Green Mining | COst-effective Geophysical Imaging Techniques for supporting Ongoing MINeral exploration in Europe
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30 kesä COst-effective Geophysical Imaging Techniques for supporting Ongoing MINeral exploration in Europe

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Name: COst-effective Geophysical Imaging Techniques for supporting Ongoing MINeral exploration in Europe

Acronym: COGITO-MIN

Duration: 1.1.2016-31.12.2018

Total costs (€)/Tekes support: 2017156 €/942390 €

Leading research organization partner: University of Helsinki

Contact persons:

  • Emilia Koivisto, University of Helsinki, emilia.koivisto(at)helsinki.fi
  • Suvi Heinonen, Geological Survey of Finland, suvi.heinonen(at)gtk.fi
  • Jari Juurela, Boliden Kylylahti Oy, jari.juurela(at)boliden.com
  • Calin Cosma, Vibrometric Oy, calin.cosma(at)vibrometric.com

 

Research organization partners: University of Helsinki, Geological Survey of Finland

Company partners: Boliden Kylylahti Oy, Vibrometric Oy                        

International partners: Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland), Geopartner Sp. z.o.o. (Poland)

Need and motivation of the project:
In COGITO-MIN (COst-effective Geophysical Imaging Techniques for supporting Ongoing MINeral exploration in Europe), an ERA-MIN (www.era-min-eu.org) research project, the University of Helsinki, the Geological Survey of Finland, the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Boliden Kylylahti Oy, Vibrometric Oy and Geopartner Sp. z.o.o. – research institutions and industry partners from Finland and Poland – are collaborating to develop cost-effective, novel geophysical mineral exploration techniques, with particular emphasis on seismic imaging.

One of the main challenges of mineral exploration is finding and characterizing deeper-seated resources to satisfy the growing worldwide demand for raw materials. Seismic imaging is particularly attractive for deep mineral exploration because of superior depth penetration and resolution when compared to other geophysical imaging techniques. This research initiative joins the forces of research institutions and industry, and aims at comprehensive methodological advances in the use of seismic imaging for mineral exploration in Europe and beyond. We acknowledge also the need for well-integrated geophysical and geological approaches, and aim at developing joint analyses of different data.

The overall goal is to develop integrated geophysical-geological approaches for building realistic 3D geological models, delineation of known deposits and identifying new reliable drilling targets, with further impact on reducing the cost of drilling. All the partners in our proposal have their unique expertise in different aspects of the project, and the core of the project is knowledge transfer between the partners. Specific attention will be paid to communicating acquired knowledge also to a broader audience.

Main set targets:
In early fall of 2016, a combination of surface seismic and borehole seismic data will be collected at a mining and exploration site in Finland. We equally address data acquisition, processing and interpretation aspects of the seismic reflection methods, or in other words planning, execution and the end product, with the overall goal of developing integrated geophysical-geological approaches for mine planning and identifying new drilling targets.

Improving cost-effectiveness of the methods and knowledge transfer between academia and industry are central topics of the project. All these are underlined by a quest to answer fundamental questions about how smaller and larger-scale mineralizing systems operate and are related to distribution of raw material resources and geophysical anomalies.

 

Key results

The expected results include new advances in data acquisition, processing and interpretation of seismic reflection data, and integration of seismic data with other geophysical and geological data in joint analyses. We aim at pronounced improvements in the use of the methods for 3D geological model building, delineation of known deposits and setting of new, successful drilling targets. We specifically expect to demonstrate the value of the methods from the point of view of the mining and exploration industry end users.

Commercialization measures and/or potential:
As an outcome of the project, we expect to develop methods to be applied on new sites in Europe for effective mine planning and mineral exploration.