Continuous developmentand improvement inairborne geophysics technology provider Spectrem Air’s geophysical surveytechnology makes thecompany’s SPECTREM plus system platform ideal for exploration and mappingof deep geology in difficultconditions in Australia, says Spectrem Air GM Louis Polomé.
“An upgrade in theplatform’s power systemand changes in sensor design make SPECTREM plus a leader in airborne geophysicalsurveys and the system isnow achieving increaseddepth of penetration andbetter geological resolutionto more than 700 m belowsurface,” Polomé asserts.
AdvertisementMoreover, the SPECTREM plus airborne electromagneticplatform retains extensive details in the near-surface geology.
Significant portions of Australia, as well as partsof Africa, are concealed by thick and conductive cover, making any form of mineral exploration, including those using airborne techniques, a challenge.
AdvertisementPolomé suggests that new mineral discoveries to bemade in Australia will occurin areas that are under cover and in which the contents of the geology are not obviouson the surface.
“This is where geophysicsis playing a significant and ever-increasing role in Australia, as it is in manyother parts of the world,” he claims.
Mining activities and the number of explorationprojects taking place in Australia have been increasingsince 2017, subsequentlyresulting in increasing demand for airborne geophysicstechnology providers suchas Spectrem Air.
Poloméhighlights that this providedan ideal opportunity to move the SPECTREM plus system from South Africa to Australia in the last quarter of 2017.
The deployment of thesystem in Australia waslinked to a contract for Australian diversified miningand exploration company Independence Group NL(IGO) to survey significantportions of the miningcompany’s tenements around its new Nova nickel/copper/cobalt mine, in the Albany-Frazer Range, in Western Australia.
The system has also been used for IGO’s explorationprojects in Northern Australia.
“The data generated by Spectrem Air has beenvaluable to IGO ingenerating a number oftargets that are beinginvestigated on the ground,” reiterates Polomé.
Spectrem Air has further conducted surveys formining companies such as multinational miner Anglo American, gold miningcompany AngloGold Ashanti and Australian mining,metals and petroleumcompany BHP Billiton, inthe last 18 months.
The company alsocontributed to scientific research of Australiangovernment scientific research agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
Ideal Relocation
Polomé emphasises thedistinctive challenge inlogistical support in moving the SPECTREM plus system between Africa and Australia.
“The time has come torelocate the system back to Africa, where activities have been steadily increasing,” Polomé points out.
While the SPECTREMplus platform, which is based on the modern Basler DC3BT 67 aircraft, is well suited for long ferry conditions, atrip from Australia to South Africa takes up to eight daysto complete.
The aircraft initiallybegins its journey in the most northern part of Australia, from where it is moved to Bali, Palembang and Banda Ache, in Indonesia; Colombo, in Sri Lanka; Mumbai, in India; Muscat and Salalah, in Oman; Djibouti, located in the Hornof Africa; Nairobi, in Kenya, and Lilongwe, in Malawi; before it arrives at Lanseria Airport, in Johannesburg.
Polomé states that, whiletwo experienced pilots andan aircraft engineer handlethe ferrying, the lack of an autopilot facility can makeferrying strenuous for thecrew.
“The plan is to keep thesystem in Africa for the next year or two, but the platformwill most likely return to Australia, where demand for airborne geophysics services will continue to increase fora significant period.”
Further, Polomé emphasises the challenge of findingsuitable local bases andairports that can providethe necessary support and maintenance infrastructure when relocating the aircraft and large amounts ofequipment into remote locations.
The company hasextensive experience fromits operations in remotelocations in Africa and Australia, which hascontributed to updates in the aircraft’s capabilities. Subsequently, the aircraft’s endurance in the air has been increased to eight hours.
Polomé argues that this increased endurance is the most unique aspectof the SPECTREM plus platform.
“The airborne geophysicaltechnology is continuously being developed. The main focus currently is on improved data processing and bettergeological interpretation.”
The company is also involved in the finalcommissioning of a newsuperconductor magneticgradiometer sensor, knownas SQUID, in South Africa, which has been developedby Anglo American anddiamond exploration company De Beers.The technology willenhance the capability ofthe sensors used in airborne geophysical surveys.
“Once the airborneimplementation is completed, it is certainly the intention to deploy that technology in Australia, Africa and Canada,” he concludes.