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PACIFIC
Media
– PACIFIC project video : https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/le-matin-du-nord/episodes/435998/audio-fil-du-mercredi-12-juin-2019/12
– PACIFIC article in the Canadian press
Check the article here : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/thunder-bay-pacific-new-exploration-1.5172168
– PACIFIC on local Canadian TV
Check the TV interview here at 1:15 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_Wqu3Bikpo&list=PLDk2K5OmaANUff-gDuWguy0LrZt_yTQxG&index=4&t=0s
– PACIFIC on Radio Canada
Check the radio interview in French here at “Séance d’information sur une nouvelle technique d’exploration minière” : https://ici.radio-canada.ca/premiere/emissions/le-matin-du-nord/episodes/435998/audio-fil-du-mercredi-12-juin-2019/12
– Passive seismic imaging for mineral exploration : the Marathon PGE-Cu deposit, Ontario, Canada
In the PACIFIC project, Sisprobe did a passive seismic survey of the Marathon PGE-Cu deposit, Ontario, Canada. Seismic velocity models help to define the geometry of the gabbroic intrusions that host the mineralisation and represent an economical and environmentally friendly exploration technique. Watch the video below !
The PACIFIC project has received funding through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 776622. The Marathon Palladium Project is developed by Generation PGM Inc. www.genmining.com
News & Events
PACIFIC Final Events on 27-28 October 2021
On the 27th and 28th, October 2021 PACIFIC held its Final Symposium and Kallak workshop, on the campus of the University of Grenoble-Alpes, France and online.
During the event, the project partners presented to their peers the results gained from the work achieved and how they successfully developed new exploration techniques based on passive seismic imagery. The PACIFIC Consortium had the opportunity to present, discuss and disseminate the results from their research and the benefits of the different methods they employed. It was also the occasion to present the Kallak iron deposit experiment recently conducted in Sweden.
A report summarising the event is available here, together with the last public reports as the PACIFIC project officially ends at the end of November.
PACIFIC presented at a virtual seminar organised by Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada
At the invitation of Dr. Andrew Schaeffer (Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada), Dr. François Lavoué (UGA) presented the PACIFIC work on the use of seismic signals generated by trains for passive seismic imaging and monitoring on May 5th, 2021. The presentation provided an overview of the activities carried out within the framework of both the PACIFIC and FaultScan EU-funded projects.
The presentation was attended by around 40 people. Technical questions revolved around the parameters controlling signal amplitude, and a more general debate took place on the merits of excluding signals generated by trains from “classic” ambient noise datasets, as is done for earthquakes.
PACIFIC at the virtual EGU21 on 29th April !
The H2020 PACIFIC and the INFACT projects will co-convene a scientific session at the virtual EGU21 on Thursday 29th April 2021, 15:30-17:00 CEST. This virtual PICO session (ERE5.4) will be dedicated to Mineral exploration for the XXI Century and will feature approximately 20 abstracts and be divided into two parts : an overview and chats.
Daniela Teodor (Université Grenobles Alpes & Sisprobe) will provide an interesting highlight of the PACIFIC research by giving a brief talk on High-frequency ambient noise surface wave tomography at the Marathon PGE-Cu deposit (Ontario, Canada). The talk is planned at 16:03 CEST. Later on, each presentation will have its own live text chat, where participants can post questions to the abstract authors to stimulate further discussion. Complete your registration for vEGU21 now !
Link to ERE5.4 Mineral exploration for the XXI Century co-organized by GMPV5 https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU21/session/38732
PACIFIC research at the Core Log Seismic Integration Workshop (15th-16th April 2021)
On April 15, 2021 ( 14h30 CET), Dr. Charles D. Beard, Postdoctoral Researcher, Sisprobe SAS and Universite Grenoble Alpes, will deliver a presentation on ambient noise surface wave tomography and its applications for mineral exploration at the Core Log Seismic Integration workshop. Discussions there could help in the work done in PACIFIC to characterise near-surface effects on seismic velocity that are not related to lithology alone. Extended abstract available on Research Gate : (2) (PDF) Sonic logs and passive seismic imaging at the Marathon PGE-Cu deposit, Ontario, Canada (researchgate.net)
View the PACIFIC talk at the Toronto Geological Discussion Group
View the presentation delivered on 2nd February 2021 by Dr. Charles D. Beard, Postdoctoral Researcher, Sisprobe SAS and Universite Grenoble Alpes, at the Toronto Geological Discussion Group.
https://youtu.be/g_qdwQGHNhs
PACIFIC research activities mentioned in Physics Today and Popular Science
The following PACIFIC scientific publications were mentioned in Physics today and Popular Science.
