Geophysical Report: Pimenton Project
Geophysical Report: Pimenton Project
on the
Pimenton Project
Region V, Chile
on behalf of
Summary
During the months of February and March 2004, Quantec Geofísica Limitada conducted
ground magnetic surveys and induced polarization (IP) and resistivity surveys on behalf
of South American Gold and Copper Company. The surveys were conducted at the
Pimenton Project in Region V, Chile.
The IP survey utilized a pole-dipole array with a dipole spacing of 100 m expanded
through 6 separations (n=1 to 6). The transmitted signal was a time-domain square wave
with a frequency of 0.125 Hz. In total, 15.9 km of data were collected over 6 survey lines.
The chargeability and resistivity data were inverted with DCIP2D a 2D inversion program
from the University of British Columbia (U.B.C). The IP data are presented as
pseudosections of the raw data together with the inversion models.
The ground magnetic survey was performed with a station spacing of 10 m. A total of 33 lines
were surveyed amounting to a distance of approximately 92 km. The ground magnetic data
are presented as plan maps of the total magnetic field, total magnetic field profiles, reduced to
the pole, and analytic signal. The magnetic data were inverted with MAG3D, a 3D modelling
program from U.B.C.
All lines were positioned with a differential global positioning system (DGPS) ensuring
accuracies of ±5 cm. Stations were picketed at 100-m intervals.
This report outlines the logistics of the surveys, the methods of data collection and
reduction, presents the data, and provides an initial assessment of the results.
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Table of Contents
Summary .......................................................................................................................i
7.0 Conclusions.........................................................................................................15
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Appendices
List of Figures
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1.0 Introduction
QGL Project #: C-468
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Quantec established the survey lines at a bearing of N145°E using a dual-frequency real-
time differential global positioning system (DGPS) manufactured by Trimble (DGPS RTK
4700). The system allows for measurements with centimeter accuracies. The purpose of
differential positioning is to correct bias errors at one location with measured bias errors at
a known position. A reference receiver, or base station, computes corrections for each
satellite signal. The base receiver is located over a known control point for the duration of
the survey. The roving receiver is then used to locate the stations. In order to ensure
adequate real-time GPS coverage, various base stations were positioned throughout the
survey area at the top of hills to ensure adequate real-time communications with the
mobile DGPS units.
A network of GPS control stations were established in the survey area as the survey
progressed using the RTK method.
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By Industry standard, GPS measured coordinates are based on the WGS84 Ellipsoid. At the clients request the data coordinates
have been converted to the Prov SAD 1956 datum, using the Trimble GPS software platform.
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The ground magnetic survey was conducted with two GEM Systems - GSM-19 Overhauser
magnetometers. One served as a base station and the other as the mobile unit. The GSM-19
magnetometers measure the magnetic field of the earth to an accuracy of 0.01 nT.
Station Interval: 10 m
Lines Surveyed: 33
A base station magnetometer was established (at 386950E-6407855N) to record and correct for
diurnal variations in the earth’s magnetic field. The base station was synchronized with the
mobile unit and positioned to acquire a reading at three-second intervals, thus diurnal
correction is accomplished without base station interpolation. At the end of the day, the
mobile units and the base station were linked, and the data corrected for diurnal variation of
the earth’s magnetic field. A datum of 24000 nT (or gammas) was used in conjunction with
the diurnal correction.
The mobile unit operator monitored the data during acquisition and repeated readings where
necessary. Stations at 10-m intervals were estimated by pacing between the pickets. All
pickets were labelled in local grid co-ordinates.
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The magnetic declination of the project area is 2.9°E and the magnetic inclination is –32.1°S.
The nominal total field strength is 25585 nT. These values have been calculated from
GEOMAG (S.J. McLean, World Data Center A for Solid Earth Geophysics, NGDC/NOAA)
and are required for the various procedures outlined below.
