ireland. Journal of Maps, 9, 373-389. short ribs. In labore dolore flank, est do mollit. Occaecat in ad, nulla veniam duis ,000 Finlayson, A., Fabel, D., Bradwell, T. and Sugden, D. , 2014. Growth and decay of a marine terminating sector of the last British–Irish Ice Sheet: ,000 Tyrone Group; Visean mudstone,

480 Making the map: This All-Ireland Quaternary geology map at 1:500,000 scale is an amalgamation of Quaternary maps from Ireland and Northern a geomorphological reconstruction. Quaternary Science Reviews, 83, 28-45. 480 strip steak ut. Id tri-tip adipisicing, pastrami anim consequat beef ribs sausage

51° 51° N Ireland. Soil geochemistry and radiometrics data from the Tellus and Tellus Border projects were used to subdivide undifferentiated till deposits in Northern Ireland to match the till types mapped in Ireland. Soil A-horizon geochemistry data from the two surveys were levelled and merged using Geological Survey Ireland (2016). Quaternary Sediments and Geomorphology digital map of Ireland. Dublin. https://www.gsi.ie/Mapping.htm. non officia pr osciutto mollit shank t-bone. sandstone

population distribution pairing. These data were divided into spatial clusters using principal component analysis of log-ratio values and k-means 51° N Greenwood, S.L., 2008. A palaeo-glaciological reconstruction of the last Irish Ice Sheet. Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Geography, cluster analysis of the resultant principal component scores. The radiometric data were viewed as a ternary map of the ratio of radionuclides University of Sheffield. pp. 360. potassium, thorium and uranium, from which, areas of different till lithology could be readily identified. Data from the Geological Survey of Ireland Bacon fatback exercitation ground round hamburger. Nostrud laboris capicola (Geological Survey Ireland, 2016), the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland and the relevant literature (Greenwood, 2008; Coxon and McCarron, Greenwood, S.L. and Clark, C.D., 2009. Reconstructing the last Irish Ice Sheet 1: changing flow geometries and ice flow dynamics deciphered 2009; Greenwood and Clark, 2009; Benetti et al., 2010; Cofaigh et al., 2012; Finlayson et al., 2014) were compiled, homogenized and simplified from the glacial landform record. Quaternary Science Reviews, 28, 3085-3100. ground round, landjaeger pancetta do meatloaf. Excepteur ut meatball irure strip to produce a seamless data set comprising sixteen sediment types, four geomorphological features and the location of key sites with Quaternary Esri, DeLorme, GEBCO, NOAA NGDC, and other contributors and pre-Quaternary dated sediments. steak, flank tempor. Mollit adipisicing in aliquip aute, consectetur cillum sunt t- bone capicola. Pancetta excepteur shank culpa, frankfurter kielbasa adipisicing N venison sirloin chicken drumstick. Cuilcagh 360,000 390,000 420,000 450,000 480,000 510,000 540,000 570,000 600,000 630,000 660,000 690,000 720,000 750,000 (665 m) 0 5 10 Km 11° W 10° W 9° W 8° W 7° W 6° W Meatball esse beef ribs, ut meatloaf sunt dolor. Enim tenderloin minim fatback in Scale 1:500,000 30 0 30 60 90 Kilometers 11°W W 10° W 9° W 8° W 7° W 6°

Geological Survey Ireland, © 2017. 400000 400000

400000 450000 500000 550000 600000 650000 700000 750000

All-Ireland Quaternary map. ©Geological Survey Ireland. All-Ireland Karst map. ©Geological Survey Ireland. Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 15

Data 621 mineral reports

More than 292 petroleum reports 10 000 site reports 74 open file reports km of core 5 datasets on Open Data NI 10 datasets on Spatial NI 162 mine More than abandonment 20 000 plans 7500 thin sections 100 000 45 published 50k maps boreholes Tellus 5898 5874 sediment water 2 published 250k maps 15 664 samples samples 81 500 30 000 soil samples line km specimens of Tellus of rocks air survey and fossils

resources such as water, minerals, and oil and gas. It also provides a useful tool to help explain complex geological relationships to the public and in education.

