The Karpinsky Institute uses advanced technologies in field work

As we wrote earlier, the field season has already begun at the Karpinsky Institute. During field work, our geologists use not only traditional field geological equipment and tools, but also high-tech equipment, such as the Olympus Vanta M portable spectrometer.

One of the types of field work carried out by the Karpinsky Institute and aimed at identifying promising areas of solid minerals is lithochemical prospecting for secondary dispersion halos.

With the traditional method of research, samples taken during the summer field season are sent to the laboratory only in the autumn. Further, a long process of sample preparation and analysis begins, as a result of which geologists have the opportunity to verify the identified anomalies with mining and drilling operations, sometimes only after 2-3 years at best.

To shorten this cycle, field teams at the Karpinsky Institute have been using the Olympus Vanta M portable spectrometer for several seasons during geochemical prospecting.

This device is designed to determine the content of chemical elements in samples in the field, without the need to transport them to the laboratory and saving geologists a significant amount of time and money to obtain the results of laboratory analytical studies.

Field laboratory based on the Olympus Vanta M portable spectrometer

Primary sample treatment (drying and sieving of samples) is carried out in the field. Treated samples are analysed on a spectrometer, and the results obtained are processed directly at the work site, which allows you to immediately set the concentration areas of the sampling network in the most interesting sites.

Documentation of lithochemical sampling observation point


Sample treatment (drying, sieving) in the field

After analysing samples from detailing areas, it becomes possible to lay the lines of confirmatory workings and excavate them. When working with a portable XRF analyser, the contents of both elements that are being searched for at the site and accessory elements of the proposed mineralization are measured. Based on the results of our own experimental and methodological work, we can quite accurately determine the content of copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, arsenic, and antimony (elements associated with most hydrothermal deposits).

Thus, in some cases, the use of the Olympus Vanta M portable spectrometer helps to reduce the cycle of field work on a promising site from 3 years to 1 year.