Sunday, November 6, 2016

Things To Know About A Ground Magnetic Survey Company

By Jennifer Roberts


These are processes and procedures that are meant to measure rock magnetism. Although this is their primary functions, they can aid find minerals that are not magnetic in nature notably gold. Over the years, they have been used in areas prospected to have iron ore thus bumping into gold was initially a mere coincidence. This what you need to know about a ground magnetic survey company.

Following magnetism principles, ground surveys are useful in mapping the magnetism of underneath rocks. In most cases in a bid to identify the most common rocks hat are capable to attract magnet such as iron sulfide and magnetite. When these two metals are found in their pure form, and in large quantities, the location is marked as an iron ore deposit. There are certain iron sulfides that have high chances of containing gold. Thus positively identifying them may reveal unexpected tons of gold which is by far more valuable through a non-magnetic mineral.

These ground magnetic surveys are also used in the comprehension of the underlying rock structures as well as in the identification of folds and faults hidden under rocks and checking out the demagnetized areas linked to hydrothermal activity.

Hydrothermal activities have been found to be destructive to rocks that are capable to attract magnet. Over time, the heat demagnetizes natural rocks hat are capable to attract magnet. When this occurs, such rocks in the demagnetized zones cannot be identified through a local magnet-attraction survey. It calls for the aeromagnetic survey at a regional level. This technique is more advanced and has the merit of identifying possible gold deposits.

The survey using magnetism is usually done by two operators. They virtually walk across the study area. Therefore, for this task fitness is paramount. The objective is walking across the landscape in a straight line amidst some obstacles. Bigger obstructions can happen in areas having big vegetation and other risks like scorpions and snakes. In these landscapes, the operators should walk slowly and pay close attention and concentrate more. This job gets easier in the level grounds since the operators can even walk to fifteen kilometers per day.

Technology is also beneficial in the activity. This is because the operator uses a GPS and magnetometer while walking in the region. The magnet-attraction-ability region may have changes which will be recorded on the length that the operator is walking on. It is important recording the readings on the GPS carefully. The plotted region should be marked keenly. Minor obstructions will not change the results.

Each operator marks the paths walked in a different color. The recorded changes of magnetic field deviations along the paths of each operator will help in analyzing the field accurately. Where the landscape is significantly changing and elevating is recorded by the GPS. This raw data is eventually fed into computer software to develop a 3D model of the surveyed terrain. For every survey, an operation station is established from where daily variations of the fields filled with magnetism are recorded.

After the fieldwork, the collected data will be interpreted by a geophysicist. This expert separates artifacts brought by past human activities and studies the natural phenomenon. This interpretation is both artistic and scientific for there are certain filters to identify the various aspects of magnetic gradients to reveal structures associated with the mineral occurrence.




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