Pole Reduction
The reduction-to-the-pole operation is a data processing technique that presents the magnetic
data as if the inducing magnetic field had a 90° inclination, i.e. anomalies take approximately
the same form that would be observed at a magnetic pole. Pole reduction procedures can be
difficult to apply successfully near the magnetic equator (<±10° inclination) because the
north-south amplitude corrections may tend to amplify noise and minor north-south features
unreasonably. A solution to this problem is to reduce the amplitude correction until the
north-south striations caused by the amplification of noise are minimized. Such a procedure
was utilized in that the phase of the amplitude correction was entered as 40°.
Analytic Signal
The process of calculating an analytic signal of the total magnetic field can improve the
interpretation of total magnetic field data at low magnetic latitudes. The amplitude of analytic
signal anomalies combines all vector components of the field (X, Y, and Z) into a constant.
The amplitude of the analytic signal of the total magnetic field produces maxima over
magnetic contacts. An important characteristic of the analytic signal is that it is independent
of the direction of magnetization of the source. The direction of magnetization, which may
vary depending on the level of induced magnetization, remnant magnetization and
magnetic anisotropy, is removed by the process of calculating the analytic signal.
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The magnetic data were inverted with a 3D inversion (MAG3D, ver 3.1) supplied by the
University of British Columbia, Canada. The inversion returns a model of the subsurface
magnetic susceptibility in SI units. The magnetic susceptibility is controlled primarily by
magnetite content since magnetite has by far the highest magnetic susceptibility of any
naturally occurring minerals. The inversion assumes that all magnetization is induced with
no remnant magnetization effects.
• The data were filtered with a non-linear filter with a half-width of 20 m and then
gridded.
• A first order trend based on the edge points was removed and the resulting grid was
then upward continued 20 m.
• An error estimate based on a constant plus a percentage difference from the mean was
assigned to each data value.
• The resulting data and error estimates were inverted with standard inversion
parameters. A topographic model was supplied, and distance-weighting was used.
The magnetic inversions are best utilized with the supplied public domain 3-D Viewer.
The 3D magnetic inversion output is the magnetic susceptibility in SI units. The magnetic
susceptibility is related almost entirely to magnetite content. As a guide, a magnetic
susceptibility of 0.01 is about 0.3% magnetite, 0.1 is about 3% magnetite, and 0.34 is about
10% magnetite. However, the inverse
on results will almost always underestimate the actual magnetic susceptibility for several
reasons.
Features that are about the size of the mesh size (20m X 20m X 10m in this grid) or smaller
cannot be modeled very well with the 3D inversion. The 3D inversion is designed to model
bodies that are large with respect to the mesh size and sample interval. Consequently, it is
necessary to try to minimize effects from small, shallow bodies. This was done by manual
extraction of some spikes from the raw data. A 20 m non-linear filter was then passed
through the data to delete additional spikes from narrow sources. The data were reviewed
for aliasing that can occur with filtering. The resulting data were gridded and then
upward continued 20 m.
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Array: Pole-Dipole
Dipole spacing: 100 m
N-levels: 1 to 6
Transmitted Frequency: 0.125 Hz, Time domain
Chargeability: 240 msec delay
10 arithmetic windows each 160 msec in width
The survey was conducted with the pole-dipole array and a dipole spacing of 100 m
expanded through six separations (n= 1 to 6). Current electrodes consisted of a minimum
of two large hand-dug pits lined with aluminum foil and wetted with 40 liters of salted
water. In some places, scree was encountered and contact impedances were relatively
high. Up to 8 large pits and 200 liters of water were required in some locations to obtain
adequately low contact impedances. Transmitted currents ranged from 0.3 to 10.6 amperes
with typical values of 2 to 3 amperes. Receiver electrodes consisted of stainless steel rods
imbedded in hand-dug pits well separated from the pits with aluminum foil and wetted
with fresh water.
A minimum of 2 readings with 20 to 30 cycles each was acquired at all sites. A third or
fourth reading was acquired if all 6 chargeabilities did not repeat to within 0.1 or 0.2
mV/V. Signal strength was good to adequate in the project area with few exceptions
resulting in good data repeatability.
