Applications

MINING

Geophysics applied to mineral exploration allows the detection and study of mineralized and/or disseminated bodies that have a measurable variation in their physical properties with respect to the area in which they are located (bedrock). Geophysical methods allow also to detect possible structural faults, lithological units and cultural effects. Geophysical surveys applied to mineral exploration often consists of professional teams that include geologists, engineers, geophysicists and support technicians which plan the work, measure, process, interpret the data and evaluate the economic potential of the findings. The methods usually applied in mineral exploration are magnetics (ground and drone), electrical resistivity, induced polarization, spontaneous potential, electromagnetic methods, very low frequency (VLF), magnetotelluric and gravity.

GEOTECHNICS

The application of geophysical methods in civil and environmental engineering has gained prominence in recent years, covering a wide range of applications such as the study of soil conditions for buildings, seismic zoning, basement depth detection and fault detection. The most common geophysical methods applied to geotechnics are gravity, ground magnetic, refraction seismic, electrical resistivity, electromagnetic and radar.

ARCHAEOLOGY

Geophysical methods in archeological projects are used in the delimitation and investigation of cultural remains at a relatively low cost and in a non-destructive manner, which allows designing projects with a different direction. Geophysics also extends the local scope of the survey area in order to have a better knowledge of the survey area features and not only of the materials or remains to be detected. The information obtained by geophysical methods is modeled in 2D and 3D results that allow choosing optimal excavation areas in order to obtain more efficient results. Geophysics is mainly applied in spatial archaeology, exploration and delimitation of archaeological areas and architectural archaeology. The most common methods applied to archaeology are magnetic, electrical resistivity, electromagnetic and radar. La información obtenida mediante métodos geofísicos es modelada en resultados 2D y 3D que permiten elegir zonas óptimas de excavación a fin de obtener resultados más efectivos. La geofísica se aplica principalmente en arqueología espacial, exploración y delimitación de áreas arqueológicas y arquelogía de la arquitectura. Los métodos aplicados más comunes son magnetometría, resistividad eléctrica, métodos electromagnéticos y de radar.

Oil and Gas

Geophysical prospecting in the oil and gas field is mainly used in the study of geological characteristics of the subsurface. Magnetic and gravity are used as initial reconnaissance methods that can reveal the presence of sedimentary basins, which should always be corroborated with seismic results. The methods commonly applied in oil and gas exploration are gravity, magnetic, seismic and in the background, can also be applied electromagnetic and magneto-telluric.