WA moves to stop ‘data mining’ on DMP’s online system
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian government would implement a policy to prevent the use of ‘data mining’ software, which allowed miners to secure new tenements ahead of rival companies operating without the software.
Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion said that a number of prospectors had expressed concern over the prevalence of large companies using special software to crunch Department of Mining and Petroleum (DMP) online systems, in a bid to gain an advantage in securing surrendered tenements.
Data is often intercepted by the software, and analysed before the DMP releases the information publicly. While not illegal, the practice is thought to breach the terms and conditions for accessing the DMP system.
“This ‘data mining’ had become so intense it was disrupting the department’s online systems,” Marmion said.
To ensure equity, over the next few months the DMP would establish an online system where availability of tenements would be provided free of charge, following the registration of surrender.
“The information will be visible to everyone at the same time, via the department’s website and distributed as a RSS feed, similar to the public lodgement notification of new tenement applications,” the Minister said.
Additionally, detailed and cost-free tenement information from the department’s systems would be available for download the following day, alleviating the need for large companies to trawl through DMP online systems for compliance purposes.
“This will help companies audit and manage their tenements for compliance as well as determine when ground is available, without the need for ‘data mining’,” Marmion said.
“The data will not, however, include any pre-registration information that may indicate the surrender of a tenement.”
The online modifications follow extensive consultation with industry.
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