Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.1
2.2
Journals
Minerals
Special Issues
Advances in Electrical Resistivity and Electromagnetic Imaging Methods of Mineral Deposits...
share announcement

Advances in Electrical Resistivity and Electromagnetic Imaging Methods of Mineral Deposits and Mining Wastes

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Deposits".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 November 2021) | Viewed by 25981

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mario Zarroca

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Geology Deoartment, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: environmental geology; environmental geophysics; electrical resistivity imaging; hydrogeology; geotechnical engineering; geomorphology
Dr. Roberto Rodríguez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Geochemistry and Mining Sustainability Area, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, La Calera 1, E-28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
Interests: mining industry; tailings management; tailings hydromechanical behavior; geotechnical engineering; environmental geology
Dr. Isaac Corral

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Geology Deoartment, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: geology; metallogeny; mineral deposits; mining exploration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) has experienced significant advances in recent decades, concerning both data acquisition and data processing. Such improvements now allow us to exploit the full capabilities of the direct current geoelectric methods that may have been undervalued in the past. Multielectrode and multichannel systems, nonconventional surveying arrays, wireless systems, and efficient data inversion routines and software are already used extensively. ERI surveying is now capable of achieving higher-resolution and deeper images of the subsurface and constructing multidimensional 2D, 3D and 4D geological models at reasonable costs. That makes ERI very attractive for dealing with the actual and future challenges of mineral exploration, mine-water hydrology, and environmental characterization and monitoring of mining wastes and acid mine drainages.

Electromagnetic methods have also evolved significantly throughout this time, both in terms of sensing technology, hardware and data processing routines and software. Such recent advances have made these methods capable of responding to the challenging needs of the new mining industry and are devoted to achieving maximum efficiency in the exploitation and management of mining resources and their associated environmental side effects. Therefore, this Special Issue invites papers that focus on the recent advances of both ERI and EM for the mineral industry, including novelties in field acquisition, data processing, and data interpretation. Case studies that are particularly interesting are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Mario Zarroca
Dr. Roberto Rodríguez
Dr. Isaac Corral
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Electrical resistivity imaging (ERI)
  • Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)
  • Induced Polarization (IP)
  • Controlled Source Audio Magnetotellurics (CSAMT)
  • Time-Domain Electromagnetic Methods (TDEM) 
  • Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
  • Geophysical surveying
  • Environmental geophysics
  • Mineral exploration
  • Mine waste characterization
  • Mine-water hydrology
  • Acid mine drainage
  • Time-lapse monitoring

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

20 pages, 7136 KiB  
Article
Static Liquefaction Causes the Flow Failure of a Tailings Dam: A Case Study of El Descargador, Cartagena–La Unión Mining Region, SE Spain (October 1963)
by Roberto Rodríguez-Pacheco, Ana Vanesa Caparrós, Alberto Alcolea, Pedro Martínez-Pagán, Marcos A. Martínez-Segura, Cristóbal García-García, Ángel Faz, Isaac Corral, Carles Roque and Mario Zarroca
Minerals 2022, 12(12), 1488; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12121488 - 23 Nov 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3818
Abstract
The aim of this work is to investigate the causes of the El Descargador tailings dam failure, at the mine district Cartagena–La Unión (SE Spain), in October 1963. Dam stability back analyses have been carried out by applying a geotechnical and geophysical approach. [...] Read more.
The aim of this work is to investigate the causes of the El Descargador tailings dam failure, at the mine district Cartagena–La Unión (SE Spain), in October 1963. Dam stability back analyses have been carried out by applying a geotechnical and geophysical approach. The failure occurred in the form of several landslides in five different points along the dam structure. The rise in the pore pressure and the steeped slopes of the tails, scaling up to 40° in some sectors, were the main causal preparatory factors. Here we propose that static liquefaction is the most plausible cause of the tailings dam flow failure. The presence of sand dikes and sand volcanoes with atypical stratigraphic architecture, both in the lagoon and at the surfaces exposed in the landslide areas, as well as the evidence of conspicuous sand fraction on the surface support the occurrence of the liquefaction processes. Major landslides were located near the drainage pipe and the flow directions were controlled by its position. Our results reveal that the liquefaction processes were triggered and aggravated by the poor drainage capability of the tailings dam structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Electrical Resistivity and Electromagnetic Imaging Methods of Mineral Deposits and Mining Wastes)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 4618 KiB  
Article
Estimation of the Pb Content in a Tailings Dam Using a Linear Regression Model Based on the Chargeability and Resistivity Values of the Wastes (La Carolina Mining District, Spain)
by Rosendo Mendoza, Julián Martínez, Maria Carmen Hidalgo and Maria José Campos-Suñol
Minerals 2022, 12(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12010007 - 21 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2973
Abstract
The study area is located in the old mining district of Linares–La Carolina (southeastern Spain), the largest global producer of lead between 1875 and 1920. The selected environmental liability is the dam of the Federico mine and the waste that was generated during [...] Read more.
The study area is located in the old mining district of Linares–La Carolina (southeastern Spain), the largest global producer of lead between 1875 and 1920. The selected environmental liability is the dam of the Federico mine and the waste that was generated during the flotation process. Geophysical techniques were applied along the slope of the dam, specifically ERT and IP. In total, 26 waste samples were taken along the entire slope of the dam, in which a high metal(oid) content was identified, sometimes much higher than the reference levels established by European and regional legislation for contaminated soils. The concentrations of Pb, As, and Ba stood out, with mean values of 4863 mg·kg−1, 89 mg·kg−1, and 794 mg·kg−1, respectively. Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis could characterize the distribution of the contents of the different elements along the slope, defining the associations and dispersion patterns of the metal(oid)s in the interior structure of the mine wastes. With the results of the Pb content (the most abundant metal in mineral paragenesis), a mathematical model was obtained by linear regression that related the variability of this cation with the variation in electrical resistivity and chargeability obtained by geophysical techniques. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Electrical Resistivity and Electromagnetic Imaging Methods of Mineral Deposits and Mining Wastes)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 3391 KiB  
Article
Application of a Wide-Field Electromagnetic Method for Hot Dry Rock Exploration: A Case Study in the Gonghe Basin, Qinghai, China
by Hui Tan, Fan Ling, Zhenwei Guo, Jie Li and Jiawei Liu
Minerals 2021, 11(10), 1105; https://doi.org/10.3390/min11101105 - 9 Oct 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2315
Abstract
Hot dry rock (HDR) is a geothermal resource with a high temperature that is widely distributed and has good potential as a clean and renewable energy source. To determine underground electrical structures and to predict granite reservoir distributions, the wide-field electromagnetic (WFEM) method [...] Read more.
Hot dry rock (HDR) is a geothermal resource with a high temperature that is widely distributed and has good potential as a clean and renewable energy source. To determine underground electrical structures and to predict granite reservoir distributions, the wide-field electromagnetic (WFEM) method has been applied to explore deep mineral resources and has advantages such as explorations at greater depths and at high resolutions. In this study, a WFEM investigation was carried out for HDR exploration in Gonghe Basin within Qinghai Province. Six parallel survey lines, each spaced apart by 1 km, were designed for WFEM data acquisition. After data processing and inversion, we mapped the subsurface resistivity distribution and divided the inversion resistivity of HDR in the Qiabuqia area into four layers. From the WFEM results, we inferred the location of HDRs, which was verified using drilling wells. HDRs were found at a depth between 3200 m and 3705 m in the well. Furthermore, with the calibration of drilling well GR1, we provided the relationship between temperature and inversion resistivity. From this relationship, the exploration areas with mining potential can be determined. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Electrical Resistivity and Electromagnetic Imaging Methods of Mineral Deposits and Mining Wastes)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 4753 KiB  
Article
Contribution of ERT on the Study of Ag-Pb-Zn, Fluorite, and Barite Deposits in Northeast Mexico
by José Alberto Batista-Rodríguez and Marco Antonio Pérez-Flores
Minerals 2021, 11(3), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/min11030249 - 27 Feb 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3586
Abstract
The results on the effectiveness of five 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) survey profiles for Ag-Pb-Zn, fluorite, and barite exploration Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) and on the magmatic deposits of northeast Mexico, are presented. The profiles were made in areas with mining activities [...] Read more.
The results on the effectiveness of five 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) survey profiles for Ag-Pb-Zn, fluorite, and barite exploration Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) and on the magmatic deposits of northeast Mexico, are presented. The profiles were made in areas with mining activities or mineralization outcrops. Schlumberger, dipole-dipole, and Wenner array configurations were used on the measurements. The results showed that electric resistivity can be used to distinguish between mineralized zones. In magmatic-type Pb-Zn and MVT Pb-Zn deposits, resistivity values are shown as low. In magmatic-type fluorite and MVT fluorite deposits, as well as the MVT barite deposit, low-resistivity values are related to Fe sulfides and clays. With these results it is possible to connect observed surface mineralization with underground mineralization. New mineralized zones are also found and their geometries, extensions, and dipping are reported. Therefore, lower resistivity values can be linked to mineral bodies with higher Ag-Pb-Zn contents, as well as bodies enriched in Fe sulfides, Fe oxides, and clays in the fluorite and barite mineralizations. In most ERT models, fractures and faults are identified, indicating a structural control on mineralization. From the geoelectric patterns we can infer the magmatic and MVT origin of these mineral deposits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Electrical Resistivity and Electromagnetic Imaging Methods of Mineral Deposits and Mining Wastes)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

