komati-ai/canada-maps-dataset

Canada Geological Maps Collection

Dataset Description

This dataset contains a collection of Canadian geological and mineral exploration maps from two primary sources: GEOSCAN (Geological Survey of Canada) and MINFILE (British Columbia Mineral Inventory). The dataset includes both historical and contemporary geological maps covering various provinces and territories across Canada.

Dataset Summary

The Canada Geological Maps Collection provides researchers and practitioners with access to digitized geological maps spanning from 1961 to 2022. The maps include surficial geology, mineral exploration data, topographical surveys, and geophysical studies across Canadian provinces and territories.

• Total Images: ~16 maps (expandable collection)
• Time Range: 1961-2022
• Geographic Coverage: Multiple Canadian provinces (BC, QC, ON, NS, NT, NU)
• Map Types: Surficial geology, mineral exploration, topographical, geophysical
• Languages: English and French

Supported Tasks

• Geospatial Analysis: Extract geological features and formations
• Historical Research: Study evolution of geological understanding
• Mining Exploration: Access mineral deposit locations and geological context
• Computer Vision: Map feature detection and classification
• GIS Integration: Digitization and spatial analysis workflows

Dataset Structure

Data Fields

Each entry in the metadata contains:

• name: Official title of the geological map
• type: Category of geological information (e.g., "Surficial geology", "map - geophysical")
• province: Canadian province/territory code (bc, qc, on, ns, nt, nu)
• year: Publication year of the map
• dir: Relative path to the image file
• doi: Digital Object Identifier or reference URL

File Organization

dataset/
├── images/
|   └── train/
│        ├── geoscan/          # Geological Survey of Canada maps
│        │   ├── gid_*/        # Individual map directories
│        │   └── gscmap-*/     # GSC map series
│        └── minfiles/         # BC MINFILE mineral exploration maps
│            └── */            # Individual property directories
├── metadata.jsonl        # Complete dataset metadata
└── README.md            # This dataset card

Data Sources

GEOSCAN

The GEOSCAN maps are obtained from the GEOSCAN database, which is Canada's national repository of earth science research and publications.

License: Open Government Licence - Canada

MINFILE

The MINFILE maps are obtained from British Columbia's MINFILE system, a comprehensive mineral deposit information system.

Historical Context:

• MINFILE - A Mineral Deposit Information System for British Columbia
• Project description

Usage Examples

Loading the Dataset

from datasets import load_dataset
import json

# Load metadata
with open('metadata.jsonl', 'r') as f:
    metadata = json.load(f)

# Filter by province
bc_maps = [item for item in metadata if item['province'] == 'bc']

# Filter by map type
surficial_maps = [item for item in metadata if 'surficial' in item['type'].lower()]

Computer Vision Applications

from PIL import Image
import os

# Load and process maps
for item in metadata:
    if os.path.exists(item['dir']):
        image = Image.open(item['dir'])
        print(f"Processing: {item['name']} ({item['year']})")
        # Your processing code here

Dataset Creation

Source Data Collection

Maps were systematically collected from:

1. GEOSCAN: Federal geological survey publications
2. MINFILE: Provincial mineral exploration records

Data Processing

• Maps digitized and stored in JPG format
• Metadata extracted and structured in JSON format
• DOI/reference links preserved for traceability
• Consistent naming conventions applied

Considerations for Use

Ethical Considerations

• Maps may contain references to Indigenous territories and traditional knowledge
• Some geological information may be sensitive for environmental or security reasons
• Historical maps may contain outdated terminology or perspectives

Limitations

• Dataset is currently incomplete and under active development
• Image quality varies based on source material age and digitization methods
• Some maps may have geographic projection inconsistencies
• Metadata completeness varies across entries

Intended Use

This dataset is intended for:

• Academic research in geology and earth sciences
• Development of computer vision models for map analysis
• Historical studies of geological exploration in Canada
• Educational purposes in geology and GIS

Out-of-Scope Use

• Commercial mining exploration without proper licensing
• Definitive geological assessments (always consult original sources)
• Legal boundary determinations

Additional Information

Dataset Curators

This dataset is maintained as part of geo-vision research initiatives.

Licensing Information

• GEOSCAN data: Open Government Licence - Canada
• MINFILE data: Subject to British Columbia government data licensing
• Dataset compilation: Please cite appropriately when using this collection

Citation

@dataset{canada_maps_dataset_2025,
  title={Canada Maps Dataset},
  author={Komati AI},
  year={2025},
  publisher={Hugging Face},
  url={https://huggingface.co/datasets/komati-ai/canada-maps-dataset}
}

Contributions

We welcome contributions to expand this dataset. Please ensure all contributed maps include proper licensing and metadata information.

For questions or contributions, please open an issue in the dataset repository.