‘Fence diagram’ of Northern Ireland from the bedrock national geological model. 16

Geological Survey of Northern Ireland ofNorthern Geological Survey

Courtesy of Atkins infrastructure the construction sector.the construction information thatsupports also provides crucial and energy networks utilityand transport, Ireland’s Northern conditions tohelpdevelop on geologyandground supplies information development.GSNI The vital for infrastructure subsurface isabsolutely Information onthe Underpinning City casestudiesproduced aspartofCOST and function, yet its importance and function,yetitsimportance a keyroleinhowcitiesdevelop The groundcitiesstandonplays depend on,andtheenvironment. way welive,theresources whose rapidgrowthaffectsthe and nowworldwide,liveincities Most ofusintheUK,Europe, COST SUB-URBAN SUB-URBAN.

geological survey organisations geological surveyorganisations countries, majorcities, and Action withpartnersfrom30 in ScienceandTechnology (COST) (TU1206); aEuropeanCooperation gap, theBGSledSUB-URBAN makers. To addressthisknowledge overlooked byurbandecision is under-appreciatedandoften Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 17

The Titanic Quarter in Belfast. ©Tourism Northern Ireland.

Number of enquiries Category of enquiry 2014–2017 2014–2017

Number of enquiries

624

Education & Other/ science public 5.3% 500 8.9% FY15/16 FY 16/17

Financial year Central government 15.6% Commercial total enquiries over 3 years total enquiries over 44.9% 25.2% 488 Local 1612

FY14/15 government 18 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

Research sampling in Lough Neagh. Mapping of deposits on the bed of Lough Neagh. ©Crown copyright.

across Europe. Now complete, Glasgow, Bucharest) and a practices explored through the SUB-URBAN has drawn together toolbox of existing good-practice project such as the ASK network, experts in urban subsurface methodologies and guidance which was first established in (geoscience) knowledge and those have been produced. Urban Glasgow to enable better re-use who can most benefit from it: geological knowledge has also and ingestion of subsurface data. urban planners, policymakers, and been translated into forms directly practitioners. National exemplars relevant to urban planning (e.g. Lough Neagh survey of interactive and predictive for infrastructure, sustainable The BGS completed a multibeam subsurface city-scale models drainage, heat extraction). We and seismic survey on Lough (3D, 4D) (e.g. Oslo, Rotterdam, are implementing some of the Neagh commissioned by the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 19

Work on the Belfast sewers project. Courtesy of Akins.

Sand Traders Association, a information is needed to produce The estuarine alluvium, locally Subsequent GSNI geological consortium of five commercial a sand and gravel resource known as ‘sleech’, that underlies mapping has helped inform dredging outfits of varying size calculation. The geophysical Belfast city centre is probably and support infrastructure that are preparing an application survey and subsequent grab the best known example of development by defining the for planning permission to samples and boreholes were this and the sight of giant lateral extent of this material. continue sand and gravel used to produce an extremely ‘corkscrew’ type drills is typically Downpatrick presents particularly extraction from the lough. accurate lough bathymetric seen at redevelopment sites variable and challenging Sand and gravel extraction map, and enable us to provide where piles are used to form conditions to the engineer with has previously been carried lough-bed characterisation and load-bearing stilts to support estuarine alluvium on the flatter out to date without planning aggregate resource models for new structures. ground between the rolling permission from the Department the designated priority area. drumlins, which are composed of of the Environment (NI) and Similar estuarine material stiff boulder clay, while bedrock is prior knowledge of the extent Underpinning infrastructure: posed a hazard, well known to at or near surface in parts of the and quantity of sand and gravel compressible ground the shoppers of Downpatrick, town. resources is a prerequisite for Superficial deposits such as a few years ago when the car consideration of any planning estuarine alluvium, lacustrine park of what is now the ASDA application. Prior to the BGS (lake) alluvium, river alluvium and store undulated because of the Lough Neagh survey there was peat present a very real hazard in compressible material beneath. very limited reliable information certain parts of Northern Ireland, Records of boreholes at the site about the lough bed and the although the public at large are show a thickness of over 30 subsurface geology, including mostly blissfully unaware of the metres of this very soft, silty, the nature and thickness of compressible ground beneath peaty clay. superficial sediments. This their feet. 20 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

Monitoring the environment

Northern Ireland has ASSI programme Review (ESCR) whereby a dynamic natural The GSNI has worked with the geological sites in NI were environment that faces Northern Ireland Environment assessed to determine their Agency (NIEA) under a service importance to science. This many pressures from level agreement (SLA) for a defined systematically all earth both natural and man- number of years. One of the science localities that achieve at made sources. The GSNI elements of the SLA was to least national significance and provides information deliver information packages is broken down into a number to help protect and to allow for the designation of of different subject blocks. We sustainably manage earth science areas of special focused on two of these subject the natural environment scientific interest (ASSI). These blocks under the stratigraphy are areas of land that have been theme (clay-with-flints) and that will help Northern identified by scientific survey as the igneous petrology theme Ireland to safeguard its being of the greatest importance (Caledonian igneous intrusions). natural assets for future for their conservation value. generations. ASSIs are designated through Each ASSI has an extensive legislation contained within the range of documentation, known Environment (Northern Ireland) as an information package, all Order 2002. of which must be prepared and submitted before designation The identification of ASSIs is is complete. These include a primarily done as a result of site map, a citation document