• Pinzon‐Rincon ; F. Lavoué ; A. Mordret ; P. Boué ; F.Brenguier ; P.Dales ; Y. Ben‐Zion ; F. Vernon ; C. J. Bean ; D. Hollis. Humming Trains in Seismology : An Opportune Source for Probing the Shallow Crust. Seismological Research Letters (2021).
• Lavoué, O. Coutant, P. Boué, L. Pinzon‐Rincon, F.Brenguier, R. Brossier, P. Dales, M. Rezaeifar, C. J. Bean ; Understanding Seismic Waves Generated by Train Traffic via Modeling : Implications for Seismic Imaging and Monitoring. Seismological Research Letters (2020).
Go read the articles !
Railways could double as a tool for probing Earth’s shallow crust (scitation.org)
How trains can help scientists study what’s underground
Can mining make the world a greener place ? December 3-4, 2020 – Download the press release
Do you know where our metals come from ? How are we going to produce all the electric cars we need for a green future ? Will mining always be needed to supply these metals ? These are three of many questions that will be debated by representatives from NGOs, industry and academia and by the general public during a two-day virtual event on 3 and 4 December 2020.
We all share a vision of a world in which people and nature thrive. To meet this goal, and following growing public pressure, the European Commission launched a Green Deal – a roadmap for radical change to the way our economies function that requires a new way of managing our mineral resources.
Of course, developing an ongoing sustainable circular economy is the ultimate goal, but recycling cannot yet provide for the specific and urgent demands of energy transition and green growth. A new and holistic strategy is needed to extract these materials with a minimum environmental impact, while adhering to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A workable solution can only be achieved through dialogue, and all stakeholders must engage to define a framework for acceptable sourcing of raw materials.
To stimulate the discussion, the EU-funded projects INFACT and PACIFIC, together with the Natural History Museum of London will host a virtual event on 3 and 4 December 2020. The event will offer six sessions for discussion and debate on mining and its role in society. Twenty-two panellists with diverse professional and personal backgrounds including representatives from science, NGOs, stakeholders, industry and the museum sector will share their thoughts and open opportunities for questions and ideas from the public. The sessions will be moderated by Iain Stewart, Professor of Geoscience Communication at the University of Plymouth, UK, and Director of its Sustainable Earth Institute. The event’s organisers are committed to a diverse, respectful exchange of thoughts and ideas on a complex subject and warmly welcome your participation.
The discussions will cover :
– Where should we get the metals we need ?
– Which mining business models could lead to sustainability ?
– Can mining be part of a sustainable society ?
– How can this vision fit into a circular economy ?
– Who should decide ?
More information :
– Registration : https://www.can-mining-make-the-world-a-greener-place.com/registration
– Programme : https://bit.ly/3mqF1Fu
– Contact : info infactproject.eu
– Project INFACT : https://www.infactproject.eu/
– Project PACIFIC : https://www.pacific-h2020.eu/
– Natural History Museum : https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/anthropocene.html
PACIFIC at the SIT4ME workshop on 10-11 November 2020
Nick Arndt (Sisprobe) successfully delivered a talk on “Passive Seismic Methods for Mineral Exploration and Tailings Dam Monitoring” at the SIT4ME workshop on 10-11 November 2020. The workshop was aimed to showcase and discuss a broad view of the new approaches in the mineral exploration world.
More information on the SIT4ME project : http://sit4me.eitrawmaterials.eu/
More information on the event, please visit https://www.geo3bcn.csic.es/index.php/news-events/news/ictja-news/research-news/1660-cutting-edge-technologies-for-mineral-exploration-discussed-in-the-workshop-organized-by-sit4me-project
Could noise from drilling be used as a seismic noise source ?
