Mineral Exploration is the official publication of the Association of Mineral Exploration British Columbia.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/370216
14 F A L L 2 0 1 4 Photograph : Gar y Roste /AME BC 8. Satellite telephones As an undergraduate student working in Placer Dome explora- tion camps in northern B.C., part of my evening entertainment was to listen to sideband radio chatter. This was one-sided radio phone communication from a variety of exploration camps throughout the North. The introduction of Globalstar and Iridium satellite phones has dramatically improved communica- tion with isolated crews and camps. Improved safety and security are the most important impacts. And when I'm in the field, I'll take the opportunity to call up my children over eavesdropping on my friends in the next camp any time! 9. Field-portable infrared spectrometer Throughout the circum-Pacific "ring of fire," ancient hot springs often deposited bonanzas of gold and silver at depths when waters would boil, generally at ancient water tables. These "epithermal deposits" often contain very high grades, but locat- ing these "bonanza zones" can be challenging. The hot, often acidic waters associated with the gold and silver transform or alter the mineralogical makeup of surrounding host rocks, often to different fine-grained clay minerals. Unfortunately, most of the clay minerals can look the same. Field-portable infrared spectrometers have led to multiple discoveries, particularly in Latin America, by helping explorers identify and map on surface or drill core the clay mineral "alteration" that can vector to the bonanza zones. 10. KIM analysis The geochemical and mineralogical analysis of kimberlite indi- cator minerals was previously a closely guarded industrial secret held by diamond miner De Beers, and explorers were generally clueless to the peculiar geological and geochemical nature of dia- mond-bearing kimberlite pipes. Diamond exploration pioneers such as Hugo Dummett, Stu Blusson and Chuck Fipke followed KIM indicator minerals such as G10 garnets, chrome diopside and spinels through analysis of glacial till samples deposited dur- ing ice age events. This methodology led to kimberlite discov- eries at Diavik, closely followed by Ekati and Snap Lake in the Northwest Territories. • Safety, security and improved communication from the field: a few benefits of the satellite phone.