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4.4 Inversion
The pole-dipole data were inverted with a 2-D IP and resistivity inversion program called
“DCIP2D (version 3.2)” from the University of British Columbia Geophysical Inversion
Facility. Results of the inversion are depicted as cross-sections of chargeability and
resistivity versus elevation that allow for more accurate interpretation than
pseudosections.
Some of the error estimates were then manually edited where an analysis of the data and
anomaly pattern suggested that the noise and error estimate should be either higher or lower.
During the inversion, an objective function is minimized so that the solution contains a
minimum amount of structure. The mesh for the inversion was designed with 3 cells
between each electrode and a sufficient padding of cells on the sides. Due to prominent
elevation variation along the lines, the vertical portion of the mesh was designed with a
fine mesh so that the variation is topography could be well accounted for.
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All data have been plotted using Geosoft software produced by Geosoft Inc of Canada.
Digital data are presented in Acrobat format (*.pdf), MapInfo format (*.tab, *.tif), and
Geosoft format (*.grd, *.map). All plan maps are presented at a scale of 1:10000.
Magnetic Data
Inverted Chargeability and Resistivity with raw data Pseudosections (for each line)
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The data presented in this report are of good quality, acquired using techniques and
instrumentation most appropriate to this site at its present state of development.
The acquired magnetic data is more extensive than that originally envisaged for the
program. Coverage and foot access is dictated by topography and surface conditions. The
large extent of magnetic coverage increases the importance of effective utilization of this
data.
The IP and resistivity surveys encompass the quantity of coverage envisaged and were
conducted without incident. Many potential targets of investigation appear in this data.
Identification and prioritization of the best targets must be addressed.
This discussion presents two distinct themes: an analysis of how the geophysics data can
best be employed, an analysis of specific features apparent in the data.
The data can be much better understood by if physical property tests are conducted on a
suite of hand samples and/or core samples from the property.
Prior to intensive interpretation of this data, the physical property response to the major
units and mineralization styles can be quantified in this manner so that interpretation is
more effective with least possible ambiguity.
In general, the magnetic data and the 3-D magnetic model should be examined with the
known and theorized geology in order to predict as well as possible geological conditions
where geologic data does not presently exist. The physical property tests are a
fundamental element in such prediction.
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The magnetic data should also be compared with known mineralization. Extrapolation of
this process may be successful in focusing future geological investigation in specific target
areas (an example of correlation presented below).
The magnetic model contains a feature suggestive of this trend (see Figure 3.) The same
northeast linear trend is clearly evident in both the Total Field and Pole Reduced Field
plan maps (at Line 201W, 5560N).
The author has not validated this coincidence. The features in question appear to be sharp
negative spikes recorded at single points. The appearance of these features would usually
be attributed to:
• spurious measurement,
• high gradient field reading; proton precession magnetometers perform poorly in
high gradient fields typically caused by surface magnetic features.
Unfortunately, repeat data samples and investigation were not conducted in this program
to verify these occurrences.
Magnetic veins that extend to depth can be expected to produce a measurable anomaly
over a much larger distance than 10 m, thus doubt exists about the apparent relationship.
The reported coincidence of these spikes with veins warrants investigation however. A
small magnetic survey grid, perhaps 7 lines 30m long separated by 5m, measurements
recorded at 5m intervals (or less) could be recorded over a sample vein.
• Isolated sulfide veins are expected to produce small, weak anomalies. Situations
may arise where small weak anomalies (perhaps veins) are targets whereas stronger
extensive anomalies (in many cases, these may be pyritic tuffs) may not be targets.
Complementary data (resistivity, magnetics, geochemistry, geology) should be
utilized where possible to assist targeting.
• Potential may exist for discrete high grade targets to occur within larger low grade
or pyritic bodies. In such cases, additional high resolution investigations may be
required to assure that potential targets are not overlooked.
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This discussion addresses specific features and trends observed in the data however it is
not intended to stand as a comprehensive interpretation of the geophysical data set.
Line 700E
Drilling near the middle of this section tested andesite followed by tuff. The central
resistive feature is inferred to represent andesite. The conductive unit to the north is
inferred to represent tuff. The central feature coincides with strong magnetic field (see Pole
Reduced Plan Map) which is likely attributable to andesite.