Two PACIFIC project partners, Sisprobe and Université Grenoble Alpes, in collaboration with the team of Richard Gloaguen of the INFACT project, started an experiment to test whether noise from drilling could be used as a seismic noise source. The work will be done at Silver City, a site near Freiberg in Germany where the Canadian company Excellon is protecting for silver. Stay tuned for more information on the outcome of this experiment !
Behavioural science meets mineral exploration !
The key goal of the PACIFIC project is to develop mineral exploration methodologies that are kinder to our planet. However, the success of exploration today depends not only on the technology, but also on how mining activities are explained to our communities and how individuals process that information. The perceived risk of exploration activities (such as seismic surveys) is a product of much more than the factual information provided by the exploration company – it is also influenced by trust, comprehension and emotional attachment to the local area.
As part of the PACIFIC project, Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) have been carrying out experimental work to investigate how well people comprehend the information they are given about exploration activities. We have also explored how subtle changes in the presentation of that information can either hinder or enhance their comprehension. This is pertinent in the context of the PACIFIC project as people’s comprehension of mining-relating activities (and attitudes towards the same) relies on individuals processing complex information about risks and benefits from a range of sources. The objective of this work is to provide a series of recommendations for communications strategies so that any individuals receiving that information can make informed decisions and fully engage with local exploration and mining processes.
The experimental work is being undertaken by the Behavioural Research Unit of the ESRI, a multidisciplinary research team of behavioural scientists specialising in understanding how people process complex information and use it to make decisions. After reviewing the written communication materials currently distributed by mining and exploration companies, the team designed and carried out a face-to-face experiment in Ireland to test how the format of a simple webpage about mining-related activities affects comprehension of the information it contains.
Using scientific methods like experiments is different to simply sending out questionnaires or large scale surveys ; it allows us to ask questions about the psychology behind how people process information in a way that a simple survey cannot. Surveys are better suited to capturing a snapshot of opinions and attitudes at a particular point in time, which requires a large representative sample of the population in order to be accurate. However, behavioural experiments are better suited to isolating the psychological effects of details in information presentation by comparing across different experimental conditions, and are not as reliant on large samples.
Many of the insights gained from experiments are likely to be independent of location, and recommendations arising from them can therefore be extended to other countries/scenarios ; although superficial attitudes to topics such as mining vary in different cultural contexts, the more fundamental psychology underlying how information is processed and used to form attitudes should not vary to the same extent.
communications
Further experimental work will be completed online, and face-to-face once Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted. However initial results have been used to make some simple recommendations (extracted from the relevant PACIFIC deliverable available on the right) :
– Printed and online materials should use techniques that have previously been shown to improve absorption of information : using bullet points and headings, separating information into clear categories or themes, reducing text, using illustrations and diagrams, etc.
– Information should be accurate but avoid unnecessary detail – additional information can be provided via other/external sources if needed.
– Independent organisations, such as government offices, geological surveys etc., should provide a comprehensive centralised repository of easily accessible neutral information.
– Organisations providing information should not assume that simply increasing the volume of accessible information will improve comprehension, nor that opposition to mining-relating activities stems from a lack of understanding.
– The structure of the information and how it is presented should be carefully considered, not only the content of the information.
More information and project results will be published through the PACIFIC project in 2021 !
Post written by Aoife Braiden, Geological Survey Ireland and Hannah Julienne, Economic and Social Research Institute.
Passive seismic imaging for mineral exploration : the Marathon PGE-Cu deposit, Ontario
In the PACIFIC project, Sisprobe did a passive seismic survey of the Marathon PGE-Cu deposit, Ontario, Canada. Seismic velocity models help to define the geometry of the gabbroic intrusions that host the mineralisation and represent an economical and environmentally friendly exploration technique.
