Using the Basic Search

1.  Select the search tab (if you don't want to start on the Identification and Location tab).
2.  Make your selection(s) using the text boxes, list boxes and radio buttons.
3.  Make as many selections as you want and select as many tabs as you want.
(All the fields you select on each tab are submitted when you click search).
4.  Click Search.
5.  The Search Results Summary screen opens with your search results displayed in summary form. 

From the Search Results Summary screen you have the option to

1.  View a summary of the record by clicking on the MINFILE number;

2.  View a complete report of the record by clicking on the first MINFILE name;

3.  In the Status column, click on Inventory Report or Production Report to get a full report on inventory or production.  If there is no report indicated in this column for inventory or production then that means that there is no inventory or production data for that specific record.

4.  View the record on a map in the MapPlace by clicking on the Latitude/Longitude coordinates.

4.  Click Refine your search to search again on your previous search results.  You are returned to your previous search tab with all your search criteria saved.  Select additional search criteria(s) and click Search again.or

5.  Click New Search to start a new search. You are returned to your previous search tab with all search criteria deleted.  You are ready to start a new search.

Radio Button Search Modifiers

Use the radio buttons to include or exclude criteria.
 

Selecting the commodity Gold, then selecting:

Primary - the search will only return occurrences that have a primary commodity of Gold (ie. gold is the
first commodity mentioned in the list of commodities for that specific occurrence).

All - the search will return all occurrences that have the commodity Gold (anywhere in the commodity listing
for that specific occurrence).

Any - the search will return any occurrence that has the commodity Gold.
Note:  When only searching on one criteria - All and Any will return the same results.

Not - the search will return all occurrences that do NOT have a commodity of Gold.
 

Selecting Multiple Criteria

To make multiple selections in the same list box use Ctrl-Click.

For Example:

Using Ctrl-Click to select the commodities Agate and Garnet, then selecting:

Primary - the search will only return occurrences that have a primary commodity of either Agate OR Garnet.

All - the search will only return occurrences that have commodities of Agate AND Garnet.

Any - the search will return occurrences that have commodities of Agate OR Garnet

Not - the search will return all occurrences that do NOT have commodities of Agate OR Garnet.

Note: Basic and Advanced searches are two separate searches, they cannot be combined. A link at the top of the page takes
you to the Advanced Search screen where you can start a new advanced search.

B.  Advanced MINFILE Search

Advanced Search Features

The advanced search allows you to add search filters and perform multiple searches on previous search results. 

Using Search Filters

The advanced search tabs feature the use of search filters. The search filters in use are displayed in the top left corner of the screen and beside the fields selected.

The first time you open the Advanced Search, the message "There is no Search Filter!" is displayed above the search tabs.

To search for a Mineral Occurrence

1.  Type your search criteria in the text box or select from the list box.
2.  Select an optional search filter checkbox (Not / Primary).

3.  Click the mandatory search filter you want to use (And / Or).

If you've returned to the Advanced Search tabs your previous search filters are displayed in red at the top of the screen above the search results.

You may search the results again using a new filter (or combinations of filters) by clicking Modify Search.

From the Search Results Summary screen you have the option to:

1.  View a summary of the record by clicking on the MINFILE number.  From the MINFILE Record Summary you have the option to view or print individual MINFILE detail reports.

2.  View a complete report of the record by clicking on the first MINFILE name;

3.  In the Status column, click on Inventory Report or Production Report to get a full report on inventory or production.  If there is no report indicated in this column for inventory or production then that means that there is no inventory or production data for that specific record.

4.  View the record on a map in the MapPlace by clicking on the Latitude/Longitude coordinates.

5.  Click Refine your search to search again on your previous search results.  You are returned to your previous search tab with all your search criteria saved.  Select additional search criteria(s) and click Search again. 

OR

6.  Click New Search to start a new search.  You are returned to your previous search tab with all search criteria deleted.  You are ready to start a new search.

Viewing Multiple Pages

Ten records are shown on the page at one time.

Tab through the pages using the Next 10, Prev 10, First Page, and Last Page hyperlinks at the bottom of the screen.

To view all records on one page select Show all Records.

To return to viewing ten records at a time select Show 10 Records.


