Precious gold and, for the first time, platinum, deposits have been discovered in streams and rivers in south Leinster, according to the Geological Survey of Ireland’s Tellus Programme. The discovery was made by applying modern testing methods to stream samples collected in the 1980s. Platinum, which is rarer than gold, has never before been discovered in stream sediment from the south Leinster region. The new geochemical data for south-east Ireland and all previous phases of the Tellus Survey are available, free of charge, to view and download. “The mining and mineral exploration industry’s contribution to the Irish economy has been considerable over the past five decades,” said Koen Verbruggen, director of the Geological Survey of Ireland.