51 pages, 25683 KiB  
Review
Induced Polarization as a Tool to Assess Mineral Deposits: A Review
by André Revil, Pierre Vaudelet, Zhaoyang Su and Rujun Chen
Minerals 2022, 12(5), 571; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12050571 - 30 Apr 2022
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 11711
Abstract
Disseminated ores in porous or fractured media can be polarized under the application of an external low-frequency electrical field. This polarization is characterized by a dimensionless property that is called the “chargeability”. Induced polarization is a nonintrusive geophysical sensing technique that be used [...] Read more.
Disseminated ores in porous or fractured media can be polarized under the application of an external low-frequency electrical field. This polarization is characterized by a dimensionless property that is called the “chargeability”. Induced polarization is a nonintrusive geophysical sensing technique that be used in the field to image both the electrical conductivity and the chargeability of porous rocks together with a characteristic relaxation time. A petrophysical model of the induced polarization of metallic ores immersed in a porous conductive and polarizable material is reviewed, and its predictions are compared to a large dataset of experimental data. The model shows that the chargeability of the material is linearly dependent on the volume fraction of the ore and the chargeability of the background material, which can, in turn, be related to the conductivity of the pore water and the cation exchange capacity of the clay fraction. The relaxation time depends on the grain sizes of the ores and on the conductivity of the background material, which is close to the conductivity of the porous rock itself. Five applications of the induced-polarization method to ore and metallic bodies are discussed in order to show the usefulness of this technique. These applications include: (i) A sandbox experiment, in which cubes of pyrite are located in a specific area of the tank; (ii) The tomography of an iron slag at an archeological site in France; (iii) A study of partially frozen graphitic schists in the French Alps; (iv) The detection of a metallic tank through the tomography of the relaxation times; and (v) The detection and localization of a deep ore body that is associated with a tectonic fault. We also discuss the possibility of combining self-potential and induced-polarization tomography to better characterize ore bodies below the seafloor. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Electrical Resistivity and Electromagnetic Imaging Methods of Mineral Deposits and Mining Wastes)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop