Gold found in Kingscourt

Gold has been found in streams in Kingscourt, the results of a geological survey has confirmed.
The find was discovered during the ‘Tellus Border Project’ - a mapping project which involved the collection of scientific data on soils, waters and rocks across the border counties.

The project included a ‘gold map’ which is the most extensive dataset of gold in regional stream sediments completed in Ireland to date.
Other new areas with what has been described as ‘anomalous gold concentrations’ in stream sediments have been identified including Carrickmacross, Sligo and several areas of the Inishowen Peninsula and Termon, in Co Donegal. 

Celebrating the conclusion of the major cross-border initiative, Minister for Natural Resources, Mr Fergus O’Dowd TD, commended “both the world-class science and the cross-border partnerships that underpinned the project.
“I am delighted that this new dataset is available and its results will assist mineral exploration in the border county region”, he said.
“Following the Tellus Survey (2004-07), which produced a gold map for Northern Ireland, mineral exploration licence applications increased significantly and it is now estimated that £32 million has been stimulated in inward investment to the Northern Irish economy.
“Since preliminary data from the Tellus Border project was released in February 2013, the border region of Ireland has seen an increase in prospecting licence applications, with a committed spend of up to €1m over a six year period in the Irish economy if the applications are successful. 
He said the gold map will add to that economic investment already beginning in the Border area.

The comprehensive sets of results from the project were unveiled by the project teams involved at a conference yesterday attended by 175 delegates at the Hillgrove Hotel in Co Monaghan.
The project, which involved a land-based geochemical survey and an airborne geophysical survey, collected a wealth of new information about the natural resources of Counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth.