Geophysics Applications for Environmental & Engineering ... · PDF fileGeophysics Applications...
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Geophysics
Applications for
Environmental &
Engineering Problems
Geophysics
Applications for
Environmental &
Engineering Problems
Dale Rucker, PhD – Chief Technical Officer – [email protected]
Marc T. Levitt – Senior Project Manager - [email protected]
Service Offerings
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.
Partial List of Clients
Apollo Gold / JipanguAlamos GoldAnglo GoldBarrickFreeport McMoRanCoeur RochesterCotter CorporationInland ExplorationsKinross Gold Kennecott MiningNewmont MiningSago Mine
ARCADIS Brown & CaldwellClear Creek ConsultingCH2M Hill Montgomery & Assoc.Flour HanfordSRK Consulting TECTetra Tech URS Corporation
BLMFremont County SWDD (WY)Panama Canal AuthorityTucson International Airport U.S. Dept of EnergyU.S. EPA
What is Geophysics
1st Order: Target recognition tool Requires contrasts in physical
properties Collect sufficient “background”
Higher order analyses Topics of current research Relative degree of target size,
intensity Correlation to
hydro/geo/bio/chemical measurements
Uranium Targets on the Plateau
Scale
Planet / Continent Scale (105 - 107 m) Earthquake analysis Satellite-based instrumentation
Regional Scale (104 - 105 m) Airborne methods
Macro Site Scale (101 – 104 m) Surface methods
Micro Site Scale (10-2 – 101 m) Borehole methods
Innovations in Resistivity
Acquisition For specialized projects, we have our
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
Direct drilling shows: Variability at small scale
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
Line 5
Line 6
Line 7
Line 8
Line 9
Line 10
Line 11
Line 12
HJ-1
HJ-2
HJ-3
HJ-4
HJ-5
HJ-6
HJ-7
HJ-8
HJ-9
HJ-10
HJ-11
HJ-12
HJ-13
HJ-14
HJ-15
HJ-16
HJ-17
HJ-18
HJ-19
HJ-20
HJ-21
HJ-22
HJ-23
HJ-24
HJ-25
HJ-29
HJ-30
HJ-31
HJ-32
290400 290600 290800 291000 291200 291400 291600 291800 292000
Easting (State Plane NAD27 Feet)
2262200
2262400
2262600
2262800
2263000
2263200
2263400
2263600
2263800
2264000
2264200
No
rth
ing
(Sta
teP
lan
eN
AD
27F
eet
)
State Plane - NAD27 - Feet
MAP LEGEND................ 3D HRR Area....... HydroJex Drillholes.. HRR Calibration Wells....... Lift Level Boundary......... HydroJex Surface Electrodes... HRR Characterization Surface Electrodes
0 50 100
150
200
250
Resistivity Example
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
1780
1800
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
3
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
1780
1800
Line 6
Line 7
west east log resHJ-32 HJ-19
HJ-24 HJ-20 HJ-16
Calibration
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1
y = 0.0744x + 0.0112
R2 = 0.73
0.02 0.03
Moisture
Con
du
ctiv
ity
(S/m
)1730
1740
1750
1760
1770
1780
1790
1800
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1Moisture (g/g)
HJ-24
0.01 0.02 0.03Electrical Conductivity (S/m)
HJ-32
0 0.01 0.02 0.03Electrical Conductivity (S/m)
1740
1750
1760
1770
1780
1790
1800
1810
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1Moisture (g/g)
Specialized System for Mining
Data from high pressure injections
Liner Leak Location
Fluid Filled Lined Ponds
Heap Leach Pads
electrical location of leaks
28240
28250
28260
28270
28280
28290
28300
28310
No
rth
ing
(fe
et)
50790 50800 50810 50820 50830 50840 50850
Easting (feet)
T207
T208
LOCALIZED LEAK AREAS(confirmed)
High Wall
Liner Leak Location
Liner Leak Location
e-e-
e-
e- e-
e-
Tx
e- e-e-
e-
e-
e-
e-e-
e-
e-e-
e-
Tx
e-
Single Liner
Double Liner
Closure / Reclamation
Acid rock drainage Acidic waters leaving site
From pit From piles
Low pH water will mobilize heavy metals Usually ends up in sensitive water areas Good target for resistivity
Abandoned mine lands Subsidence Contamination Good targets for gravity, seismic
Reclaimed Gold Mine
It is suspected that ARD is migrating from Suprise and Queen Rose Pit Area to Swift Gulch
Landusky
Migration of ARD is likely structurally controlled
Results
Results
0 100 200 300Distance (m)
1350
1400
1450
1500
1550
1600
Ele
vati
on(m
)
frac
ture
frac
ture
frac
ture
Gol
dB
ugS
hear
1.51.7
1.92.1
2.32.5
2.72.9
3.13.33.5
3.73.9
Removed Material
Pre-mine Topo
Water Table
log Resistivity(ohm-m)
Fracture (low certainty)
Fracture (high certainty)
Pre-mine Topo
Mine Topo
Suprise Pit
Queen Rose Pit
Reclamation Topo
West East
Supr
ise
She
ar
GCL in SupriseGCL in Queen Rose
GCL Location
Results
0 100 200 300 400 500
Distance (m)
1325
1350
1375
1400
1425
1450
1475
Ele
vati
on(m
)
drai
nage
drai
nage
drai
nage
drai
nage
Log Resistivity (ohm-m)
1.51.71.92.12.32.52.72.93.13.33.53.73.9
0 100 200 300 400 500
1325
1350
1375
1400
1425
1450
1475
Ele
vati
on(m
)
drai
nage
drai
nage
drai
nage
Fracture (low certainty)
Fracture (high certainty)
Topo
Line 10
Line 11
Water Table
Water Table
BKSP1
BKSP2(N,E,U)
Approx. projection of RPM Seep Electrode
Results – 3D
Looking Overhead fromSouthwest
666,500
667,000
408,600
408,800Eastin
g (m) Northing
(m)
1400
1450
1500
Elevation
(m)
HRR LineStream or Drainage
Seep used for ResistivityMeasurement
Well
409,000
Swift Gulch
Results – 3D
EC = 4.796x10 * TDS + 0.0013-7
R2 = 0.8541
0
0.001
0.002
0.003
0.004
0.005
0.006
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000
Total Dissolved Solids (mg/L)
Ele
ctri
calC
ondu
ctiv
ity
from
Mod
el(S
/m)
ZL-204 ZL-403
ZL-314
ZL-401
ZL-404ZL-405
Panama Canal
Canal is expanding Current=4000 containers Expanded=10,000 cont.
Expansion will include Widening Dredging
Dredging efficiency Type of rock Strength of rock Volume of rock
Marine Resistivity
Gamboa Reach
Results
Geotechnical Mapping
Geotechnical Mapping
Geologic Mapping
First Phase: Site Clearance
Second Phase: Fault and fracture mapping
Resistivity Results
Resistivity
EOR Monitoring
Surfactant Injection at RMOTC – Teapot Dome (WY)
Unattended monitoring for 4 month period
Obtained formation hydraulic conductivity
Identified possible barriers to flow
-0.002
0.000
0.002
0.004
0.006
0.008
0.010
0.012
0.014
1 10 100 1000 10000
Time (minutes)
Ele
ctri
cal r
esp
on
se
Well 63S response
exponential fit (63S)
Well 65SX response
exponential fit (65SX)
Well 63SRecovery time = 10 hrs
Well 65SXRecovery time = 1.0 hrs
0.000
0.002
0.004
0.006
0.008
0.010
0.012
0.014
0.016
0.018
0.020
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
Time (de cimal days)
Ele
ctr
ical
Res
po
nse
(d
imen
sio
nle
ss)
Inje
ctio
npe
riod
(line
ar)
Recoveryperiod (exponential)
Background period(~0.002 units)
Buried Object Detection
Buried Water Well Casing
GEM-2 In Phase response
Final Words…
Sometimes unique solutions are needed for characterizing and monitoring sites
HGI has a good background in geology, hydrogeology, engineering, and resource evaluation to provide solutions
We have worked on some very unique problems But have the ability, interest, and pricing model to
work on more routine problems