Geo Scan Australia Pacific recently hit a digital mining milestone by using satellite technology to define significant subsurface mineralisation zones in Papua New Guinea.
The exploration phase is an exciting time for miners, but the flush of discovery can be tainted when terrain is too rough or hard to access.
One of the greatest challenges facing miners in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is its deep jungles and mountainous regions, which can slow the mining chain and hinder progress.
Therefore, having a clearly defined mineralisation target prior to on-the-ground exploration means more time can be spent getting to the heart of what the industry is all about: mining.
That’s exactly what Geo Scan Australia Pacific (GSAP) aims to do.
GSAP is a tech start-up in the resources, energy and water sectors. The company has only been in PNG for 18 months, but its technology has been used globally for decades.
Image: Geo Scan
And GSAP has certainly not wasted any time while in PNG, with the successful completion of its first project in December 2023.
After a raft of interest from the PNG market, GSAP has since established its Pacific HQ in Port Moresby and partnered with PNG-owned resource companies to drive its new technology throughout the country and broader region.
But what is this technology?
By using state-of-the-art resonance-frequency satellite technology, GSAP is able to successfully define the depths and lateral extents of mineralisation at prospective sites.
The satellite survey employs advanced non-photographic resonance-frequency imagery to identify and quantify any mineral concentrations, with a particular focus on gold and copper deposits in a recent case study.
This method involves analysing the electromagnetic spectrum to detect specific frequency patterns corresponding to different minerals.
It has proven to be a highly effective technique in delineating areas of potential mineralisation, allowing for a detailed and non-invasive assessment of the subsurface.
Image: Geo Scan
Data recorded by the satellite is relayed back to Earth where it is analysed and processed by GSAP specialists, including geoscientists and artificial intelligence (AI) data processing engineers in the US.
After the raw data is processed, GSAP delivers a detailed report to its clients, giving them precise geographical locations on the surface of the earth, as well as the precise depth of occurrence.
GSAP recently used this technology on a 2.5 square kilometre area to create its ‘PNG Mineral Case Study’ report, which encapsulated a succinct geophysical exploration analysis of the prospect, confirming two significant gold and copper deposits.
The results were later validated independently by historical diamond drill hole samples, demonstrating an extremely high-depth correlation match of 95–99 per cent.
The entire project, from the initiation of data acquisition to the delivery of the report, was completed in just 12 days.
GSAP Pacific general manager Clinton French said even though the technology stands to change the way mining is done, traditional mining methods are still a vital part of the process.
“Mineral exploration and development are inherently highly speculative and involve a significant amount of data collection and time from the traditional methods,” French told PNG Mining. “The technology does, however, have the potential to disrupt the traditional ways of exploration.
“Our rapid turn-around time and precise information relating to the presence or absence of targets presents an alternative method that would see projects eliminating many phases of exploration to identify, delineate and mature drilling targets in an unprecedented short span of time.”
French said had GSAP’s technology been used before the historical drilling at its recent project, the client would have saved approximately $3 million in drilling costs, as three drill holes were outside of GSAP’s findings and had no mineralisation in their core samples.
“Mining companies that embrace this new technology will be better equipped to identify potential mineral deposits, reducing costs and environmental impacts and dramatically expediting project timeframes when compared to traditional exploration methods,” he said.
Now GSAP is working with the client to map out its future prospects around the country and build on the initial project.
GSAP also has a number of minerals projects in the pipeline which aim to put PNG in the spotlight.
By working with the PNG Government and academic experts, GSAP has plans to significantly reduce the exploration process by moving from a prospect target to a qualified reserve in only a few short years.
French said it’s all part of GSAP’s mission to redefine the mining process, which would see exploration shortened to a maximum of two years from start to finish.
“Our team at Geo Scan Australia Pacific and GeoScan PNG are committed to pushing the boundaries of exploration technology,” French said. “The unprecedented depth match accuracy, reliable data, and reduced target acquisition timeframes reinforce the effectiveness of the satellite’s resonance-frequency technology.
“It surpasses conventional methods and elevates additional challenges companies face like terrain land access, and social or environmental concerns.”
French expects a significant transition within the PNG mining sector, with the satellite technology heralding a new era of remote imagery-based mineral prospecting.
“The implications of this project are undeniably game-changing, and we are seeing that through the engagement from the local sector and with the relevant government departments,” he said.
“Our aim is to assist those companies just starting or currently operating in PNG to rapidly expedite their exploration programs at a fraction of the cost.”
The technology not only holds the potential to rapidly uncover much-needed critical minerals for the green transition, but also assists nations like PNG in unlocking the value of its in-ground assets.
In such a rapidly expanding industry, it’s technologies like these that will give PNG an edge as it expands on the global stage.
French said this technology is a tool to source and secure deposits that can become bankable assets bringing prosperity to the region, while also helping achieve net-zero targets.
“Governments and organisations can now source and secure minerals with zero carbon footprint and zero environmental impact at a fraction of the cost and time compared to traditional methods,” French said.
“That’s the true human value this technology offers.”
This feature appeared in the June–July 2024 issue of PNG Mining.
