Tag Archives: Mineral exploration

Thor Energy to tap Fleet Space’s EXOSPHERE BY FLEET tech for Alford East copper-REE project exploration

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Thor Energy Plc has announced a collaboration with Fleet Space Technologies to undertake Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) surveys to advance Thor’s understanding of the Alford East copper-REE project, in South Australia.

The exploration-focused agreement will see Fleet deploy its EXOSPHERE BY FLEET® technology, which scans the ground using the advanced ANT seismic tomography technique, where highly transportable ‘Geode’ devices listen to faint background vibrations from natural and man-made sources. The data is then processed rapidly and transmitted through Fleet’s constellation of low earth orbit satellites, recently launched by SpaceX.

This technology will be used in surveys over the Alford East project to successfully delineate the low velocity, weathered ‘troughs’ that host the oxide copper-REE mineralisation with the Alford Copper Belt, Thor says.

Fleet will then integrate ANT results with Thor’s 3D geological model by using AI and machine learning to generate a new model for drill targeting higher-grade oxide copper-gold mineralisation.

The results from the surveys will play a pivotal role in shaping decisions and refining the targeting strategy for upcoming drilling campaigns, Thor says, adding that these future drilling efforts will be concentrated on regions characterised by low seismic velocity, known for hosting oxidised copper-gold mineralisation conducive to the possibility of in-situ recovery (ISR).

In line with this, an investment fund associated with Fleet Space will make a direct equity investment of A$250,000 ($161,797) in Thor via a share subscription at A$0.04/share.

Nicole Galloway Warland, Managing Director of Thor Energy, said: “Thor is delighted to have formed a collaborative partnership with Fleet Space Technologies to accelerate mineral exploration at our Alford East copper-REE project. EXOSPHERE BY FLEET is a low environmental impact method of exploring undercover and at depth, which through our 30% equity in EnviroCopper (ECL) have successfully completed a similar project at Alford West project, located to the south.”

Federico Tata-Nardini, Chief Financial Officer, Financial Strategy & Investment Officer of Fleet SpaceTechnologies, said: “In a groundbreaking collaboration, Thor and Fleet Space are set to redefine mineral exploration through the innovative integration of space technology. This partnership marks the convergence of advanced technologies. Fleet’s cutting-edge space technology will merge seamlessly with Thor’s expertise in mineral exploration. The Alford East project will act as the catalyst for this transformative journey, ushering in a fresh era defined by heightened efficiency and unparalleled precision. This will unlock a realm of opportunities for highly targeted drilling campaigns and expedited exploration endeavours.”

The Alford East project covers the northern extension of the Alford Copper Belt, located on the Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. The Alford Copper Belt is a semi-coherent zone of copper-gold oxide mineralisation, within a structurally-controlled, north-south corridor consisting of deeply kaolinised and oxidised troughs within metamorphic units on the edge of the Tickera Granite, Gawler Craton, South Australia. Thor completed an inferred mineral resource estimate by using historic drill hole information, which came in at 125.6 Mt at 0.14% Cu containing 177,000 t of contained copper and 71,500 oz of contained gold.

Orexplore furthers critical mineral core scanning push with Green Critical Minerals, Northern Minerals agreements

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Mineral scanning technology company, Orexplore Technologies Limited, has made inroads into the critical minerals industry after signing two scanning agreements with companies from that sector and progressing an R&D project in collaboration with Uppsala University.

Green Critical Minerals has extended its engagement for a further 2,500 m of core scanning, in addition to 300 m already scanned in 2023 via Orexplore’s laboratory service. This order brings the total value of the engagement to approximately A$226,000 ($149,589) and encompasses scanning of graphite-bearing drill core and the delivery of ore-sorting evaluation, grade proxy modelling and emerging graphitic flake analysis solutions using the dataset captured by the company’s GeoCore X10® hardware, Orexplore says.

Green Critical Minerals is developing the McIntosh graphite project in Western Australia, which, it says, currently has the third largest graphite resource in Australia with 1.1 Mt of contained graphite.

Northern Minerals, meanwhile, has extended its engagement for an additional 900 m of core scanning, following the 420 m already scanned to date. This order brings the total value of the engagement to approximately A$130,000 and encompasses scanning of rare earth-bearing drill core and crushed samples. The project focuses on delivering two Orexplore solutions – ore-sorting evaluation and a proof of concept for operational grade control, the company said.

Northern Minerals is developing the Browns Range heavy rare earth project in Western Australia, which is currently the subject of a definitive feasibility study.

On top of these two agreements, Orexplore said its research and development on critical minerals accelerates with a project it is carrying out in collaboration with Uppsala University in Sweden having recently progressed to scanning samples from Talga Group Limited’s (ASX: TLG) Swedish resources. It has also received a development grant of A$77,000 for advancing a project on lithium scanning technologies with a Swedish lithium producer, which is supported by Sweden’s Vinnova innovation agency.

SensOre expands AI-based geophysics capacity with Intrepid Geophysics acquistion

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SensOre Ltd says it has reached an agreement to acquire Intrepid Geophysics, a provider of geophysics software and services headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

The deal, valued at around A$5 million ($3.4 million) will be primarily funded through the issue of new fully paid ordinary SensOre shares.

Intrepid Geophysics’ advanced automated geophysical software and geoscience expertise complement SensOre’s existing suite of machine learning and artificial intelligence-based mineral exploration software products and technology offerings, it said, adding that Intrepid Geophysics’ large client base and strong cashflows were integral to its strategic assessment of the transaction.

SensOre Chief Executive Officer, Richard Taylor, said: “Acquiring Intrepid Geophysics is a major opportunity for us. Intrepid Geophysics’ deep geoscience and machine-learning expertise in geophysics complements SensOre’s geochemistry and economic geology focus for targeting in mineral exploration. Demand for advanced geophysics software is strong and deployable globally.

“Intrepid Geophysics’ years of product leadership, data collation and collaboration with government geological surveys will benefit SensOre’s data platform development and client service offerings. We are looking forward to integrating Intrepid Geophysics’ exceptional talent with our team of innovators.”

Intrepid Geophysics Managing Director, Dr Desmond Fitzgerald, added: “The combination of SensOre and Intrepid Geophysics will unlock growth opportunities in a strong market for high-level exploration targeting. We look forward to being part of a growing and exciting geoscience group.”

SensOre and Intrepid Geophysics completed a successful pilot project in Victoria in the June quarter, confirming the technological synergies and product complementarity between the two companies, it said. The results of the pilot are expected to be deployed with clients in the September quarter, focused on the Stawell and Ballarat gold corridors. There is strong interest from prospective clients within these corridors, according to SensOre.

SensOre says its strategy has been to organise all of Australia’s geoscience data within its proprietary data cube technology, with the acquisition of Intrepid Geophysics significantly advancing that capability.

The deal also expands SensOre’s mineral exploration technology sector presence and exposure, with the deal seeing the company acquire a second team of dedicated geoscience professionals with cross-over expertise in the oil and gas, groundwater, geothermal and the emerging hydrogen storage sectors.

“In acquiring Intrepid Geophysics, SensOre gains access to multiple new targeting and decision-based proprietary technologies and strategic decision-based services using 2.5 dimension Airborne Electro-Magnetic inversion technology, tensor gradient technology, geology from geophysics feature extraction, and service automated workflows,” the company added.

These technologies, SensOre says, fill a gap in its product suite by incorporating geophysics products that take exploration targeting from the macro-focused Prospectivity Modelling and Discriminant Predictive Targeting® approach into drill target delineation in three dimensions.

Intrepid Geophysics’ software portfolio includes:

  • Intrepid 3D – an airborne and ground geophysical data processing and interpretation package;
  • Moksha-EM – an airborne electromagnetic full waveform inversion data processing and interpretation package;
  • Argus – a 3D geological modelling package with a tightly integrated geophysical forward and inverse modelling capability;
  • JetStream II – a web-based, spatially searchable data catalogue that enables geoscientists to quickly assess the coverage, type and vintage of georeferenced spatial data held over any given area; and
  • Sea-g Marine Gravity – a fully featured marine gravity processing application powered by Intrepid Geophysics technology for on-cruise and post-cruise use.

Orexplore’s GeoCore X10 to start scanning core at Wiluna Mining gold operation

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Orexplore Technologies says it has signed a binding agreement with Wiluna Mining Corp to deliver site-based drill core scanning services for the ASX-listed gold miner at its namesake operation in Western Australia.

The globally focused mineral scanning technology company says the purchase order is valued at A$170,000 ($127,418) and covers a two-month agreement for the scanning and analysis of circa-2,000 m of NQ core on-site. This work, Orexplore says, will support the current exploration drill campaign activities.

Subject to site conditions and the campaign status, additional core quantities may be added to the scanning program to be determined by Wiluna.

