The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
Metal Tech News - March 01, 2024
A Silicon Microgravity gravimeter and SBQuantum quantum magnetometer are being combined into a compact form that can be mounted on a drone to detect critical minerals and metals.
Silicon Microgravity's gravimeters can detect the density of buried rocks, which provides geoscientists with clues to the composition of subsurface rock formations.
SBQuantum's magnetometers provide detailed imagery of metal-rich bodies below earth's surface.
The world's first diamond quantum magnetometers, a disruptive gravity sensor technology, are being combined with drones into a platform aimed at accelerating the discovery of minerals and metals critical to the high-tech and green energy future.
"We'll be combining two key geophysical surveying methods, gravimetry and magnetics, to quickly identify promising mineral deposits," said Silicon Microgravity CEO Francis Neill.
Geophysical surveying involves the use of specialized equipment to image the rocks below the earth's surface, much like MRI or X-rays are used to look inside the body.
United Kingdom-based Silicon Microgravity has developed highly sensitive gravimeters that can detect the density of buried rocks, which provide geoscientists with clues to the composition of subsurface rock formations.
Silicon Microgravity's gravimeters can detect the density of buried rocks, which provides geoscientists with clues to the composition of subsurface rock formations.
Canada-based SBQuantum has developed a highly sensitive magnetometer that leverages the quantum properties in nitrogen-vacancy diamonds. When combined with SBQuantum's advanced algorithms to interpret data collected from metallic or magnetic objects, the company's quantum magnetometer can provide detailed imagery of metal-rich bodies below the surface.
Now, these two advanced geophysics technologies are being combined into a compact form that can be mounted on a drone to detect critical minerals and metals such as cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, platinum group metals, and rare earth elements.
This merging of magnetic data, which is great at identifying metal-rich bodies but is less adept at providing depth information, with gravity survey data will allow geoscientists to see the geology in 3D after a single survey.
"Based on these complementary techniques, we anticipate accelerating the discovery of many of the 300-500 new strategic mineral deposits required to move the global energy transition forward," said Neill.
Projected to deliver 30% greater resolution than the industry standard, this drone-mounted gravimetry-magnetics survey platform is expected to provide mineral exploration companies with a more accurate view of buried mineralized bodies to test with drilling.
This would make the discovery and delineation of critical minerals faster and more efficient.
SBQuantum's magnetometers provide detailed imagery of metal-rich bodies below earth's surface.
"It is of paramount importance for SBQuantum to both develop international partnerships as well as diversify our sensing stack to improve hit rates for mineral drilling," said SBQuantum CEO David Roy-Guay. "This project with Silicon Microgravity accomplishes both."
The international collaboration between SBQuantum and Silicon Microgravity's geophysical technologies is being carried out under the Quantum Accelerated Mining Exploration (QUAMINEX) project, which is being partially funded by the Canadian and UK governments. National Research Council of Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) is contributing C$500,000 (US$368,500) to QUAMINEX and UK Research and Innovation 414,000 British pounds (US$522,900) to the project.
The partners are currently optimizing the positioning of their sensors on a drone for maximum efficiency in preparation for testing at a minerals project in rural Canada.
"We would like to thank IRAP for providing part of the funding to deploy quantum magnetometers in the field, on airborne platforms, and we're eagerly looking forward to deploying this hardware in the field," said Roy-Guay.
With more than 16 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration and technology metals.
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