The device measures oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in soil (soil-gas) in real-time, indicating the presence of geological faults and sulphide mineralization. Soil gas testing can help geologists identify potential mineral deposits when this mineralization is buried beneath sediments such as glacial deposits. The new device saves the need to send gas samples to laboratories for analysis.
BC Geological Survey emeritus scientist and lead report author Ray Lett designed the device.
“The results from Mount Milligan are very encouraging,” he said. “The correlation of carbon dioxide and oxygen anomalies with observed fractures and potentially mineralized faults, combined with the ability to give reliable, real-time data, demonstrates a tangible benefit to the mineral exploration sector.
The soil gas measurement system also has potential applications in other areas, such as geothermal or seismicity detection, where the…
