w. e. f.

2018-2019

ADVANCED EXPLORATION TECHNIQUES

Instruction : 3 periods per week

AIM: To learn the mineral resources, exploration strategy, preparation and evaluation of
reports.

OBJECTIVES:
 This course gives fundamental knowledge to the student on exploration of economic minerals
and ores. It describes various techniques and methods used in exploration of minerals.
 To know the mineral resources and prospecting techniques
 To study the chemical properties of earth and application of chemistry in geology, to
understand rock chemistry and evolution of various rock types through geochemical
differentiation. Also to understand various surface guides for exploration of economical ores
and minerals.
 To study the physical properties of earth and application of physics in geology, to understand
subsurface features and structures for better understanding of subsurface geology. It describes
various geophysical techniques and their field setup, data processing and interpretation.
 To study the prefeasibility and feasibility reports and its evaluation methods
 To understand exploration techniques and strategy and to establish mineral resources

UNIT - I
EXPLORATION 9
INTRODUCTION TO MINERAL AND MINING INDUSTRY
Introduction to mineral exploration, mineral resources in India and worldwide, National
Mineral Policy, Economic Mineral Deposits, Sampling, Geological Prospecting - field
survey and mapping techniques - field equipments- methods of mapping- pits and trenches,
Mineral Prospecting, Exploration by Diamond Drilling, Exploration Geology, Regional
Planning and Organization, Topographic Survey, Geological Mapping, Stratigraphy
Correlation, Exploration Geochemistry, Field Procedure, Analytical Methods, Mineral
Exploration -Triangulation, Establishment of Local Base from National Grid Base- -
Exploration Strategy, Groups and their role, Strategy and structure of the exploration group,
government policies Exploration investment decision, exploration targets.

UNIT - II
GEO-PHYSICAL PROSPECTING 9
Electrical Methods Scope of exploration geophysics – physical properties of the earth –
Electrical methods – SP, IP, EM and Resistivity - methods of electrode arrangement – field
methods resistivity, self potential methods- interpretation -application in mineral prospecting
– groundwater targeting, electrical logging methods in oil exploration, Geophysical Well
Logging — Fundamentals of radioactivity, principle of radioactivity, methods – types of
counters – field methods and interpretation – Well logging - Self potential – resistivity –

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radioactivity logging methods – caliper and other miscellaneous logging methods – field
procedure and interpretation of data, Radioactivity Methods and Geophysical Well Logging;
Magnetic and Gravity Methods — types of magnetometer-field survey – anomaly -
interpretation and prospecting. Magnetic methods – principle - field procedure –
magnetometers – interpretation of magnetic data – size and shape of bodies – correction of
magnetic data - applications - airborne geophysical surveys, Gravity Methods Principle –
field methods – gravimeters – corrections – interpretation of gravity data – determination of
shape and depth of ore bodies –– corrections & applications – GRACE mission - gravity
methods- gravimeter-identification of size and shape of bodies-correction of the data-
application in mineral exploration, Seismic Methods —Seismic waves – travel velocity in
various geological formations – principles – field operation – refraction and reflection survey
– correction of seismic data – methods of interpretation – determination of altitude and depth
of formations – various types of shooting. interpretation of seismic data- application-
identification of geological structures-oil fields location.

UNIT - III
GEO-CHEMICAL PROSPECTING 9
Geochemistry of Minerals, Rocks And Waters — Mineral stability, compositional changes
in minerals. River water, Seawater, Seafloor hydrothermal systems; Groundwater and Lakes.
Characteristics of Magma, Melting of rocks, Water in Magmas, eutectic and melting.
Distribution of trace components between rocks and melts. Principles of Geochemistry —
Introduction, Geochemistry of the Earth; Formation of the solar system and geochemical
history of the earth, geochemical cycle- Distribution of elements in rocks and soils.
Geochemical Prospecting — anomaly- background values- mobility of ions-associated
elements-path finder elements-surface indicators - geobotanical methods. Exploration
Geochemistry — Introduction – Primary dispersion pattern, Secondary dispersion pattern –
background values. Geochemical anomaly – geochemical sampling. Principles and
techniques used in the design and implementation of an exploration geochemical survey.
Anthrosphere aquatic environment – Marine, fluvial, lacustral, aerosols. Perturbations caused
by human activity. Isiotope Geochemsirty Radioactive Decay, Determining Isotope Decay
time, Potassium-Argon Systematic, Uranium, Thorium - Lead Systematics. Types of Isotope-
Fractionation, isotope Exchange between minerals and water, Carbon, Oxygen and Sulphur
isotopes, First-order decay and growth equations.

