Projects

General Information

Ireland comprises the Republic of Ireland, which gained its independence in 1922 and is a parliamentary republic. Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom but with a devolved government. Both governments actively encourage exploration and mining.

The Republic of Ireland is part of the European Union and uses the Euro (€) for its currency. Northern Ireland, as part of the United Kingdom, is also part of the European Union but uses the Pound Sterling (£) for its currency. The Republic has a population of over 4 million and Northern Ireland has a population of 1.7 million.

The Republic of Ireland covers approximately five-sixths of the total land area of 32,591sq.mi (84,412 km²), Northern Ireland the remaining sixth.

Climate, Vegetation and Topography

Ireland is influenced by the Gulf Stream and has a regionally uniform temperate climate. Average temperatures range from 4°C during the wet winters to 16°C during the cool summers. The average rainfall ranges from 750mm to 1125mm in central Ireland.

The topography of the Longford-Down Massif is rolling glacial terrain lying at an elevation between 10m and nearly 200m above sea level. The cover of the boulder clay is very thin with extensive outcrop in some areas. Drumlins, small hills composed of glacial debris, are common. Digital Topographic data with ±2m elevation accuracy is available from the Ordnance Survey of Ireland. This Digital Terrain Model (DTM) was used as the surface elevation for the Company's data.

Geology of Ireland

Geologically the island consists of a number of provinces - in the far west around Galway and Donegal is a medium to high grade metamorphic and igneous complex of Caledonide (Scottish Highlands) affinity. Across southeast Ulster and extending southwest to Longford and south to Navan is a province of Ordovician and Silurian rocks. Further south there is an area along the Wexford coast of granite intrusives into further Ordovician and Silurian rocks with similar characteristics to the Ordovician and Silurian rocks found in Wales.

In the southwest, around Bantry Bay and the mountains of Macgillicuddy's Reeks, is an area of substantially deformed but only lightly metamorphosed Devonian-aged rocks

This partial ring of "hard rock" geology is covered by a blanket of Carboniferous limestone over the centre of the country, giving rise to the comparatively fertile and famously "lush" landscape of the country. The west coast district of The Burren around Lisdoonvarna has well developed karst features.