Orexplore will deploy to site a self-sustained containerised unit using the in-field GeoCore X10® platform and the Orexplore Insight analysis software. The company will also deploy to site a scanning technician to operate the unit and effectively integrate it into the site workflows.

The significance of the agreement is that it represents a fully commercial site deployment of Orexplore’s exploration value proposition that delivers improved rapid decision making from near-real-time field-based core analysis that seeks to deliver time and cost savings across exploration programs, Orexplore said.

Orexplore’s technology platform comprises its field sensing GeoCore X10 product that extracts information from drilled core potentially hours after its extraction. GeoCore X10 is the result of over 20 years of X-ray research, algorithm development and sensor technology, offering non-destructive measurements and no drill core preparation ahead of time.

The Orexplore Insight software then connects geological decision makers anywhere in the world to analyse and interpret results to accelerate decision making, the company said.

Orexplore’s Managing Director, Brett Giroud, said: “We are extremely pleased to collaborate with Wiluna Mining as they leverage technology to increase exploration value. This agreement further confirms the increasing demand for operators to receive fast, in-field information from drilling that is fit for purpose and highly targeted towards improving dynamic exploration decision speed and quality.”

He added: “The in-field deployment of the patented GeoCoreX10 technology that combines high resolution 3D tomography with a large range of detected elements is a unique combination for the mining sector. The deployment at Wiluna, in conjunction with their exploration drilling, further supports Orexplore’s strategy and vision, and we look forward to delivering value to Wiluna.”

To date, Wiluna Mining has outlined 5.53 Moz of resources and 1.29 Moz of reserves within a 1,600 sq.km tenement package in the Northern Goldfields of Western Australia. The company, last week, said it had produced 3,855 t of gold concentrate since ramp-up (7,800 oz) at an average grade of 69.9 g/t, while three shipments and 4,488 oz of gold had been dispatched.

SGS to support Côte d’Ivoire mining industry with new geochemistry lab

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SGS has opened a new geochemistry laboratory in Yamoussoukra, Côte d’Ivoire, as it looks to support a growing local mining industry.

Ivory Coast has huge untapped resources, with estimates that two-thirds of the country is covered in untapped mineral deposits, SGS said. Gold remains one of Ivory Coast’s most valuable mineral resources, with output rising significantly in the previous decade, from 12 t in 2011 to 25 t in 2017 and around 32.5 t in 2019.

To support the country’s growing gold mining industry, SGS has opened a new commercial laboratory in Yamoussoukro. The laboratory, equipped with atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and fire assay equipment, provides, SGS says, an extensive range of services related to sample preparation and fire assay analytical testing.

Services include:

  • Au by fire assay with AAS finishing;
  • Au by fire assay with gravimetric finishing;
  • Au by screen fire assay with AAS finishing;
  • Au in carbon by aqua-regia digestion with AAS finishing;
  • Bullion analyses with gravimetric finishing;
  • Other base metals by aqua-regia digestion with AAS finishing;
  • Au in solution by AAS;
  • Specific gravity by gravimetric finishing;
  • Bulk density with paraffin wax by displacement; and
  • Physical tests: pH.

Strategically located in central Ivory Coast, the Yamoussoukro laboratory is close to key mining exploration sites. SGS employees are on hand seven days a week, supporting discoveries for greenfield as well as brownfield projects by providing full fire assay analyses with quick turnaround times, the company said.

Aurelien Nguessan, Laboratory Manager, said: “SGS can now offer mining exploration companies in Ivory Coast complete support, going above and beyond our existing sample preparation capabilities. It’s an exciting time for the industry – and for the country as a whole.”

This new laboratory will complement the services already offered by SGS’ commercial geochemistry labs in the region, including those in Tarkwa (Ghana), Bamako (Mali) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).

Hexagon’s Mining division looks to simplify drill hole data collection with MinePlan GeoSlate

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Hexagon’s Mining division has announced the introduction of HxGN MinePlan GeoSlate, a mobile, geological drill hole logging application that, it says, simplifies the field data collection process.

GeoSlate, part of MinePlan’s Exploration Geo package, collects field drill hole data via a recommended field-ready mobile tablet. It integrates with MinePlan 3D, completing the geology workflow from exploration through resource estimation, the company said.

“Built for optimal performance and designed for the field geologist’s workflow, GeoSlate saves time by eliminating the hassle of configuring logging templates from scratch,” Hexagon’s Mining division said. “GeoSlate solves many of the challenges facing geologists who are tasked with geological, exploration, production, sampling, geotechnical, hydrogeological and other field data collection and data management needs.”

