OR/13/013 Limitations

Green, S, Campbell, E, Bide, T P, Balson, P S, Mankelow, J M, Shaw, R A, and Walters, W S. 2013. The mineral resources of Scottish waters and the Central North Sea. British Geological Survey Internal Report, OR/13/013.

The purpose of the maps described in this report is to show the broad distribution of mineral resources present in Scottish waters and the central North Sea area, based on the available data. They delineate areas within which potentially workable minerals may occur. These areas are not of uniform or equal potential and also take no account of planning constraints that may limit their working. The economic potential of individual sites can only be proved by a detailed evaluation programme. Such an investigation is also an essential precursor to the submission of a planning application for mineral working.

With reference to the marine aggregates map, extensive areas are shown as having no mineral resource potential, although some aggregate dredging may occur in these areas. Dredging operations generally reflect local or specific situations that are not resolved by the density of data that is available for compilation of this regional-scale map and require site-specific investigation to identify. Marine mineral licences may therefore be located in areas where no resource is shown. It is also possible that local variations in geology that are too detailed to be resolved by this regional-scale survey can contain substantial volumes of resource and could prove to be significant future resources.