Integrated application of heliborne and ground electromagnetic surveys for mapping EM conductor for uranium exploration and its subsurface validation, North Delhi Fold Belt, Rajasthan, India: A case study

Geophysics ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. B13-B24 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Chaturvedi ◽  
Cas Lotter ◽  
Shailesh Tripathi ◽  
A. K. Maurya ◽  
Indrajit Patra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Domain ◽  
Uranium Mineralization ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Fold Belt ◽  
The North ◽  
Geophysical Surveys ◽  
Uranium Exploration ◽  
Time Domain Electromagnetic ◽  
Conducting Bodies ◽  
Electromagnetic Surveys

A fracture-controlled uranium deposit was identified in Proterozoic Ajabgarh metasediments of the North Delhi Fold Belt within the Khetri subbasin at Rohil, Sikar district, Rajasthan, India. Uranium mineralization in the area is associated with geologic structures, albitization, and pyroxenization of metasediments and conductors such as metallic sulfides and carbonaceous phyllites/graphitic schists. To locate uranium mineralization akin to Rohil in nearby thick soil covered areas, this association was targeted through heliborne geophysical surveys. High-resolution heliborne magnetic and time domain electromagnetic (TEM) surveys were conducted around Rohil. The survey delineated several targets with favorable geologic structures and conductors such as graphitic schist for further uranium exploration. One favorable target near Chappar village was taken up for follow-up exploration work. The EM conductor mapped from heliborne survey was subsequently validated through ground time-domain electromagnetic surveys and subsurface exploration. Modeling of heliborne and ground-based electromagnetic data revealed the presence of subsurface conducting bodies with comparable model parameters. Drilling established the presence of a subsurface conductor up to a depth of 300 m, which was attributed to the presence of graphite and sulfides (pyrrhotite) along foliation plane of carbon phyllite/graphitic schist/quartz-biotite schist and calc-silicate rock. Further detailed laboratory investigations (petrology/X-ray diffraction) of selected core samples from the conductive zones confirmed the presence of pyrrhotite and graphite responsible for EM signature. This study, carried out by using multiparameter data sets, proved the efficacy of heliborne surveys in locating favorable targets for uranium exploration in Ajabgarh group of rocks.

Inductive induced polarization effect in heliborne time-domain electromagnetic data for uranium exploration, northern part of Cuddapah Basin, India

Geophysics ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. B109-B120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veldi Ramesh Babu ◽  
Indrajit Patra ◽  
Shailesh Tripathi ◽  
Sridhar Muthyala ◽  
Anand K. Chaturvedi
Keyword(s):  
Time Domain ◽  
Induced Polarization ◽  
Uranium Mineralization ◽  
Cuddapah Basin ◽  
Text Data ◽  
Argillic Alteration ◽  
Uranium Exploration ◽  
Time Domain Electromagnetic ◽  
Text Response ◽  
Lithologic Unit

The Peddagattu, Lambapur, Chitrial and Koppunuru uranium deposits along the northern margins of the Cuddapah Basin are confined to the middle Proterozoic unconformity interface between Archean basement granites and the overlying resistive quartzites. Negative transients observed in the coincident loop heliborne time-domain electromagnetic (HTEM) data over these deposits (occurring in outliers) are believed to be due to thick polarizable conductive zones occurring along the unconformity. Similar negative HTEM responses are recorded over the Gorukunta Tanda outlier. A ground spectral induced polarization (SIP) survey conducted over the outlier and ground geologic observations indicated an altered basement/regolith with thickness up to 5 m below 20–30 m thick quartzite. Interpretation of Cole-Cole parameters computed from the SIP data indicated a change in the dispersion. These Cole-Cole parameters were used in modeling negative HTEM data assuming a polarizable plate placed in a layered earth at a depth of approximately 50 m using the CSIRO LeroiAir program. A negative [Formula: see text] response in the late channels indicated that the negatives can be explained in terms of inductive induced polarization effects. Modeling of HTEM [Formula: see text] data for the profile through the Lambapur uranium deposit and the Gorukunta Tanda reveals the presence of a polarizable lithologic unit at a depth of approximately 40 m. This unit is interpreted as an argillic alteration of basement, with the presence of clay and/or disseminated sulfides as evidenced from the core extracted from the boreholes at depths below the highly resistive quartzite. Uranium mineralization is closely associated with altered basement and sulfides along the unconformity where the distinct negative electromagnetic (EM) signature is recorded. Furthermore, there exists a good correlation between the uranium mineralization grade and the thickness versus the averaged late-channel negative HTEM response over the known deposits. The negative EM response helped in locating the new target areas for uranium exploration.

scholarly journals Quantitative appraisal of Heliborne and ground-based time domain electromagnetic surveys for uranium exploration – A case study form Rajasthan, India.