Sorting the Search Results

You can sort or re-sort your search results by any of the field headings.

Click the field heading to sort by the selected field.

To reverse the order of the sort click the field heading again.


Multiple Searches

From the MINFILE Search Results page you can return to the search tabs and refine your search by adding new criteria and filters.

If you are in Advanced Search click Modify Filters.

If you are in Basic Search click Refine Search.

Boolean Logic with Advanced Search

MINFILE Advanced Search uses Boolean Logic Operators (AND, OR, NOT) to perform its searches. These operators allow complex, specific searches to be constructed. Many data fields can be included or excluded to help refine searches as the client desires. As the filter fields are added, the number of “hits” is marked at the beginning of the line. It is possible to zero the hits and this is where the Clear Current Filter(s) button is useful.  Note that the number of results is only displayed after clicking Search.

Filter mechanics:

In order to include a field in the search filter the AND, OR buttons must be clicked. Also, the NOT check box must be selected before the AND or OR button is clicked.

The operators have specific hierarchy. AND is the first operator evaluated, OR is the second and NOT is the third. Also, the MINFILE search filter is read from left to right and the operators are evaluated in order. Note that the search criteria look to the available number of occurrences and this is especially critical when using the OR operator.

The Search button, when clicked, acts in a similar fashion to brackets in a logic statement. e.g.: (A +B) + C is the same as A AND B Search AND C Search. Also, once the search is completed, the next set of conditions will search only the subset of data. This is useful when trying to reduce the total number of results wanted. However, this also requires that complex searches be planned ahead to achieve the desired results.

The Clear buttons remove either the current filter string or all filters. In the case of clear current filter, it is removed and the dataset is returned to the previous subset, if present. Clear all filters removes everything and resets the searches to the full MINFILE database.

Examples:

Filter: AND [field1], AND [field2]
will list all occurrences where both [fields1 & 2] are present at the same

Filter: AND [field1], OR [field2]
will list all occurrences where one or the other [field] is present

Filter: AND [field1], AND NOT [field2]
will list all occurrences where both the first [field1] is present and the second field [field2] is not present.

Filter: AND [field1], OR NOT [field2]
will list all occurrences where the first [field1] is present as well as all occurrences where the second field [field2] is not present.

Refining the searches

When creating search filters, the fields are selected and placed into one line. When the search string is executed, by clicking Search, a subset of data is created. The next search uses only the subset of data and so works the same way as a bracket does in classic Boolean Logic. This is useful when doing searches to narrow down the possible hits to a workable amount.

Examples: Find the Kemess mine through a Producers / Past Producers search

Search criteria as a single filter:

A) AND Producer,
B) OR Past Producer,
C) AND Kemess
Search
80 results - all producers (with Kemess included because it happens to be a producer)
Logic = {A or [B + C]}

How this search worked

This search accessed the whole of the MINFILE database for each logical operator. It looked for all mineral occurrences that were listed as a producer, condition A) - "AND" Producer, which yields 80 occurrences. The logical "OR" operator caused a search on the whole MINFILE database again to look for all occurrences that were listed as Past Producer AND Kemess. In this case there are 1954 past producers and four listed as Kemess however there are none that list both conditions simultaneously. The final result is the list of current producers, 80 occurrences. Kemess is a Producer, so happens to fall into the results listed but is not specifically selected.

Same search criteria using the search function to reduce the data evaluated:

A) AND Producer,
B) OR Past Producer,
[Search]
C) AND Kemess
Search
1 result – Kemess South is the desired result.
Logic = {A or B} + {C}


Explanation of how this search worked

This search started with the whole of the MINFILE database accessed for all occurrences that are either a Producer, condition A) or a Past Producer, condition B). Clicking Search executed the filter and the result is a subset of 2034 mineral occurrences. The Second filter line, condition C) – Kemess, then accessed the reduced dataset and came up with one result, the Kemess Mine. Note again that there are four occurrences with the name Kemess but by parsing out the undesired occurrences in the first filter line, the desired result was quickly established.

D. Identification Location Tab Searches:

Searching - Basic Identification Location Tab

The Identification tab is where you search by the MINFILE name, MINFILE number, status or location (using map numbers or latitude and longitude coordinates).

Identification