©Tourism Northern Ireland. ©Tourism the Earth Science Conservation (outlining exactly why the area Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 21

Ammonites at Ramora Head and The Skerries ASSI. is to be designated), views the road alongside. What makes a project to investigate why about management (VAM), this so unusual is there are no Loughareema empties and fills, groundwater conservation objectives and rivers flowing out of the lake, where the water goes and why 115 monitoring a condition assessment. A only three flowing in to it. Why the lake is where it is. piezometers ‘special places’ leaflet is also the lake does this has remained installed produced to help landowners a mystery and subject to By using the world-class understand why the area has speculation. geological mapping and data Over been designated. We have archives available in the GSNI, records of produced documentation for the Loughareema is not unique. our hydrogeologists explored 2000 groundwater designation of nearly 20 ASSIs There are other lakes across the possibility that there may be boreholes, wells since this process began. Ireland that similarly rise and fall a similar underground network and springs without any outflow or inflow, of caves and channels through Loughareema — the vanishing which are known as ‘turloughs’. which the water at Loughareema lake They do this because they lie on may be draining. They found Nestled in the hills between top of underground networks of many clues to support this claim 820 karst Cushendun and Ballycastle is a caves and channels in limestone but no limestone was found features mapped lake called Loughareema, locally rock that can fill and empty anywhere around Loughareema. referred to as the vanishing with water, often very rapidly. In Instead, basalt bedrock was lake, which appears to do hydrogeology this is known as found right beside the sinkhole in information just that — vanish. If visited karst. the bed of the lake. packages repeatedly, the lake level varies 16 prepared from completely empty right To try and unlock the mystery Using hydrogeological knowledge for ASSIs up to a level that floods over of Loughareema, we launched and experience, they sought 22 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

to find where the water that that drains out of Loughareema Dune-sand groundwater was sinking at Loughareema flows: a network of channels monitoring at Portstewart re-emerged at the surface. A dissolved out faulted limestone Strand and Magilligan Umbra spring, with water flowing out of on its journey to the Carey River The Northern Ireland the side of the riverbank where spring. A tracer test performed Environment Agency (NIEA), as chalk could be clearly seen, was by Queen’s University of Belfast part of their active management found in the Carey River Valley, confirmed that the water draining of protected sites, commissioned within 100 m of where a spring from Loughareema re-emerged at the removal of 6500 non- was thought to exist. This large the Carey River spring. native Corsican pine trees and spring restarted the river, which sea buckthorn on Portstewart then flowed on down towards Two years of data from Strand and Magilligan Umbra Ballycastle. monitoring lake levels, spring on the north coast of Northern flows, rainfall and time lapse Ireland. They asked the GSNI Our chief geologist mapped the imagery was collected, along to help inform this and future area and was able to show that with a detailed LiDar survey of management programmes by a network of faults crossed it. the lake bed. All this information characterising and monitoring Two sets of faults converged is going to be used to produce the effect of the removal on exactly at the sinkhole in the bed a water balance, which should the shallow dune-sand aquifer of Loughareema. Amazingly, the enable a better understanding of beneath the strand. same network of faults connected the hydrogeological mechanisms with where the spring was found of Loughareema. In time it is We designed a new method for in the Carey River. The answer hoped that more information will installing shallow piezometers by is therefore to be found in the be made available to visitors to hand into the dune-sand aquifer faults, through which the water the vanishing lake. to monitor groundwater levels and collect samples. Removing trees and sea buckthorn should lead to an increase in the height of the water table and reduce levels of nitrate, since they intercept lots of water and sea buckthorn fixes nitrogen from the air in its roots. A high water table and low nutrient levels in groundwater provide the ideal conditions for rare communities of flora to thrive in the slack areas between sand dunes.

