And it struck me, that we have a view that differentiates data from information.  Most of the Information Technologists talk about is still more data than information.  We talk about data mining, data extraction.  But it is the information that has value.  But until we act on that information, it is like gold that is still locked in some ore body.

Taking the mining analogy further, perhaps test drilling and exploration is performed on data. The process will discover nuggets of information which may be of interest and value.  Until we develop the mine and extract that information, it is only of potential value.  Like the undeveloped reserves in mining.  Even once the gold is extracted from the ore it is further transformed into bullion, jewelery, electrical contact plating, etc.

Maybe it is time for companies with large bodies of data/information to look at the exploration, valuation processes used by mining companies to bring their discoveries to the balance sheet.