The PACIFIC project has received funding through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 776622. The Marathon Palladium Project is developed by Generation PGM Inc. www.genmining.com
PACIFIC at Mineral Exploration Symposium
The Mineral Exploration Symposium took place on the 17th of September 2020. This virtual event, organized by The European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE), and the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) of the EC brought together the key innovators of the most advanced technologies and methods for mineral exploration in Europe, namely the representatives of European exploration companies (SMEs, industries) and professionals from academia and research institutes working on mineral exploration.
During this event, Dr. Yihe Xu from DIAS presented the PACIFIC project and his research within the project. He explained the improvements he made to the data processing workflow to retrieve surface waves from ambient seismic noise in a broader bandwidth. This allowed him to retrieve a higher resolution image of the near-surface structures that control the formation of the Cu-PGE deposit in the Marathon site, Ontario, Canada.
Sisprobe and Université Grenoble Alpes mentioned in a BBC World Business Report Podcast !
Check out the World Business Report podcast entitled “Turkey announces record gas find” to hear what Prof. Nick Arndt has to say about metal miles and the importance of exploration and mining in Europe in the context of the energy transition !
Studying train-generated ground vibrations for seismic imaging and monitoring
Although train-induced vibrations are mainly regarded as a source of unwanted noise for classical seismological applications, these vibrations act as powerful sources for modern seismic methods that use ambient noise for seismic imaging and monitoring.
As part of PACIFIC – Passive seismic techniques for environmentally friendly and cost-effective mineral exploration – the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) is investigating train-induced vibrations generated by (1) numerical modeling and (2) real data recorded using seismic sensors to better understand the nature of the signal and appropriate use of this signal for seismic imaging and monitoring.
In the first part, DIAS presented a simple approach for modeling train-generated seismic signals inspired from early work in the engineering community, which assumes that seismic waves are emitted by sleepers regularly spaced along the railway and excited by the passage of the train wheels. DIAS identified two end-member mechanisms that generate spectral signatures very similar to the two categories of observations mentioned in the seismological literature. For more details please refer to the following link on Research Gate.
In the second part, DIAS is trying to develop new environmentally friendly ways of monitoring ground integrity using ground vibrations made by passing trains. This part involves the recording and analysis in detail the seismic vibrations generated by trains to better understand the proprieties of the waves propagating from the railway trough the shallow underground.
As a pilot test, DIAS deployed 26 three-component seismographs along a railway (24 stations-50m spacing-deployed along and two stations perpendicular to the railway) and recorded ambient noise signals for three days. DIAS has been able to distinguish between different train types (e.g. cargo vs. passenger trains) and train lengths (3-4, 5-6, 7-9, and/or 10-11 wagons). Results of seismic interferometry applied on the pilot test data document a successful retrieval of reflection image and show interfaces consistent with nearby active seismic ( 2km in the east of the study area) profile. For more details please refer to the following link on Research Gate.
Since the result of the pilot test train experiment documented a successful imaging of subsurface structure, DIAS is planning to carry out two additional phases in 2020. (1) Repeat the pilot test train experiment in the same location but with 5-10m station spacing and also execute the active hammer seismic in that location and (2) carry out another experiment with 5-10m station spacing in the location of existing active profile and boreholes, where the railway is in 2km distance, but they do have some additional local noises (city traffic and industry park noises). 80-120 sensors, 1 and/or 3 component nodes in addition to the 26 short-period seismometers will be used.
Winter school on sustainable mineral exploration (9-12 March 2020, Huelva, Spain)
A winter school on sustainable mineral exploration, organized by two H2020 projects, PACIFIC and INFACT, took place on the beautiful campus of the International University of Andalusia in Huelva, Spain on 9-12 March 2020.
The main goal was to describe the techniques and knowledge of sustainable mineral exploration developed within the two projects and to emphasize the importance of building a wider society awareness of the raw materials value chain. The program included lectures, practical sessions and visits to local mine sites. Talks were given by 19 invited experts as well as representatives from the European Commission, EIT Raw Materials and scientists in INFACT and PACIFIC H2020 projects.
The target audience was European master students, PhDs and post-doctoral researchers. In total, 53 attendees from 13 countries attended the school, both in Huelva and remotely. Indeed, 13 students were affected by travel bans or other restrictions related to the Coronavirus pandemic but they were able to follow the lectures remotely.