Thirty-five piezometers were installed and groundwater samples were acquired, and water-level loggers installed to establish baseline groundwater conditions prior to removal of View across Loughareema. ©Tourism Northern Ireland. the vegetation. Initial results Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 23

Portstewart Strand groundwater flow map. ©Crown copyright MOU577.3. already show the damaging environment heritage and future and business sector, local effect the sea buckthorn has sustainable development. This authorities and public agencies, had on groundwater conditions is necessary to safeguard and education, academia and at Portstewart Strand. We will manage geodiversity for both research, as well as individuals continue to collect valuable current and future generations. and communities. A total of hydrogeological data and work Following on from the success 25 organisations have already collaboratively with ecologists of similar geodiversity charters agreed to support the Charter. for some years to come in an in Scotland and England, this effort to determine if removal document will increase the Northern Ireland’s Geodiversity of non-native vegetation understanding of the true value Charter was produced with achieves the habitat objectives of NI’s geodiversity, ensuring financial assistance from the intended. that the economic, social, Department of Agriculture, cultural and educational values Environment and Rural Affairs Northern Ireland’s Geodiversity of this sector are realised. Environment Fund (2016–2017). Charter In 2017, the GSNI produced Northern Ireland’s Geodiversity Northern Ireland’s first Charter highlights the Northern Ireland’s Geodiversity Charter. geodiversity charter. A necessity for geodiversity to ©Tourism Northern Ireland. geodiversity charter is a be safeguarded and managed guidance document that sets appropriately. A number of key out a clear ambition to recognise stakeholders have been identified, geodiversity as a vital and including landowners and integral part of the economy, managers of NGOs the industry 24 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

Enhancing tourism

Northern Ireland is famous Marble Arch Caves UNESCO The GSNI is a member of the across the world because Global Geopark geopark management team (GMT) of its natural landscapes The GSNI has worked with the together with officers from FODC Marble Arch Caves UNESCO and CCC, tourism representatives and it attracts millions Global Geopark (MACUGG) since and counterparts from GSI. of visitors every year 2001. The MACUGG operates on The GMT is responsible for the as a result. The GSNI a cross-border basis with shared delivery of key geopark objectives provides advice and management by Fermanagh and and works with the Geopark guidance to a number of Omagh District Council (FODC) Joint Operational Committee to organisations across NI to (Northern Ireland) and Cavan develop the strategic aims of the further develop our natural County Council (CCC) (Republic geopark. of Ireland). resources for sustainable We have been involved in the tourism. The past three years have seen INTERREG IVA-funded Border the MACUGG continue to go Uplands Project together with from strength to strength with FODC, CCC, Leitrim County visitor numbers increasing yearly. Council and Sligo County Annual footfall is estimated Council. This project aimed to to be around 400 000 and develop the geotourism potential approximately £15 million is of the entire region and we contributed to the local economy. produced a number of resources We have worked with MACUGG on geotourism, education and

©Tourism Northern Ireland. ©Tourism in a number of ways. general geology including the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 25

Inside the Marble Arch Caves. ©Fermanagh and Omagh District Council. award-winning Rock Detectives Site (WHS) is Northern Ireland’s children’s geology programme. top visitor attraction and brings in nearly one million visitors The GSNI is a sub-partner in every year. It is one of only two the INTERREG VB Northern per cent of all World Heritage Periphery and Arctic Programme Sites that are designated Drifting Apart. This project, led because of their geology and by the Causeway Coast and therefore has a key role to Glens Heritage Trust (CCGHT) play in promoting geology and included partners in Northern geotourism not only in Northern Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Ireland but around the world. Scotland, Canada, Iceland and Russia, and aims to encourage We work closely with the transnational geotourism. We Giant’s Causeway and Causeway led on the development of the Coast WHS and sit on the WHS entire storyline for the project Steering Group. This group is and have delivered training made up of representatives who for communities, tourism, and actively contribute towards education providers. to stewardship of the site and includes the National Trust, Giant’s Causeway Crown Estate, NIEA, Tourism The Giant’s Causeway and NI, Causeway Coast and Causeway Coast World Heritage Glens District Council, private Visitors at the Giant’s Causeway. ©Tourism Northern Ireland. 26 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

landowners and the Council Coast, the development of a code on the geology and geomorphology. for Nature Conservation and of conduct for visitors to the We sat on the steering group for the Countryside (CNCC). The remit site, the production of a WHA project that included representatives of the group includes securing awareness-raising video and, from Newry, Mourne and Down the resources to create and most recently, the establishment District Council, Louth County deliver a WHS management plan, of a working group to explore Council, Mourne Heritage Trust, and encourage development of the potential of developing a Ring of Gullion AONB, Tourism policies and practices to sustain UNESCO global geopark in the NI and GSI, and helped to deliver WHS status. wider region. some of the key elements that included educational resources, We led on, and contributed Mourne Gullion project public events including tours and to, a number of key projects Our scientists worked with the walks, and producing a public through the WHS Steering Group INTERREG IVA-funded Mourne geology map. including the production of a Cooley Gullion Geotourism project geoconservation guide for the from 2012 to 2015 to develop the The project ended in 2015 and Giant’s Causeway and Causeway area as a tourism destination based left an extensive legacy that

View across the Mourne Plain from Slieve Binnian. ©Tourism Northern Ireland. Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 27 included contributions to the local economy through spin- off enterprises, a successful public awareness campaign including the training of 77 geo- ambassadors, and the initiation of tourism development through brands based on the geology of the region.

