IT IS THE ONLY PROPOSAL WE RECEIVED CONCERNING THE USE OF RADAR IN EXPLORATION. IDROGEO HAS GOOD EXPERIENCE IN THE USE OF RADAR FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES (ARCHEOLOGY, CONSTRUCTION) AND HAS CONNECTION WITH OTHER LABORATORIES IN THIS FIELD AS FOR EXAMPLE THE UNIVERSITY OF MUNSTER PARTICIPATING TO THE PROJECT AND GEOLOGY SURVEY OF SWEDEN.
A georadar system as a geophysical method for mining exploration has been developed.

Research was carried out into the possible use of geophysical radar (GPR) techniques in ore prospecting and mining.
The objectives of the research were the following:
to improve the geophysical equipment to increase the signal/noise ratio, the precision, handling and the reliability of the instruments;
to improve the techniques for field data acquisition and processing system;
to improve data interpretation and target modelling;
to develop prospecting methods related to data and results in comparison to other geophysical methods;
to improve prospecting and mapping techniques for a more detailed description of disseminated ores.

Results obtained from the ore deposit model confirmed the applicability of the GPR method for ore prospecting in alluvial deposits.
The quick survey typical of this technique make wide areas or regional reconstructions possible without long waiting times and high costs, also allowing a wider survey or the possibility of testing low promising areas.
The capability of the method to discriminate ore bodies is, at this stage, limited to some centimetres thick layers. Structural reconstructions are always possible and precise and the capability of detecting fractures, unconformities and cavities was confirmed. Mine tests confirmed the capability of the method to be successfully employed for ore prospecting the GPR techniques were able to detect mineralized faults in a sphalerite galena mine.
Investigation depth was about a maximum of 40 to 50 with a 100 MHz transducer in bistatic mode. The variation both in reflection and in absorption of the signal can be used, after processing, for discriminating between the mineralized and sterile parts of the faults.
ACCORDING TO THE EEC PROGRAMME AIMING AT DEVELOPING AND IMPROVING THE FIELD INSTRUMENTAL EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARES AND PROCESSING AND AT OPTIMIZING LESS EXPENSIVE GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING METHODS FOR MINING EXPLORATION, THE FOLLOWING RESEARCH IS BEING PROPOSED WITH THE GEORADAR SYSTEM:
- TO IMPROVE THIS EQUIPMENT IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE SIGNAL/NOISE RATIO, THE PRECISION HANDLING AND RELIABILITY OF THE INSTRUMENTS;
- TO IMPROVE THE TECHNIQUES FOR FIELD DATA ACQUISITION AND PROCESSING BY MEANS OF MORE RAPID SURVEY AND PROCESSING SYSTEMS;
- TO IMPROVE DATA INTERPRETATION AND THE MODELLING OF THE TARGET;
- TO DEVELOP PROSPECTING METHODS RELATED TO DATA AND RESULTS FROM OTHER KINDS OF GEOPHYSICAL METHODS;
- TO IMPROVE INSTRUMENTS AND SENSORS, FOR LOG PROSPECTING AND MAPPING TECHNIQUES FOR A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISSEMINATED ORE.