The Geological Data Act – From the notification of geological investigations to the transmission and provision of geological data

The Geological Data Act (GeolDG) came into force on June 30, 2020. It has replaced the Mineral Law (LagerstG) and has lead to a comprehensive new legal regulation in the field of recording, archiving and publishing geological data. The primary objectives of the Act are to safeguard geological data and make it available to the public, to ensure the sustainable use of the geological subsurface, and to be able to identify and assess geohazards.

Therewith it also affects clients of geological investigations and those commissioned to carry them out, e.g. drilling companies, etc. There is an obligation to notify the competent authority of all geological investigations at least two weeks before they begin. Data transmission and public provision is also regulated by means of deadlines. The term "geological investigation" includes all general geological, raw material geological, engineering geological, geophysical, mineralogical, geochemical, pedological, geothermal, hydrogeological and geotechnical measurements and recordings of earth's surface, geological subsurface, of ground or groundwater, obtained by means of prospecting, drilling, field or borehole measurements and other exploration methods such as remote sensing, as well as the processing of the data obtained in this way, as well as analyses and evaluations of these data, e.g. in the form of expert reports, surveys, and reports.

With the contribution here the law is presented fundamentally and for the execution of the law announcement procedures in the countries as well as processes of data transmission and administrative procedures for data supply.