We are continuing to work with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to achieve UNESCO Global Geopark status for the region. This will help to deliver one of the key objectives of the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Tourism Strategy 2017–2020 and will complement the visitor experience plan that is currently in development.

UNESCO activity summary The GSNI has a close relationship with UNESCO and has been instrumental in the establishment of its newest designation, UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGs), of which there is one in Northern Ireland. We have had a representative on Exploring rock pools at the Giant’s Causeway. ©Tourism Northern Ireland. the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, the governing body of the UGGs and one of 12 voting In total there are 127 UGGs The GSNI chairs the Irish Global Geoparks enjoy a special members nominated by the around the world, in 34 UNESCO Global Geoparks position on these committees Director General of UNESCO different countries, with the Committee and vice-chairs the as they are able to be members due to proven experience and potential for many more to UK Committee for UNESCO of both, providing a cohesive scientific and professional come. Each UGG is designated Global Geoparks, the bodies and equitable approach to qualifications. The GSNI is because of its internationally responsible for coordinating all networking. also a member of the UNESCO important geological heritage new UGG applications in their Global Geopark Evaluation Team together with the holistic respective member states and responsible for assessing and management of the area for also for providing advice to revalidating UGGs all across the sustainable tourism, education new and potential application world. and protection. areas. Northern Ireland UNESCO 28 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

Protecting human and animal health

GSNI scientists assess Abandoned mines associated with the iron ore and and mitigate risks to Northern Ireland has a rich bauxite industries of County human and animal history of mining natural Antrim and the coalfields of resources over the past two Ballycastle and East Tyrone. health from geological centuries with the extraction hazards. These can occur of iron ore, bauxite, halite, coal, We have compiled an as artificial geological fireclay, lead, copper and feldspar. inventory of all mine workings hazards in the case With much of the industry occurrences, identified sites of abandoned mines ceasing operations by the mid- of greatest risk and have or contaminated land, 19th century, abandoned mines undertaken a programme of or naturally occurring were vested in what is now the closures in areas deemed to be Department for the Economy. at highest risk to public safety. A geological hazards such comprehensive mine-monitoring as landslides or radon. The existence of abandoned programme is carried out by our mines poses potential risk of staff to assess the risk to public, surface instability due to the property, infrastructure and degradation of underground environment. Where hazards are supports and a health and safety identified, mitigation measures risk to members of the public are put in place to minimise risk. who enter them. The existence of potentially There are over 2400 abandoned unstable mine workings is a mine workings, with the majority significant consideration for Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 29

Airborne survey of the Maidenmount mine. Courtesy of Connor Graham, QUB. planning and environmental many of the known landslide protection. areas in NI while also highlighting 2400 abandoned mine workings in total motions associated within areas InSAR project of historic mining activity. The Types of abandoned mine workings Both the BGS and the GSNI, initial results have also identified together with Queen’s University a number of areas of interest Shaft (50%) Belfast (QUB), have completed that are displaying subsidence Adit (38%) a research study to analyse and surface heave, potentially Working (10%) Collapse (2%) the benefits of using satellite associated with water abstraction, Commodity type* Location and percentage radar interferometry (InSAR) soil compaction and shrink–swell Coal 831 of abandoned mine techniques to remotely assess processes. Iron 532 workings by county risk to infrastructure associated Bauxite 274 with ground movements in The project has enabled Lead 100 Fireclay 51 LONDONDERRY Northern Ireland. enhanced capability to monitor 3% and assess hazards associated Lignite 45 ANTRIM InSAR techniques have the with ground motion across Salt 23 58% Copper 16 TYRONE capability to remotely monitor the infrastructure network, Feldspar 6 31% large areas, which would enable and allowed the stakeholders Clay 3 FERMANAGH a step change in techniques to implement regional-scale Kaolinite 2 DOWN 1% ARMAGH currently used by organisations to hazard mapping using satellite Pyrite 2 4% 3% analyse risk to their infrastructure technology to complement Baryte 1 network. Preliminary InSAR results terrestrial monitoring. This will Limestone 1 display variable movements in see huge benefits in mapping * where recorded 30 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