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
A. K. Chaturvedi ◽  
Cas Lötter ◽  
K. Jagannadha Rao ◽  
A. K. Maurya ◽  
I. Patra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Domain ◽  
Uranium Exploration ◽  
Time Domain Electromagnetic ◽  
Quantitative Appraisal ◽  
Electromagnetic Surveys

scholarly journals Quantitative appraisal of Heliborne and ground-based Time Domain Electromagnetic surveys for uranium exploration – A case study from Rajasthan, India

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Chaturvedi ◽  
Cas Lötter ◽  
K. Jagannadha Rao ◽  
A. K. Maurya ◽  
I. Patra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Domain ◽  
Uranium Exploration ◽  
Time Domain Electromagnetic ◽  
Quantitative Appraisal ◽  
Electromagnetic Surveys

Bayesian subsampling of time-domain electromagnetic data using kernel density product

Geophysics ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-45
Author(s):  
Hai Li ◽  
Guoqiang Xue ◽  
Wen Chen
Keyword(s):  
Time Domain ◽  
Kernel Density ◽  
Model Space ◽  
Drill Hole ◽  
Divide And Conquer ◽  
Bayesian Inversion ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Model Spaces ◽  
Time Domain Electromagnetic ◽  
Speed Up

The Bayesian method is a powerful tool to estimate the resistivity distribution and associate uncertainty from time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) data. As the forward simulation of the TDEM method is computationally expensive and a large number of samples are needed to globally explore the model space, the full Bayesian inversion of TDEM data is limited to layered models. To make high-dimensional Bayesian inversion tractable, we propose a divide-and-conquer strategy to speed up the Bayesian inversion of TDEM data. First, the full datasets and model spaces are divided into disjoint batches based on the coverage of the sources so that independent and highly efficient Bayesian subsampling can be conducted. Then, the samples from each subsampling procedure are combined to get the full posterior. To obtain an asymptotically unbiased approximation to the full posterior, a kernel density product method is used to reintegrate samples from each subposterior. The model parameters and their uncertainty are estimated from the full posterior. The proposed method is tested on synthetic examples and applied to a field dataset acquired with a large fixed-loop configuration. The 2D section from the Bayesian inversion revealed several mineralized zones, one of which matches well with the information from a nearby drill hole. The field example shows the ability of Bayesian inversion to infer reliable resistivity and uncertainty.

scholarly journals Modeling induced polarization effects in helicopter time domain electromagnetic data: Synthetic case studies

Geophysics ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. E31-E50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Viezzoli ◽  
Vladislav Kaminski ◽  
Gianluca Fiandaca
Keyword(s):  
Time Domain ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Induced Polarization ◽  
Earth Model ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Model Approximation ◽  
Generic Models ◽  
Time Domain Electromagnetic ◽  
Airborne Electromagnetic ◽  
Priori Information

We have developed a synthetic multiparametric modeling and inversion exercise undertaken to study the robustness of inverting airborne time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) data to extract Cole-Cole parameters. The following issues were addressed: nonuniqueness, ill posedness, dependency on manual processing and the effect of constraints, and a priori information. We have used a 1D layered earth model approximation and lateral constraints. Synthetic simulations were performed for several models and the corresponding Cole-Cole parameters. The possibility to recover these models by means of laterally constrained multiparametric inversion was evaluated, including recovery of chargeability distributions from shallow and deep targets based on analysis of induced polarization (IP) effects, simulated in airborne TDEM data. Different scenarios were studied, including chargeable targets associated with the conductive and resistive environments. In particular, four generic models were considered for the exercise: a sulfide model, a kimberlite model, and two generic models focusing on the depth of investigation. Our study indicated that, in cases when relaxation time ([Formula: see text]) values are in the range to which the airborne electromagnetic is most sensitive (e.g., approximately 1 ms), it is possible to recover deep chargeable targets (to depths more than 130 m) in association with high electrical conductivity and in resistive environments. Furthermore, it was found that the recovery of a deep conductor, masked by a shallower chargeable target, became possible only when full Cole-Cole modeling was used in the inversion. Lateral constraints improved the recoverability of model parameters. Finally, modeling IP effects increased the accuracy of recovered electrical resistivity models.

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