Geological investigations in exploration
The distribution of rocks and their characteristics are the subject of all geological investigations. Our geoscientists are engaged in exploration, resource definition and evaluation. We offer geotechnical and rock mechanic solutions in preparation for mining and/or construction work in countries all around the globe. DMT’s historic link with the German hard coal industry made it possible to develop a large field of specialisation, which comprises resource evaluation of coal fields, exploitation of coal bed methane, sequestration of CO2, underground coal gasification and studies in preparation of the extinction of uncontrolled coal fires. More recently, our interpretative work of seismic and other geophysical data sets has been used for 3D geological models of the underground and evaluations, for example, of geothermal potential.
In the field of natural resources we cover large parts of the commodity cycle, starting from target generation, to exploration and resource evaluation, through to mining and exploitation planning. Geological and block models of ore deposits are three-dimensional in nature and define mineral resources, which form the base for the planning of mining, exploitation and extraction. Geotechnical data are not only fundamental to mine planning and safety, but also essential to assess ground conditions for any large-scale construction, underground or on the surface.
In support of exploratory geological work, we apply leading-edge technology, partly developed by DMT. High-tech equipment used are, e.g., DMT’s optical, high resolution drill core scanner (CoreScan3) for core logging, the optical anchor borehole survey tool for use in roof bolt drill holes, and shuttle drill hole probes.
Geometric and geophysical surveying of boreholes is an integrated part of many geological investigations. Depending on the project, a plethora of parameters can be determined, which might influence the further planning or support the geological database. Borehole surveying might be crucially important in drill holes with significant drill core or chip losses. In addition, in percussion holes structural and geological information can be gained by using optical scanners, visually documenting the geological features along the walls of the drill hole. These images can be interpreted using specialised software. DMT´s borehole equipment is partly explosion-proof and partly able to operate in inclined, even horizontal, boreholes, in which cases, our in-house developed shuttle probes are particularly suitable. It enables us to make directed and cable-free measurements in underground as well as surface boreholes.
