The Map Image Rendering Database for Geoscience (MIRAGE) project started in July 1998 with a grant from the ESS ResSources GSC initiative (RGSC). In 2003, the ESS Program Consolidating Canada's Geoscience Knowledge revamped the project to include the majority of ESS geological maps. The goal of this Program is to provide the infrastructure for efficient and effective discovery, access and management of Canada's geoscience data, information and knowledge and develop a prioritized implementation plan for the Cooperative Geological Mapping Strategies (CGMS) which reflect social, economic, environmental and policy sector needs and priorities.

The aim of the project is to make ESS Geoscience maps accessible through the Internet. This was accomplished by scanning thousands of paper maps and linking these images to their metadata records. Users can now search this metadata to discover geoscience maps that they can view and download.

The scanned images are stored as MrSID compressed images and as Adobe Acrobat files. The MrSID format uses a wavelet based encoder that produces very high compression ratios and allows for selective decompression, this results in reduced download times and quick on-line viewing. The Adobe Acrobat format is used as an alternate download format.