UNIT -IV
GEO-STATISTICAL METHODS 9
Practice of semi-variogram modelling; practice of kriging - steps and procedure. Ordinary
Kriging: definition, point/block estimation procedures, techniques of semi-variogram model
fitting; Geo-statistical evaluation scheme; Effect of Nugget variance on kriged weights. Brief
capsule on Non-linear and Non-parametric Geo-statistics: Lognormal, Disjunctive and Multi-
Gaussian, Indicator and Probability Kriging. Concepts of Geo-statistics; Semi-variogram :
definition, derivation and characteristics and properties. Derivation and solving kriging
system of equations for point and block. Geostatistical conditional simulation – Theory and
approach, techniques and applications with special reference to Simulated Annealing
Simulation. Relation with Co-variogram characteristics; Calculation of Experimental Semi-
variograms in One, Two and Three- Dimensions calculation procedures. Computation of
semi-variograms; mathematical models of semi-variogram associated difficulties (Models
with Sill and without Sill, Nested Models and Trend Models.) viz. anisotropy, non-
stationarities, regularisation, presence of nugget effect and presence of trend.; Techniques of
semi-variogram model fit.

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 UNIT - V
ORE-BODY MODELLING, ORE RESERVE ESTIMATION and preparation o f
project reports
9
Mineral Reserve Estimation — Reserves and Resource, classification of mineral deposits –
Geological / Techno economic Considerations in Reserve Classification - Reserve Estimation
Methods – Surface and Underground Deposits, Orebody Modelling —Integrating Surface/
Underground mapping Drilling Sampling to evolve a 3D Model - Fold/Fault Interpretation
from Maps and Bore hole Data - GIS Applications in mining and Mineral Projects,
Preparation and Evaluation of Project Reports — Evaluation of exploration and
development projects, study of typical pre-feasibility and feasibility reports.

TOTAL: 45 PERIODS

OUTCOME:
 Better understanding on geochemistry of rocks and minerals and interpretation of
geochemical path finders for economical minerals and ores.
 Better understanding on geophysical anomalies, interpretation of subsurface features and
modelling of geological structures.
 The student will be having thorough knowledge on various geophysical and geochemical
prospecting techniques.
 The students will be able to choose the proper techniques of exploration and estimation of the
reserves.
 The students will be able to choose the proper techniques of exploration and estimation of the
ore reserves.
 The students will have knowledge about the, exploration techniques and its strategy.
 They will have knowledge of different mineral processing techniques.
 They will know about the methods of preparation of feasibility reports and its evaluation
techniques.
 This course gives additional knowledge to the student on prospecting of economic minerals
and ores.

REFERENCES
Exploration and prospecting
1. Butterworth-Heinemann, Aspects of Ore Treatment and Mineral Recovery, , 8th Edition,
2015.
2. Chaussier, J.B., and Mores, J Mineral Prospecting manual, North Oxford Academic
press,1987.
3. Haldar, S. K., Mineral Exploration Principles and Applications, Elsevier,First Edition, 2013.
4. Kuzvart, M. and Bohmer, M., Prospecting and Exploration of Mineral Deposits, Elsevier
Science Publishers, 1993.
5. Lahee, Field geology, CBS pub, New Delhi, 1987.
6. Moon C J., Whateley M K.G. & Evans A M., Introduction to Mineral Exploration, Blackwell
Publishing, Second Edition, 2012
Geo-physics
7. Arnaud Gerkens, J. C. d'. Foundation of exploration geophysics. Amsterdam ; New York :
Elsevier ; New York, NY, U.S.A, 1989.

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8. Bhattacharjee, S., Frontiers in Exploration Geophysics Oxford and IBH Publishing Company,
1992. 109
9. Burger, H.R., Exploration Geophysics of the Shallow Subsurface, Prentice Hall, 1992.
10. Butler, B.C.M and Bell, J.D, interpretation of geological maps, Longman Scientific &
technical Publ.,1st ED., New Delhi, 1988.
11. Dobrin, Geophysical prospecting, McGraw hill, New Delhi ,1981.
12. Dobrin, M.B An introduction to geophysical prospecting, McGraw Hill, New Delhi,1984
13. Rama Rao, B.S and Murthy I.B.R Gravity and magnetic methods of prospecting. Arnold
Heinmann Pub. New Delhi, 1978.
14. Ramachandra Rao, M.B. Outline of geophysical prospecting. Wesley press, Mysore, 1975
Geo-Chemistry
15. Arthur Brownlow, Geochemistry (Second edition), Pearson Education, INC., Australia, 1996.
16. Faure, G., Principles and applications of Geochemistry, Pearson Education, INC, Australia,
1998.
17. John V. Walther, Essentials of Geochemistry, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2005, Boston.
18. Mason, B., Introduction to geochemistry, John Wiley, USA, 1982.

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