New modeling methods and geochemical analyses provide information about deep deposits
The growing demand for raw materials makes mining unavoidable. The exploration of deposits increasingly relies on more environmentally friendly methods. In the European DeepBEAT project, scientists at the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF), an institute of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), are pursuing the approach of using geochemical analyses to detect deep-seated ore deposits in a non-invasive manner. The researchers are testing the methods in three areas in Germany, the Czech Republic and Finland. The integrative involvement of all participants is an essential part of the project in order to improve mutual understanding in exploration projects. The EU is funding the three-year project with five million euros.
Our high-tech lifestyle is causing the raw materials consumption to rise continually. Despite intensive research into more effective processes, the demand cannot be met by recycling alone. At the same time, there is a growing awareness of our geopolitical responsibility regarding raw materials extraction. Both of these factors lead to the realization that raw materials must increasingly be extracted from European sources in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. New methods are needed to detect raw material-rich deposits in Europe – especially for deep-seated deposits, as neither geophysical nor geochemical signals from deep layers are easily distinguishable from signals close to the surface. To this end, scientists from six countries have joined forces to apply geochemical analysis methods for exploration and implement new forms of modeling in the European research project DeepBEAT (Deep exploration BoostEd by Advanced exploration Technologies).
Search for deep-seated deposits using geochemistry
Geochemistry is an important tool for many geoscientific questions. It provides insights into the material composition, distribution, stability, and cycle of chemical elements and their isotopes in minerals, rocks, soils, water, the Earth’s atmosphere, and the biosphere. “In geological exploration, geochemical approaches are typically used to analyze core samples in order to interpret information from depth. In the case of surface samples, geochemistry is traditionally applied to soil samples to detect, for example, abnormally high metal concentrations in soils. This typically only identifies near-surface ore deposits. Geochemical methods have been tested in a few studies to detect deeper deposits, and these have shown promising results,” explains Dr. Solveig Pospiech, project leader at HIF.
The detection of deep deposits is complicated by the distance between the surface and the ore body as a signal source. The challenge is to provide effective methods for improving the signal-to-noise ratio. These methods are intended to distinguish whether a measured signal originates from nearby sources – for example from outcropping rock or contamination from industrial activities – or from a deep source – i.e. a potential deposit. By tracing underground material cycles, scientists are gaining a better understanding of the geological situation. A key factor is selecting meaningful sampling points in the field and the materials to be sampled.
Read more on HZDR website
Image: Deep Exploration of concealed, deep-seated deposits of rare earth elements, cobalt and lithium boosted by advanced exploration technologies with geochemical methods at the surface
Credit: HZDR/Blaurock