In spite of the difficult circumstances at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, feedback received from students and other participants clearly demonstrates that the school was a great success ! The students were eager to learn, and the organizers received lots of positive reactions and comments during and after the school. Applications to attend the school greatly exceed the number of available places suggesting a need in both the research community and in industry to learn more about sustainable techniques for mineral exploration in Europe.
Both PACIFIC and INFACT were delighted by this successful cooperation between the two Horizon 2020 projects. The school offered the opportunity for participants to learn about each other’s program and provided a collaborative space where researchers from both projects were able to plan new scientific collaborations.
Great Debate at EGU2020
PACIFIC partners, Aoife Braiden (GSI) and Nick Arndt (Sisprobe) are co-chairing a European Geosciences Union Great Debate this Friday at 2pm on mineral resources, sustainability and the circular economy.
Speakers will include :
– Karen Hanghøj : Director of British Geological Survey
– Saleem Ali : University of Delaware
– Andy Whitmore : Co-chair, London Mining Network
– Patrick Redmond : Kobold Metals
Click here to register for free.
Geophones are ‘listening to the Earth’ in Andalusia until the end of April
On 28 and 29 March 2019, at the Las Cruces mine* north of Seville in Andalusia, a seismic network of 132 geophones covering an area of about 1 x 2 km was installed for one month to register ambient seismic noise. This configuration will be used to see through and map a 250m thick layer of marls, and to image the massive sulphide ore body 200-400m below the surface. This joint passive seismic data project results from the collaboration between two Horizon 2020 funded projects that are INFACT and PACIFIC.
The project teams use the passive seismic technique to look inside the Earth’s crust and detect ore deposits, using geophones deployed at the surface. A geophone, as the name indicates, is a device that ‘listens to the Earth’ by recording seismic waves.
Seismic noise is generated permanently at the surface of the globe, due to the interaction between the atmosphere, the oceans, the solid Earth (seismic waves with frequencies below 1 Hz), and also to human activities due to water pumping, trucks, trains, wind turbines… (frequencies higher than 1 Hz). This ambient seismic noise reads the fingerprint of the subsurface and allows the passive imaging technique to obtain a picture of the Earth’s 3D tomography.
PACIFIC members (Rosemary Fayjaloun – Scientific Project Manager and Coordinator for PACIFIC project, Dan Hollis – CEO of SISPROBE, and Laura Pinzon – PhD student at Université Grenoble Alpes), in collaboration with INFACT partners (Leila Ajjabou – Project Coordinator of INFACT at Helmholtz Institute Freiberg, Joan-Marie Blanco – Post Doc in Geophysics at Helmholtz Institute Freiberg, Elena Kozlovskaya – Professor of Applied Geophysics at the Oulu Mining School, Isla Fernandez – CEO of Geognosia, and the team of Cobre Las Cruces) visited Cobre Las Cruces last week, and deployed the geophones at the mine site. All attendees participated in the planning and deployment, with valuable and generous support of the Las Cruces company.
PACIFIC will collect the geophones at the end of April and process the data to obtain a tomographic image of the targets at Las Cruces.
As for all INFACT activities, the data acquisition was preceded by consultation and supply of information with local stakeholders. Passive seismic, a low-impact exploration method, was presented to the population as a tool contributing to a more respectful mining model. This fits perfectly with INFACT’s ambition to establish a set of permanent, accessible reference sites throughout Europe to trial and assess the technological and social performance of existing and emerging innovative, non-invasive exploration techniques.
*The Las Cruces mine exploits massive copper sulphides in the volcanics of the Spanish Pyrite Belt. The company Cobre Las Cruces is part of the First Quantum group.
Field acquisition of seismic data completed at Marathon, Canada
The Stillwater Canada Inc. team has completed the field acquisition of seismic data at the Marathon site in Canada.
Out of the 1024 sensors that were successfully deployed, 1019 were retrieved. The five missing have been buried under rocks or moved by animals !
The data download and analysis is ongoing, and several reports will be published in the coming months… Stay tuned !
