LITHOTHEQUE is a rock ‘library’ containing approximately 3,500 sets of mini-samples permanently attached in groups of 20 to aluminium plates which are housed on slotted shelves. Lithotheque plates are supported by a database containing deposit name, deposit alias, location, district, country, world region, and deposit type. All plates in the collection have been digitally imaged at high quality and 6,000 individual samples (out of over 60,000 in Lithotheque) also photographed close-up: this is an on-going process. Single samples are capable of being viewed at 15-times natural scale on-screen.
Lithotheque Legends: each Lithotheque plate is described by a one-page ‘legend'. The legend is divided into 4 parts:
1. Header
2. Plan or Section
3. Geological Key
4. Sample Descriptions
An example legend is available here (pdf file ~ 350kb).
Lithotheque Folders: each Lithotheque plate or group of plates is backed-up by a similarly numbered folder containing reprints, field notes, maps, photographs and other written data. The contents of these folders has not at this stage been indexed or captured digitally but are available with the physical collection at the DMITRE Core Library in Adelaide.
Lithotheque Descriptive Summaries: these take a number of forms, depending on information and resources available.
Lithotheque Legends: a legend sheet explaining the nature and general location of the samples on each Lithotheque plate is included with every new sample set added to the web. It also generally includes an annotated cross-section of the deposit.
Lithotheque Non-destructive Measurement: 5,500 PIMA-II short wave-length infrared (SWIR) refelectance measurements have been made and interpreted to mineralogy for porphyry-epithermal deposits in DM and selected SEDEX, VMS and FeOx-Cu-Au settings. Tables of mineralogy and summaries of the spectral and mineralogical characteristics of selected deposits are already on the subscriber site (click here to view Pierina example). Stacked spectral profiles will be added progressively for important deposits (click here for Pierina example). The Lithotheque collection is recognised by many companies and institutions as an outstanding resource to develop libraries of measurement. Access for these purposes is non-exclusive but a copy of measurement data must be provided to DM subject to agreed witholding provisions.
