How to Import GeoJSON Data into a Mining Map

To import GeoJSON into Exploration Maps, click the import button in the Layers section, select your .geojson or .json file, and the layer is added automatically with the map zoomed to your data. Assign a layer Role (Claims, Drillholes, Targets) to get standard exploration styling in one click.

Turn public claim data into a clean map. No GIS experience needed — import, style, and export in minutes.

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What you need

A .geojson or .json file (polygons, lines, or points)
Coordinates in WGS84 latitude/longitude (EPSG:4326) — the standard for web maps
If your data is a Shapefile or KML: two minutes to convert it (below)

Why GeoJSON is the easiest format to work with

GeoJSON is a single text file that encodes polygons, lines, and points as JSON. Unlike a Shapefile — which is really four or more files that must travel together — a GeoJSON never arrives missing its .prj or .dbf. Most government open-data portals and modern GIS tools export it directly, and it imports into Exploration Maps with zero configuration.

Converting a Shapefile to GeoJSON (free, 2 minutes)

If your data came as a Shapefile (.shp + .dbf + .shx + .prj) or KML, convert it first:

Go to mapshaper.org (free, runs in your browser — your data never uploads to a server)
Drag the whole Shapefile set in (or the .zip) — include the .prj so the projection is read correctly
Click Export → GeoJSON
Import the downloaded file into Exploration Maps

Importing the file

In Exploration Maps, click the import button in the Layers section of the sidebar and select your file. The layer is added, the map zooms to its bounds, and polygon, line, and point geometry are detected automatically. Attribute properties come along too — they drive labels and callouts later.

Assign a Role to get instant styling

Expand the new layer card and set its Role. Roles apply the styling conventions readers of exploration maps expect — Claims get the classic boundary treatment, Drillholes render as collar points, Target Areas get dashed outlines. You can override any colour afterwards, but the role gets you to a presentable map immediately.

Assigning the Claims role to an imported GeoJSON layer — Assigning a Role after import applies standard exploration styling in one click.

If your data lands in the wrong place

Exploration Maps expects geographic coordinates (WGS84 / EPSG:4326). If your imported layer appears in the ocean or at (0,0), the file is almost certainly in a projected system like UTM.

Fix a UTM or projected file

Open the original file in mapshaper.org, run the console command -proj wgs84 (or export from your GIS with CRS set to EPSG:4326), then re-import. Zone mismatches are the #1 cause of misplaced exploration data.

Import your GeoJSON and export an investor-ready map. Drag the file in, pick a role, export in minutes.

Open Exploration Maps →

Import your file and export an investor-ready map. Open the editor and have a shareable map in minutes.

Open Exploration Maps →

Frequently Asked Questions

What GeoJSON geometry types can I import?

Polygons and MultiPolygons (claims, licences, target outlines), LineStrings (roads, powerlines, trenches), and Points (drill collars, samples, showings). A single FeatureCollection can mix types, though separate layers per type style more cleanly.

Is there a file size limit for GeoJSON imports?

Very large files (tens of megabytes) can slow the browser. If your file is heavy, simplify the geometry at mapshaper.org (Simplify → 10–30%) — claim boundaries rarely need survey-grade vertex density for a presentation map.

Do my GeoJSON attributes/properties import too?

Yes. Feature properties are preserved and available for labels and callouts — for example a claim number or hole ID column can be shown directly on the map.

My coordinates are in UTM. Can I import them?

Convert to WGS84 first. In mapshaper, load the file with its .prj and export as GeoJSON with the wgs84 setting, or reproject in QGIS with 'Save As' → CRS EPSG:4326. If the file has no .prj, you'll need to know the UTM zone to reproject correctly.

Can I import multiple GeoJSON files into one map?

Yes — each import becomes its own layer with independent styling, visibility, and legend entry. A typical project map stacks a claims layer, a drillhole layer, and a target-areas layer.