Smart Exploration Solutions for Mineral Exploration
Title: Smart Exploration Solutions for Mineral Exploration
Presenter biography: Michelle Pienaar
Academic Qualifications:
BSc Honours Geology
GDE Mining
Employment History:
Michelle Pienaar obtained a BSc Honours degree in Geology from the University of Johannesburg. She has over 17 years’ experience within the mining industry where she started her career as a mine geologist but later progressed to Geoscience Manager on numerous deep level gold operations. She joined the Mandela Mining Precinct as Programme Manager for the Advanced Orebody Programme, which incorporates subjects such as geology, geophysics, rock engineering and geochemistry among others, aimed at developing technologies to create the ultimate glass rock environment.
Presenter biography : Musa Manzi
Coordinator/Principal Investigator of:
(1) EU co-founded FUTURE project involving 17 academic and industry partners from South Africa and Europe (2022-2024)
(2) NRF funded Thuthuka Research project on the development of seismic methods for mineral exploration, mining, and mitigation of deep mining-related geohazards. Focus areas: Mining and mineral exploration geophysics; oil and gas exploration; seismic acquisition, processing and interpretation; orebody modelling.
Guest Editor/Associate Editor: Geophysics, Geophysical Prospecting, Frontiers in Earth Science. Member of: EAGE Near Surface Division
Presenter biography: Prof. Alireza Malehmir
Alireza Malehmir is Professor of Applied Geophysics at Uppsala University-Sweden. He was the PI of the award-winning Smart Exploration project and a co-PI of FUTURE, a European-South African tech-type mineral exploration collaborative project. He has led several research-industry works in various continents and known for his hardrock seismic expertise and innovative ideas. He has (co)authored +120 peer-reviewed journal publications and serves on the editorial boards of Geophysical Prospecting and Nature Scientific Reports. He is an active member of EAGE and SEG. Occasionally, Alireza acts as a consultant for utilizing innovative seismic imaging solutions for societal applications.
About this event
EU-funded Smart Exploration, Eramin3-Future project, and the Mandela Mining Precinct and its partners will present a full day workshop at SAGA 2022 on the application of novel seismic, magnetic and electromagnetic methods for mineral exploration. Invited speakers will present research through case studies on the latest development of cost-effective, environmentally-friendly tools and methods for geophysical exploration in highly challenging brownfield and greenfield areas to address ever-increasing community and environmental issues, as well as reduce the return time on investments. In this workshop, researchers will also present innovative prototypes that have been developed under the Smart Exploration Project for surface, borehole and in-mine geophysical exploration. Smart Exploration project, in particular, has enriched exploration geophysics worldwide with a wide range of innovations from new instruments and survey design methodologies that allow us to acquire better data to new processing, visualization, and inversion methods that enable us to make better interpretations. Students and professionals in mining and minerals industry, engineers, geologists, geophysicists, as well as service providers are invited to participate to see the recent developments within these growing fields.
What will I learn
Smart Exploration was launched in December 2017 with the promise of shaking up mineral exploration geophysics in Europe through a partnership with academia/industry and high-tech companies as well as with public communities to cover social acceptance aspects. The Advanced Orebody Knowledge (AOK) programme is aimed at developing technologies to image geological structures ahead of the mining face and provide knowledge that will contribute to optimal extraction and zero harm objectives. ERAMIN3-FUTURE project, launched in April 2022 and funded via ERA-NET Cofund on Raw Materials (ERA-MIN), is aimed at developing new seismic, electromagnetic and magnetic methods for deep exploration targeting.
In this workshop, we will learn about the prototypes, modelling and imaging solutions that have been developed under these projects and tested at various validation sites. These include, but not limited to:
- GPS-time transmitter for denied spaces (e.g., underground exploration) to allow time-synchronized simultaneous data acquisition,
- An electromagnetic-based broadband seismic vibrator (E-Vib) for improved data acquisition in hard-rock environments,
- Deep-probing 6.25 Hz HTEM to allow the targeting of deeper conductive bodies than has been possible,
- UAV-ground-based frequency-domain system for intermediate depth and logistically challenging targeting (e.g., over waste dumps and rough topographies), and
- modular-based fully digital slimhole system to be used in mining boreholes that are typically NQ-sized.
- 3D time- and frequency-domain EM modelling solutions
- passive- and active-source seismic imaging solutions using fiber-optic and nodal array sensing technology, opening up possibilities to provide unprecedented subsurface images and better definition of potential targets.
- Reappraisal of legacy seismic data in mineral exploration.
In addition, we will demonstrate how technical disciplines combined with social awareness can be used to tackle mineral exploration challenges in Europe, Africa, and beyond.
Working Environment
The workshop will be delivered in the form of presentations by experts working under the umbrella of Smart Exploration project, ERAMIN3-FUTURE project, and Advanced Orebody Knowledge (AOK) programme.
