Objective
The objective of this research project is to adapt and improve the ground probing radar(GPR) method to exploration applications and thus to provide a new, low cost and high productivity electromagnetic technique to the mineral exploration industry.
Ground penetrating radar(GPR) is a new, rapidly evolving electromagnetic technique which has been developed for civil engineering applications and has been applied only to a limited extent in exploration for mineral deposits.
The investigations can be subdivided into 3 phases: technical adaptation of the GPR technique to exploration requirements and modification of data processing algorithms (synthetic aperture); application of the adapted system on selected test sites; and data evaluation and further technical improvements based on results from the second phase.
The first phase will comprise 2 goals: constructing a low frequency system (around 15 MHz) in order to increase penetration, including the propagation theory, the antennas and the data processing schemes; and adapting the synthetic aperture data processing schemes to application in dissipative media (soil, rock), in order to gain higher spatial resolution.
The second phase comprises test surveys with different systems, followed by other geophysical surveys and drilling to check the results.
The third phase is the data compilation and evaluation phase of the programme.
In more detail, the work programme comprises the following tasks:
develop a high penetration system suitable for field use;
develop software to process data from the GSSI equipment with synthetic aperture algorithm;
gather sites for experimentation and select 6 representative ones;
on each selected site, make a method study with a comprehensive set of radar data and some resistivity data, check the interpretation results with destructive boreholes and write case study;
and make a synthesis of all work done on the sites and on GPR application domains.
The main targets of the research project are:
a system working efficiently at frequencies of 10 to 20 MHz, with an increased penetration and an adequate processing theory and practice for such data;
an evaluation of the synthetic aperture technique for mining applications;
and a comprehensive compilation of the main results in view of the application of GPR in mineral exploration.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologycivil engineering
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringmining and mineral processing
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivity
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsradio technologyradar
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdata sciencedata processing
Topic(s)
Data not availableCall for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
45060 Orléans
France