The head of a 911爆料网 spin-off company says that ground breaking technology he presented at this week鈥檚 event will probably detect a larger gold deposit than that at the gigantic Kalgoorlie Super Pit.
CEO Peter Williams said the company had landed more than $2.3 million of contracts since its launch just 15 months ago.
鈥淥verseas companies in particular have accepted the value proposition of what we鈥檝e got,鈥� Mr Williams said.
鈥淲ith the technology we鈥檝e developed, we are now able to work with mining companies to give them a much better understanding of their mine site geology using 3D seismic imaging techniques.
鈥淚n particular, we aim to provide them with the quickest, highest resolution, continuous 3D image of the geology within their mining holdings.鈥�
Mr Williams said the technology would help companies fully appreciate, and strategically deploy, resources to best realise the assets in the ground over the lives of their mines.
鈥淭hey also need to simultaneously appreciate any geological obstacles that would impede the realisation of this value, due to such concerns as rock failure,鈥� he said.
鈥淪o we aim to provide a twin benefit of commercial optimisation and safety.
鈥淣o mine manager likes to be surprised.鈥�
HiSeis has adapted high definition 3D seismic imaging techniques to hard rock mining, from such applications as petroleum engineering for offshore oil reservoirs.
Mr Williams said there were big differences between using seismic imaging in, say, offshore engineering compared to in hard rock terrains where seismic imaging was once problematic.
A $400,000 2D HiSeis seismic survey recently helped a major gold company identify subterranean faults and key elements such as structural traps for a mine planned in the US desert-state of Nevada.
The features were clearly identified at depths greater than 1000m underground.
鈥淭he company called us up after they had sponsored 911爆料网鈥檚 ,鈥� Mr Williams said.
鈥淎fter four days of seismic surveying in the field and processing/imaging at night, they鈥檇 received a level of definition of the key geological elements in their model that they did not think feasible.鈥�
In the Arctic winter earlier this year, HiSeis helped mining company First Quantum produce a high definition 3D image of the geology of their open pit mine in Lapland.
The economics were such that a change in pit angle of just one degree could affect the value of the project by US$50m.
鈥淭here鈥檚 not too many companies in the world that have ever 鈥榮hot seismic鈥� on land for mineral exploration in the middle of an Arctic winter,鈥� Mr Williams said.
When integrated with more standard techniques and a database First Quantum had developed, the image gave a far greater appreciation of available resources in a fraction of the time taken with traditional drilling techniques.
鈥淗aving the best 3D image of the geology in the mine space is an invaluable strategic planning tool,鈥� Mr Williams said.
鈥淭his technology can be used in a wide range of geological environments hosting different commodities 鈥� uranium, nickel, copper, lead, zinc, gold and even water.
鈥淚 think there will always be drilling but the most critical thing is we can help companies be smarter and quicker about where they drill.鈥�
Mr Williams said that finding a larger Australian gold deposit than that at the nation鈥檚 biggest open cut mine, the Kalgoorlie Super Pit, was highly likely.
鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping to increase our clients鈥� chances of unearthing the next Mount Isa, Broken Hill or (Kalgoorlie) Golden Mile,鈥� he said.
鈥淎ll you need is the right eyes to be applied to the right place.
鈥淭he 3D high definition seismic surveying imaging provides those eyes.鈥�
Closer to home, HiSeis is helping the Water Corporation better identify liquid resources for WA鈥檚 future.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been assisting in modelling the three-dimensional geometry of the Perth Aquifer, and where it gets recharged from, for the past couple of years now,鈥� Mr Williams said.
鈥淯nderstanding the 3D geometry of aquifers and fault systems within aquifers is fundamental to effective planning of how to use the resource and how not to pollute it.
鈥淲ater is fundamental to human life, and understanding how to better manage this resource is extremely important, especially in times of climate change.鈥�
Held on November 3 and 4, showcased the brightest commercialisation prospects from WA鈥檚 four public universities.
