Seismic imaging and potential field modelling to delineate structures hosting VHMS deposits in the Skellefte Ore District, northern Sweden

Seismic methods in mineral exploration and mine planning: A general overview of past and present case histories and a look into the future

“…These surveys were well integrated with petrophysical measurements carried out in boreholes and in the laboratory to constrain the seismic interpretations. Multidisciplinary works for studying large-scale structures hosting mineral deposits also are reported by several authors in Australia (e.g., Goleby et al, 2002;Evans et al, 2003;Williams et al, 2004;Stolz et al, 2004;Urosevic et al, 2005), in Canada (Roy and Clowes, 2000), and in Europe (Juhlin et al, 2002;Korja and Heikkinen, 2005;Malehmir et al, 2006Malehmir et al, , 2007.…”

“…In contrast, in the western and central parts of Europe, especially in Finland and Sweden, several published accounts of using highresolution seismic methods for mineral exploration and site characterizations have been reported recently (e.g., Juhlin and Palm, 1999;Malehmir et al, 2006, 2009a 2009b; Tryggvason et al, 2006;Schmelzbach et al, 2007). In Finland, the Finnish reflection seismic experiment (FIRE, 2001(FIRE, -2005 and high-resolution reflection seismics for ore exploration (HIRE, 2006(HIRE, -2010 projects acquired more than 2000 km of high-resolution reflection seismic data, large portions of which were over major mining regions (Kukkonen and Lahtinen, 2006;Kukkonen et al, 2011a).…”

“…In Sweden, initial successful imaging of faults and fracture zones within Precambrian crystalline rocks was driven by experimental surveys for mineral exploration and the characterization of radioactive waste storage sites (e.g., Juhlin et al, 1991;Juhlin, 1995). This early successful high-resolution seismic reflection work by Juhlin et al (1991), allowing imaging of fracture zones and lithological contrasts (Figure 13), paved the way for two larger projects in Sweden to study large-scale structures hosting mineral deposits, namely GEORANGE3D (e.g., Malehmir et al, 2006Malehmir et al, , 2007Malehmir et al, , 2009aMalehmir et al, , 2009bTryggvason et al, 2006;Hübert et al, 2009) and VINNOVA4D (Dehghannejad et al, 2010(Dehghannejad et al, , 2012a(Dehghannejad et al, , 2012bSkyttä et al, 2010;Bauer et al, 2011). These projects were of a multidisciplinary nature and allowed the construction of a 3D geologic model of a major mining district of northern Sweden.…”

3D interpretation by integrating seismic and potential field data in the vicinity of the proposed COSC-1 drill site, central Swedish Caledonides

“…When combined with, for example, reflection seismic data and/or geological and petrophysical data, they may, however, yield information about the bulk properties of subsurface materials which other geophysical methods are usually unable to provide (Li & Oldenburg 1998a;Roy & Clowes 2000;Goleby et al 2002;Martelet et al 2004;Malehmir et al 2006Malehmir et al , 2007. As with other geophysical methods, to be successful contrasts must exist between geological entities (in this case in density or susceptibility).…”

Reflection seismic imaging of the upper crust in the Kristineberg mining area, northern Sweden

“…To be successful in exploration, a better understanding of geological structures and the evolution of the Kristineberg mining area is necessary. Several studies have shown that geophysical methods, such as seismic, electromagnetic and potential field data (gravity and magnetic) can provide important information for the interpretation of geological structures hosting mineral deposits (e.g., Roy and Clowes, 2000;Goleby et al, 2002;Martelet et al, 2004;Malehmir et al, 2006;Murphy et al, 2006;Malehmir et al, 2007). Reflection seismics have the potential to aid mineral exploration either by directly imaging mineral deposits at depth (Milkereit et al, 2000;Malehmir and Bellefleur, 2009) or by defining faults and structures that control or host mineral deposits (Li and Calvert, 1997;Roberts et al, 2003).…”