and understanding geohazards, exploration and generate soil and stream geochemistry allowing better-informed essential environmental baseline data to investigate the engineering techniques to be data. The initiative was extended relationship between medical considered and better planning across the border into the six data and naturally occurring and targeting of sites, while neighbouring counties of Ireland background levels of potentially reducing the risk to people living as a multi-partner project, ‘Tellus toxic elements (PTEs), such as on unstable ground. Border’, led by the GSNI and heavy metals, in soils and water. funded by the EU from 2010 The research hypothesis was Combining datasets to explore to 2013. The survey continues that long-term, low-level oral the link between environment across the rest of the island of exposure of PTEs via soil and and health Ireland led by Geological Survey water may result in cumulative Between 2004 and 2007, Ireland. The data has formed the exposures that may act as risk some £6 m of DfE funding was basis of research across a range factors for progressive diseases spent on the geophysical and of disciplines and has been including cancer and chronic geochemical sampling surveys applied to mineral and energy kidney disease. A number of for the GSNI’s ‘Tellus’ project in exploration, agriculture, ecology public policy implications Northern Ireland. Subsequently, and environmental mapping and for regional human-health- £1 m of Chancellors Innovation management. It has generated risk assessments, public- funding supported research a plethora of peer-reviewed health policy and education on this data between 2007 publications with external GSNI were explored alongside the and 2010. This was a strategic research partners. argument for better integration investment in land-based of multiple datasets to enhance geoscience in Northern Ireland One such paper discussed the ongoing medical and social intended to enable mineral use of Tellus and Tellus Border research.

InSAR time series data for Newtownards showing abstraction-related subsidence. ©Crown copyright and database rights MOU577.3. Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 31

Tellus soil sampling near Binevenagh.

A ASIR mapping of the Northern Ireland Wards 2001 This work was carried out in A B D4M Local Moran’s I

High-high

male incidences of stomach 2.5535749 partnership with the School Water High-low N Stomach (1993-2006) Low-high of Geography, Archaeology cancer data 1993–2006. D4M Low-low 00.000000 - 08.050800 Not Significant and Palaeoecology at Queen’s B I Mapping for stomach 08.050801 - 16.884400

16.884401 - 26.874300 D4M: Mean neighbour value -1.2862466 26.874301 - 41.736700 -1.5554523 4.4492772 University Belfast, Northern D4M(Z) cancer data 1993–2006. 41.736701 - 79.827000 Ireland Cancer Registry, and C Calcium (Ca)/ Lead (Pb) Belfast Health Trust and was concentrations in soils. published as a chapter in D Correlation results for Unearthed: Impacts of the Tellus stomach cancer data surveys of the north of Ireland. 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometres Dublin. Royal Irish Academy. and arsenic. C D 2016. Log (Ca/Pb) Correlation r value -4.43- -2.02 <-0.40 -2.02- -1.67 -0.39- -0.21 -0.20- -0.03 -1.67 - 1.41 -0.02 - 0.13 0.14- 0.26 1.41- 1.10 0.27- 0.43 1.10- 0.15 0.44- 0.69

PHE concentrations, the measured oral bioaccessible fraction was relatively low. For other Figure 26.1. (A) ASIR soil parent materials with relatively moderate total PHE concentrations, the measured oral mapping for male incidences of stomach cancer data (1993– bioaccessible fraction was relatively high. Th e discrepancy between high recorded total 2006); (B) Moran’s I mapping concentrations with lower oral bioaccessibility for certain areas has been related to elemen- for stomach cancer data (1993–2006); (C) log-ratio Ca/ tal speciation and solubility both in the soil environment and during UBM extraction Pb map of total concentrations (Palmer et al., 2014; Cox et al., 2013). Palmer et al. (2015) found similarities in total and measured by XRF in soils; (D) GWR (correlation value) partial lead concentrations, suggesting that a large proportion of lead in Northern Ireland results for stomach cancer data may be highly soluble and therefore potentially bioaccessible. (1993–2006) and arsenic (mg kg–1) (A, B and D are adapted from McKinley et al., 2013). 32 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

Supporting education

The GSNI has a key role Primary school education Keele who worked with us to to play in nurturing and resources develop a bespoke training course inspiring geoscientists Like other parts of the UK, for teachers to deliver these Northern Ireland has seen lesson plans in the classroom. The of the future through the a significant decline in the lesson plans are available on the support of STEM-based amount of science in its national NI schools intranet system, C2K, education (science, curriculum in recent years, and have recently been officially technology, engineering especially at the primary level. endorsed and are being promoted and mathematics). We In a bid to address this we by the Council for Curriculum help to develop and established a primary school Examination and Assessment design resources for working group together with (CCEA), the national examinations local primary school teachers and body of NI. schools and support Earth Science Ireland, a voluntary teachers and other organisation tasked with Building on the very successful education providers promoting earth science across UK school seismology project who strive to improve the island of Ireland. We produced established by the BGS, we the understanding and a comprehensive suite of have developed a network of awareness of geoscience. lesson plans and accompanying seismometers in a number of resources that has now been post-primary schools as well as a distributed to all 832 primary few key tourist attractions. schools in NI. This was supported by the Earth Science Education The school seismology project Unit (ESEU) at the University of enables schools to detect Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 33

Science Week at Stormont.

signals from large earthquakes one at the Marble Arch Caves happening anywhere in the UNESCO Global Geopark Visitor Education world. By being able to record Centre and another at W5 and monitor seismic signals, Science Discovery Centre, both primary schools that have earth science the project capitalises on the of which feature a working 842 resources developed in conjunction natural interest that earthquakes seismometer that continually with the GSNI generate by using them as a records and displays seismic unifying theme to teach a range activity. of basic science concepts. Teacher training schools visited by the GSNI for STEM School seismology In addition to developing 12 careers in the past three years There are currently six post- resources for the Northern primary schools that have Ireland primary school seismometers installed. They curriculum, we have worked with use these resources to teach a number of local organisations teachers trained (primary and post-primary) the concepts of seismology and to develop and deliver education 74 by GSNI staff in the past three years what they can tell us about plate resources for post-primary tectonics. The resources are also schools. Currently, there are only used to teach concepts in physics two post-primary schools in NI schools and Pupils attended the including the use of geophysical that offer geology as a single 47 1600 ‘Earth science careers surveys in applied archaeology. subject, so the resources have conferences’ In addition, there are two been targeted at both geography demonstration seismometers, and science teachers to try and 34 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

introduce geology in a way that outdoor setting. This has been By using this same format, it will encourage schools to include complemented by training allows for teachers from all it within their lessons. sessions to further augment the across NI to take the same resources and to allow for the approach to teaching geology, These resources were originally establishment of networks of regardless of their location. developed in conjunction teachers within the same areas. with the Causeway Coast and STEM careers Glens Heritage Trust and the Following on from these The lack of provision for earth Magilligan Field Centre, and resources, the GSNI has now science in both the primary were designed as a suite of developed similar suites of and post-primary curriculums information that would provide information for the Mourne in Northern Ireland means that teachers with the confidence Cooley Gullion Geotourism many pupils are unaware of the to teach elements of geology Project and for the Marble Arch career options that are available in both the classroom and an Caves UNESCO Global Geopark. to geologists. Through the

Launching the primary school education resources in March 2016. Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 35

Children taking part in Rock Detectives workshops.

STEM Ambassadors Programme, science is achieved. A number including the award-winning which add together to highlight many of our scientists have of schools are visited every Rock Detectives workshops the significant contribution visited local schools to try year right across NI and in the organised in association with that the GSNI is making to and increase the awareness of past three years have included the Marble Arch Caves UNESCO improve the understanding of NI geology as a subject and also visits to schools in Armagh, Global Geopark, which to date subsurface. to improve the understanding Ballymena, Belfast, Downpatrick, have been enjoyed by over 500 of the many associated careers. Enniskillen, Magherafelt, Newry, children. Other events have In many cases, visits were part and Randalstown. been targeted at the public of a wider earth science careers sector such as NICS Live, the conference organised by Earth Public engagement largest annual showcase for the Science Ireland. These included We have has a history of Northern Ireland Civil Service a number of earth-science- delivering high-quality public that brings over one thousand related speakers to demonstrate engagement, highlighted by the delegates together under one the maximum number of award-winning public relations roof to share an experiences, opportunities available and to campaign that was delivered challenges, and best practice, encourage a wide variety of as part of the Tellus project. to collectively seek solutions, career options to be discussed. This work has been successfully to promote innovation and to Many of the visits are timed continued with many events discuss how to better deliver to coincide with key decision- taking place that have helped to public services for citizens. making periods within the increase the awareness of the Our staff also make regular school calendar to ensure that geoscience sector in Northern appearances on mainstream the greatest uptake for related Ireland. Many of these have international, national and local subjects such as geography and taken the form of family events TV and radio broadcasts, all of 36 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

Inside the GSNI

GSNI core store Tellus surveys. The core store is publications. In 2017 the core The GSNI core store is maintained accessed each year by visitors store opened to the public for on behalf of Department for from academia and industry the first time as part of the the Economy (DfE) as the from around the world, and the European Heritage Open Days repository of representative and archived material has formed and welcomed 113 visitors. important geological samples the subject of many scientific from across Northern Ireland. Holders of mineral and petroleum exploration licences are obliged to deposit rock cores and samples with the DfE and we accept this material on their behalf. The collection has been continuously maintained since the inception of the Survey and continues to be added to.

Currently, the core store holds in excess of 20 km of rock core from boreholes, approximately 30 000 rock samples collected during geological mapping and 130 000 geochemical samples from the Visitors to the GSNI Core Store during European Heritage Open Days. Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 37

Some of the core on display at the GSNI core store.

Total DfE, enquiries and publication sales income for GSNI Sales income Minor enquiries £55 085 4% 4 9 £41 640 2% GENDER

13 staff FUNCTION

External projects Science Non-science income £2 506 015 95% 11 2

GSNI in Belfast

@GeoSurveyNI 38 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland

GSNI overview CGeol; Information and Collaborative research The GSNI is an office of the Infrastructure led by Dr Kirstin The GSNI has collaborated with Department for the Economy Lemon FGS and Governance and 35 universities or research (DfE) and works on a three-yearly, Administration. institutes in the UK, Ireland, service level agreement cycle EU, US and, as we go to print, for the Minerals and Petroleum Accreditation and associations China, on research and/or Branch (MAPB) at DfE. The GSNI Each scientist is accredited either undergraduate or postgraduate and MAPB are based together in as a Professional Geologist supervision or examination. These offices at Dundonald House on with the Institute of Geologists collaborations have produced the Stormont Estate, Belfast. of Ireland or a Fellow and/or hundreds of peer-reviewed Chartered Geologist with the publications. In 2016, GSNI’s Strategic partners Geological Society of London (GSL) joint book with the Royal Irish In addition to undertaking or EuroGeol, or is in active pursuit Academy, BGS and GSI entitled research, providing data and of accreditation. In addition, our Unearthed: Impacts of the Tellus advice to our primary client, the scientists are members, committee Surveys of the North of Ireland DfE, we also work on service members or officers of a range of featured 30 papers with 28 level agreements with the NIEA, associations including: authors. Six papers were co- Newry, Mourne and Down authored by Mark Cooper, GSNI’s District Council and Queen’s ▪▪ Society of Economic Chief Geologist and current University Belfast. We work in Geologists Visiting Research Professor at strategic partnerships with the ▪▪ Prospectors and Developers Queen’s University Belfast. In the BGS, Geological Survey Ireland, Association of Canada last 13 years we have, together the Royal Irish Academy (RIA), ▪▪ European Geothermal Energy with our research partners, UNESCO Global Geoparks, Council leveraged £22 m research Invest Northern Ireland, Quarry ▪▪ Petroleum Exploration Society funding from NI, UK, Irish and Products Association NI, Earth of Great Britain EU funders. Based on an average Science Ireland, W5 Science ▪▪ Irish Association of Economic annual income of £800 k from and Discovery Centre, Ulster Geologists the DfE, every £1 of DfE funding Museum, Council for Curriculum ▪▪ Geothermal Association of leverages £2 of research funding Examinations and Assessment Ireland in Northern Ireland’s national Councils in Northern Ireland. ▪▪ International Association of interest. Hydrogeologists Irish Chapter GSNI staff ▪▪ RIA Geosciences and AAPG award The GSNI’s most important asset Geographical Science J Schieber, D S Ulmer-Scholle, is its staff; there are 13 staff Committee and Brexit R J Raine and P A Scholle, 2016. members, two of whom job-share Taskforce A color guide to the petrography to run the office administration ▪▪ Mining Heritage Trust of of sandstones, siltstones, shales leaving 10.6 full-time-equivalent Ireland and associated rocks. AAPG scientists. Dr Marie Cowan PGeo, ▪▪ Association of Geographic Memoir 109. Awarded the AAPG MIoD is Director of GSNI which Information NI 2016 Robert H Dott Sr. Memorial is structured into four teams: ▪▪ Irish Geoscience Network Award. Energy, Minerals and Waste led ▪▪ GSL NI Regional Group by Derek Reay CGeol, EuroGeol, ▪▪ NI Assembly All-Party Group GGS; Geology and Groundwater for STEM led by Professor Mark Cooper ▪▪ Belfast Geologists Society Geological Survey of Northern Ireland 39

View across Whiterocks Beach, Co. Antrim. ©Tourism Northern Ireland. Geological Survey of Northern Ireland Front cover by Anna Crilly. Dundonald House Upper Newtownards Road Crown copyright Ballymiscaw © Belfast BT4 3SB  028 9038 8462 Litho ISBN 978 0 85272 877 2 www.bgs.ac.uk/GSNI Online ISBN 978 0 85272 878 9