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Characterization and Monitoring for fluid Mine Heaps, Tailings, Waste Rock Plume Mapping
Leak Detection & Monitoring (LDM)
Secondary Recovery of Metal in Heaps
Underground Tanks
Environmental Site Characterization
Fracture Mapping
Engineering Site Characterization
Panama Canal
Sago Mine
Exploration
Copper and Gold
Uranium
Groundwater
Specializing in:
Our Philosophy
Every project involves some scientific research Requires some investigation on our part May require non-conventional use of geophysics Our work will pass peer review
We will be honest on the effectiveness of geophysics Not applicable to track dissolved-phase DNAPL (but
may be used to understand geology) Not applicable to map preferential flow paths in sat
zone Not applicable to find 10’ target, 300’ bgs from surface
measurements alone
Partial List of Pubs
Rucker, D.F., G.E. Noonan, and W.J. Greenwood, 2011. Electrical resistivity in support of geologic mapping along the Panama Canal. Engineering Geology 117(1-2):121-133
Rucker, D.F., J.B. Fink, and M.H. Loke, 2011. Environmental monitoring of leaks using time lapsed long electrode electrical resistivity. Journal of Applied Geophysics (accepted).
Rucker, D.F., M.H. Loke, G.E. Noonan, and M.T. Levitt, 2010. Electrical resistivity characterization of an industrial site using long electrodes. Geophysics 75:WA95-WA104.
Rucker, D.F., 2010. The application of magnetic gradiometry and electromagnetic induction at a former radioactive waste disposal site. Waste Management and Research 28(4):364-372.
Rucker, D.F., 2010. Moisture estimation within a mine heap: An application of cokriging with assay data and electrical resistivity. Geophysics 75(1):B11-B23.
Rucker, D.F., M.T. Levitt, and W.J. Greenwood, 2009. Three-dimensional electrical resistivity model of a nuclear waste disposal site. Journal of Applied Geophysics 69:150-164.
Rucker, D.F., M. McNeill, A. Schindler, and G.E. Noonan, 2009. Monitoring of a secondary recovery application of leachate injection into a heap. Hydrometallurgy 99(3-4):238-248.
Rucker, D.F., A. Schindler, M.T. Levitt, and D.R., Glaser, 2009. Three-dimensional electrical resistivity imaging of a gold heap. Hydrometallurgy 98(3-4):267-275.
Rucker, D.F., D.R. Glaser, T. Osborne, and W.C. Maehl, 2009. Electrical resistivity characterization of a reclaimed gold mine to delineate acid rock drainage pathways. Mine Water and Environment 28(2):146-157.
Rucker, D.F., 2009. A coupled electrical resistivity-infiltration model for wetting front evaluation. Vadose Zone Journal 8(2):383-388.
Greenwood, W.J. and D.F. Rucker, 2009. Marine resistivity survey of the Panama Canal. FastTimes 14(1): 43-47.
own equipment Upscaled 3D (700+ stations) Rapid Monitoring Quality Assurance, NRC (NQA-1)
Processing Expanded hardware & software
Interpretation Integration of hydrology and
geophysics Contextual interpretation
Specialized System for Nuclear Waste Tank Monitoring
LDM Automated SystemLDM AutoPro and AutoView Software: Near Real Time Data Processing Automated Data Assessment Web Based for Remote Access Operations: 24/7 System Status Monitoring Daily Expert Visual Assessment
Specialized Methodology for Hanford LUSTs
• 54 Mgal waste stored in 177 tanks• Grouped into 12 tank farms• Single Shell Tanks supposed to have a 25 year life expectancy• 2010 minus 1943 = 67 years and counting
Typical Tank Farm
New Technique: Well-to-well
• Well-to-Well Summary:• Acquired data from 110 Wells•17 Ground water wells•93 Vadose zone wells•11,322 Data points• Data acquisition: 4 days• New algorithms developed
WTW resistivity
Advantage of using wells
Geophysical Methods for Mining
MethodsGravitySeismics
ElectromagneticsElectrical
IPMagnetics
RadarRadiometrics
PropertiesDensityStrength
ConductivityResistivity
CapacitanceSusceptibility
DielectricGamma
Exploration - Operations - Environment - Closure
Operations
Heaps Tailings Waste Rock Liners
Is solution getting in Is solution getting out Is it stable
APPLICATIONS
PROBLEMS
Issues Causing Poor Recovery from Heap Leach Pads
•Solution Management
•Side Slope Under-leaching
•Preferential Flow Pathways
•Compaction
•Migration of fines
•Heap settlement
•Clay zones
•Inadequate Ripping
•Chemical precipitation
Understanding Saturation
18
Plan Map of Gold Heap
1770
1780
1790
1800
1810
0 0.05 0.1 0.15
Log Gold (opt)
Moisture (g/g)
Ele
vatio
n(m
)1770
1780
1790
1800
1810
0 0.05 0.1 0.15
Ele
vatio
n(m
)
Log Gold (opt)
Moisture (g/g)
Assay Data
Water is an easy parameter to measure Direct Indirect