The data beneath our feet
https://magazine.cim.org/en/technology/the-data-beneath-our-feet-en/
Publish Date: 2026-06-22 10:00:00
Source Domain: magazine.cim.org
Laurentian University master’s student Stephen Tan examining core from the Kinross Great Bear deposit, summer 2025. Courtesy of Jack Simmons, Laurentian University
If the roughly four million metres of drill core samples sitting in storage across five provinces were laid out horizontally end-to-end, the cylinders of rock, sediment or soil could almost span all of Canada.
That number is a conservative estimate put together using published provincial data by Creative Destruction Lab, an arm of the University of Toronto that supports science and technology start-ups. The true figure is likely much higher.
But these treasure troves of information—and their data—which are used to help mining companies better plan drilling operations, are dispersed in storage across provinces and territories. There is no centralized, digital database of drill core samples in Canada.
The Canadian Digital Core Library (CDCL) plans to change that. The new initiative aims to digitize national core sample data in a public database, and Natural Resources Canada has pledged $40 million over two years from 2026 to 2027 to make it happen.
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson announced the initiative at the 2026 PDAC Convention on March 2 alongside the signing of a non-binding declaration of intent between the federal government, Creative Destruction Lab, Laurentian University and mining companies Agnico Eagle, Anglo American, BHP, Hudbay Minerals Inc., Teck Resources Ltd. and Vale.
The hope is that a centralized, public library of mining drill core data will accelerate the discovery of critical minerals deposits as well as strengthen supply chains, attract investment, create jobs and “reinforce Canada’s position as a global leader in clean, responsible and innovation-driven mining,” according to a March 2 press release from Natural Resources Canada.
The public-private-academia collaboration…