Line 400E
This line appears to exhibit a lithological distribution similar to that of L700E although the
resistive (andesite) unit does not appear to extend to great depth. This interpretation is
consistent with the 3D magnetic model.
Line 100E
Preliminary versions of the two dimensional computer models for Lines 100E and 100W
were executed with standard procedures designed to achieve best fit of output model to
the observed data. The modeling program had particular difficulty accommodating the
high-low dipolar chargeability feature in the southern half of 100E (approx. 4000N) and
the deep n-level low chargeability values in the southern half of Line 100W (approx 4200).
Both these anomalies that were difficult to accommodate are likely related to structural features in
an area of sulfide mineralization and may indicate the presence of potential economic targets.
The extreme range of the modeled anomalous values suggests that these preliminary
solutions do not reasonably represent the geology of the area, although the result models
fit the observed data. After multiple trials at improving the modeled solutions, another
approach was taken to model the data. Extreme and suspect values were modified in the
model input data, and/or permissible error limits for these values were substantially
relaxed (in the case of the extreme low values described above, relaxed errors allowed the
modeling program to increase the values by as much as 50%). The objective was to achieve
reasonable models the will fit the major (and most valid features) of the observed data.
These models are presented with this report, and are expected to predict the general
distribution of resistivity and sulfide on these lines
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Thus the final chargeability model may be substantially different from actual earth
conditions, particularly in that sulfide discrete features may be unresolved. Prior to
further drill testing, detection and delineation of high angle vein targets in this area
(including L0 and L100W) could be enhanced with a detailed gradient IP/resistivity
survey. Such a survey could easily encompass Lines 100W, 0, 100W. A transmitter bipoleof
2000m located on Line 0 would be appropriate. Receiver dipoles of 25m (surveyed on
100E, 0, 100W and perhaps intermediate lines) would provide sensitivity to narrow high
angle veins.
In general there are many potential sulfide targets on this line. A vertical drill hole
displaced 50m west of the 4800N position encountered layered tuffs. Disseminated pyrite
with little copper was encountered at the approximate depths predicted in the preliminary
chargeability model of L100E.
L100W
This line exhibits many similarities to Line 100E. Similar to Line 100E, the deep n-level low
chargeability feature at 4200N was relatively poorly accommodated by the chargeability
model, suggesting a feature (perhaps a structure in close proximity to sulfides) that
violates is some way a premise of the inversion code.
The shallow chargeable feature observed (within resistive host) at 5700N is approximately
in-line with the mapped vein described in the discussion of magnetic results ( L201W,
5560N). This feature is recommended for investigation.
L10100E
The broad relatively conductive lower unit may represent tuffs with minor quantities of
pyrite.
The medium intensity chargeability anomaly at 5900N is probably of structural origin and
is interpreted to represent sulfides. Note the thickening of the resistive upper unit at this
position and the small superficial conductor at approximately 5920N. The latter feature is
interpreted to represent the structure.
L9800E
This is generally similar to L10100E but with lacking the points of interest interpreted as a
structure.
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7.0 Conclusions
The survey program has successfully produced an extensive magnetic data set over much
of the area of interest. Although some NW-striking striations in the data appear to be
artifacts of the sampling, the data clearly show magnetic and structural features of
potential interest.
The program has also produced limited IP and resistivity coverage in the two valleys.
Two targets have been tested in the area of the IP-resistivity coverage allowing some
calibration of geology and observed physical properties.
Several features of potential interest are evident in the data and described in the text.
These feature warrant geological and perhaps additional geophysical investigation. A key
area for investigation is covered by Lines 100E, 0 and 100W. An additional IP/resistivity
survey tailored to resolving high-angle mineralized structures is recommended in this
area.
The magnetic data should be reviewed in detail with the geology in order to predict
geological patterns at depth and identify potential structures for surface investigation.
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Magnetic Data
Total Magnetic Field Profile Plan Map
Total Magnetic Field Plan Map
Pole Reduced Plan Map
Analytic Signal Map