Data can be instantly published over Wi-Fi using Hexagon’s microservice architecture, syncing directly to connected MinePlan drill hole databases for subsequent geologic analysis and workflow execution. Instead of spending time exporting/importing, collating and transmitting data, customers can use Hexagon technology to securely store and transfer data from the field to the centralized database at the click of a button, the company claims.

“Access to data should take minutes, but often takes days, even months,” Derek Badner, Product Manager, Hexagon’s Mining division, said. “As part of the integrated MinePlan portfolio, GeoSlate minimises time to data. When connected to Wi-Fi, data can be published from the app and synced in seconds to any authenticated MinePlan Drillhole Manager solution around the globe.

“Valuable time wasted performing data reformatting and quality assurance is minimized using the app’s automatic data validation in the field. We believe GeoSlate will quickly become essential for any mine’s data collection and management needs.”

Di-Corp looks to make inroads in West Africa exploration market with new rep

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Di-Corp, a Canada-based manufacturer and distributor of down-hole consumables for the mineral exploration industry, has announced a dedicated West Africa sales representative located in Accra, Ghana.

The Di-Corp Accra representative will support existing and new customers in the region by providing an in-region contact who can coordinate the delivery of high-quality drill rod, diamond tooling, core retrieval equipment, and drilling fluids, the company said.

“As mineral exploration increases across the region, mine operators and drilling companies are looking for every opportunity to improve the efficiency and productivity of their core drilling operations,” Di-Corp’s West Africa Sales Manager, Robert LaFontaine (pictured), said. “Drillers Edge drill rod by Di-Corp has been gaining a global reputation for quality, resilience and longer drill string life even under the most difficult conditions. In fact, all our products are quality assured and field tested for performance.

“As companies look to replace mineral production with new sources of key metals, we’re here to help address the growing demand for drilling supplies.”

While establishing the company’s presence in Accra, LaFontaine will be backed by a remote team that includes technical salespeople, drilling experts, engineers and drilling fluids program specialists.

Headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Di-Corp has manufacturing, distribution and service locations in four Canadian provinces, the US, Mexico and now Ghana. Di-Corp also has an international supply chain, plus a total of nine international distributors serving South America, Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East, and Australia.

Rio Tinto partners with Pixxel to investigate hyperspectral satellite tech capabilities

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Pixxel, an edge earth-imaging technology company, has announced an early adoption partnership with Rio Tinto spanning mineral exploration, active and closed mine site monitoring and ESG metrics.

Pixxel’s imaging satellites, capable of 5 m hyperspectral imaging, will help Rio Tinto assess the benefits the technology may provide in these areas, the company said. Rio will begin its assessment of the technology following the release of imagery from Pixxel’s first high-resolution satellite, set to launch early this year.

This partnership, Pixxel says, validates the potential benefits that its technology may provide to the resources sector.

“Pixxel’s high-resolution hyperspectral satellite imagery has the potential to significantly reduce costs and timelines for exploration and improve monitoring of active and closed mine sites,” the company said. “In the coming months, Pixxel plans to launch a high resolution hyperspectral satellite, which will capture 50x information compared to common multispectral satellites. Rio Tinto will be assessing the potential of Pixxel’s hyperspectral imagery to help reduce the disturbance footprint of exploration activities, monitor the operational and environmental performance of active mining operations, and monitor biodiversity and vegetation health around closed sites.”

Pixxel Co-Founder and CEO, Awais Ahmed, said: “This partnership will be pioneering in its deployment of hyperspectral satellite imagery for commercial mining operations. We’re excited to be partnering with Rio Tinto to explore the use of hyperspectral remote sensing technology across their operations at a global scale.

“Moreover, the exponential leap in image quality (50x more detail than existing multispectral satellite imagery) allows Rio Tinto the ability to assess Pixxel’s imagery for monitoring critical mining operations and make key decisions with sustainability in mind.”

Dave Andrews, Head of Exploration at Rio Tinto, added: “Rio Tinto is participating in Pixxel’s Early Adopter Program because we believe that exploration could benefit from more cost-effective and easier access to hyperspectral satellite data.”

New IMDEX rig count shows strong growth in major mining regions

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New mineral exploration rig use figures released by IMDEX have revealed strong growth in major mining regions across the globe.

The rig use snapshot, which account for seasonal factors, were contained in an IMDEX presentation to the Macquarie WA Forum on December 2. They were taken in October and updated a similar assessment conducted by IMDEX earlier this year.

