Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 510: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of positive indicators arising from mining exploration on and offshore in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24206/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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No new economic deposits of non-petroleum minerals have been discovered in the past twelve months from either on or offshore mining exploration. There have, however, been some encouraging results detailed in recent media releases by a number of companies engaged in exploration but it is too early to determine whether these results will lead to identification of commercially viable deposits.

While these are to be welcomed, my Department does not comment on such reports.