Data in Marta are primarily from raw material studies, but there are also data from other studies.
In the database, you also find a map of seabed sediments in Danish waters and photos and videos of the seabed are also available.
The raw material database MARTA contains furthermoe information about mapped raw material resources areas.
This information is a result of GEUS’ processing and interpretation of submitted raw material surveys. You find information about the locations of the resource areas, the quality of the occurrences: resource type, geological formation type and resource certainty parameters (found, likely or speculative).
The resource areas’ raw material types are given according to the guidelines demanded from the exploitation companies when submitting production data to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. The submitted data comprise the four marine raw material classifications: sand 1, gravel 2, pebble gravel 3 and filler sand 4. The background for the characterisation is selected quality parameters, with the grain-size distribution as the basic parameter.
The accuracy of the mapping depends on the type and density of the background data. This is illustrated in the database with a legend at three levels: found, likely and speculative resources:
- Found resources yield a general assessment of volume and grain size and in certain cases material quality. A qualified guess of what and how much can be produced and of which quality, with an uncertainty of approx. 20%. The level of investigation corresponds to phase 1b according to the demands of the Raw material law.
- Likely resources are limited and the volume is reasonably well known based on a few seismic tracks and samples with associated grain-size analyses.
- Speculative resources are primarily documented by scattered seismic data and based on a geological model.
Background of the raw material database
According to section 28 of the Raw material law, collected geological research data must be submitted to GEUS. Together with the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, GEUS has developed the marine raw material database to collect these data and make the data available to the raw material industry and other stakeholders.
In 2013, GEUS agreed with the Danish Environmental Protection Agency to develop the Raw Material database to make non-confidential data accessible to stakeholders, primarily authorities and the raw material industry. The purpose of the project was to establish a system that meets the authorities’ and the industry’s needs for information as well as GEUS’ demand for downloading, storing and presentation of the data.