The figures, of surface and underground coring and RC rigs, show the fleet is close to capacity in Australia and New Zealand at 81%, up from 72% in April.

European rig use in October was 50%, up from 39%, South America 48% (39%), Africa 57% (54%), Canada 65% (46%), Mexico and Central America 48% (44%).

Globally, rig use increased from 46% in April to 55% in October.

The USA, at 64%, was down from 72% but North America was up from 49% to 59% utilisation.

IMDEX Chief Executive Officer, Paul House, said delivery times for new rigs had increased, and the sector was facing skilled labour shortages and mobility restrictions — but these were short-term constraints.

“We’re seeing recovery and growth in all key IMDEX regions,” he said. “This is flowing through to revenue, and is reflected in increasing demand for IMDEX HUB IQ™ connected sensors and software as companies continue to embrace innovation and new digital ways of working.”

House said there was continuing strong demand for gold, copper and other base metals, but that demand for critical minerals was expected to increase at a faster rate because of the push for decarbonisation.

The profile of exploration spending is shifting, through a combination of targeting, compliance, and drilling at depth, he added.

House said the company’s recent acquisition of Mineportal and investment in Datarock had added strength to IMDEX’s geoscience analytics, artificial intelligence, and computer visualisation capabilities as part of its integrated rock knowledge expertise.

“IMDEX technologies enable us to provide critical insights right through the mining value chain,” he said. “Our global presence is unrivalled and provides a compelling opportunity to embed real value for clients.”

South Australia Government extends Accelerated Discovery Initiative

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The South Australia Government says it will extend its Accelerated Discovery Initiative (ADI) until 2025, committing another A$11.5 million ($8.2 million) to the program.

The ADI provides co-financing to mineral exploration activities to attract greater exploration investment, bringing forward new mineral resource discoveries, jobs, Aboriginal employment opportunities and royalties, according to the government. It also has a focus on supporting innovative technologies, collaboration and new exploration concepts to fast-track mineral exploration across South Australia.

Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan said the ADI plays an important role in maintaining South Australia’s international leadership in mineral exploration development.

“We expect to receive a high level of interest during round three, with a funding of up to A$3 million reflecting the global significance of ADI and the calibre of proposals,” van Holst Pellekaan said. “ADI is Australia’s most diverse exploration co-funding program, offering support for traditional drilling and geophysics, as well as other non-conventional exploration techniques, frontier logistics support, technology and research innovation.

“With a heavy emphasis on new technologies, scientific endeavour, and upskilling, to boost discovery while reducing risk, ADI reflects the changing drivers in exploration.

“Successful projects will bolster activities and support innovative technologies to generate and test new exploration ideas and increase new data sets to help accelerate data sharing between entities within the exploration sector.

“In additional to innovative exploration programs, ADI initiatives have fostered meaningful employment and upskilling of Aboriginal employees and businesses. So far, during rounds one and two, funding of A$7.4 million was allocated to 36 initiatives.”

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Barton Gold, Alexander Scanlon, said the ADI has allowed Barton to accelerate its innovation-driven exploration approach to the central Gawler Craton region of South Australia.

“ADI facilitated a trial of deep ground penetrating radar (GPR) in the region and early results are compelling,” Scanlon said. “The technique has not only found over 25 shallow new structures, but also their orientation, giving us clear, shallow targets for precise, high-efficiency and low-cost drill testing.

“We are looking at an order of magnitude gain in cost and time to target delineation, acquiring these targets for less than $200,000 over a 1-2 month period, versus A$2-3 million of drilling over a 1-2 year period of time,” he said.

Barton is an ASX-listed gold exploration company with a total attributable circa-1.1 Moz of gold in the resource category (28.74 Mt at 1.2 g/t Au), a pipeline of advanced exploration projects and brownfield mines, and 100% ownership of the only regional gold mill in the central Gawler Craton of South Australia, the company says.

van Holst Pellekaan said Barton’s recent success is another example of the benefits of the ADI not only delivering results for Barton but sharing the results publicly that will help other explorers unlock new discoveries.

“It was pleasing to see round two heavily over-subscribed, with a total of 76 high quality applications received with 22 projects assessed against the project criteria to receive funding,” he said. “We are anticipating a similar amount of interest for round three.”

The extension of the ADI will significantly contribute to increased exploration activity and discovery of new mineral resources to achieve the South Australian Growth State target of A$300 million in annual exploration investment, the government says.