On Electrical Conductivity at Depth in the Shanuch Copper–Nickel and the Aginskoe Gold-Ore Fields,Kamchatka

This paper is concerned with the method of interpretation and with the results of magnetotelluric sounding (MTS) along the line connecting the Shanuch copper–nickel and the Aginskoe gold ore deposit. The interpretation revealed that the upper section divides into two blocks according to the electrical resistivity. The western block has a high resistivity, which is due to the metamorphic and igneous basement rocks that are exposed at the ground surface. The eastern block has a low resistivity, which is due to the presence of a conductive sedimentary–volcanogenic cover involving a wide network of discontinuities. A low resistivity layer was identified at depths of 30–60 km. The deep-seated faults that have been identified by interpretation in the eastern block penetrate through the lithosphere as far as the conductive layer; fluids can move along these faults upward into the upper crust where at lower temperatures they release minerals whose accumulations make up ore deposits of nonferrous and noble metals.     

Geoelectrical and seismic prospections in hydrogeology: Model and master curves for the evaluation of porosity and water saturation

The prevailing purpose of geoelectrical exploration is the location of acquifers, as resistivity is strongly sensitive to the presence of water. Through this method valuable information on the structure and volume of storage rocks may be acquired. However, the evaluation of saturation and porosity, which plays a strong role in the estimation of hydraulic parameters, is hitherto affected by a large uncertainty. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out expensive and often numerous drillings, in addition to the calibration ones. In this paper we argue how the uncertainty can be substantially reduced by carrying out a joint seismic and geoelectrical prospection.to profitably utilize the results of a joint seismic and geoelectrical survey, a model is proposed in which the geophysical characteristics of all the phases possibly present in underground rocks, i.e., matrix, clay, water and air (whose percentages give porosity and saturation degree of an acquifer) are taken into account. The four phases are considered contiguous, in parallel as regards the electrical conductivity and in series as regards the propagation of elastic waves. On the basis of the formulas related to the model, theoretical curves for porosity, degree of saturation and percentage of clay have been obtained, which enable us to calculate these parameters.As a test of the suggested methodology, porosity and saturation have been evaluated in an area of the Campi Flegrei Caldera (Napoli) of which porosity data were available after core drillings. The test was performed by practising a joint electrical and seismic prospection using the more customary and less expensive techniques of Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) and Seismic Refraction. Our data permit us to produce porosity and saturation maps for two depths; the comparison between the porosity, derived from the maps in the points where core drillings have been made, and the porosity values found on the cores, shows a good agreement for the more superficial layer; for the greater depth, we derived lower values of porosity, probably due to difficulties of laboratory reproduction of thein situ condition of the cores. These results suggest that our model has value in water research.     

层状介质中膨胀球模拟力源的应力——应变场与视电阻率的关系

本文研究了三层介质中膨胀球模拟震源的应力、应变场以及由这个应力、应变场产生的电阻率变化量和地表视电阻率变化的关系。结果表明,对于一定强度的“震源”,在地电装置探测范围内的应力场随具有不同弹性参数的层位有显著的变化;而应变场却看不出有明显的突变;由地表视电阻率变化量的计算结果揭示了地电异常受台站介质电性结构与力学结构的综合影响。因此作为预报地震的地电阻率法一方面要寻找具有高电阻率——应变灵敏度岩层的台址,另一方面台址的视电阻率变化对各层真电阻率变化要具有好的响应。     

Sensitivity of transversal apparent resistivity to the changes in electrical resistivity of the elements of a 2D geoelectrical structure

The sensitivity of transversal apparent resistivity to the changes in the electrical resistivity of elements of a two-dimensional (2D) geoelectrical structure is studied by numerical modeling. This sensitivity is found to have a series of specific features, due to which the monitoring of transversal apparent resistivity can serve as a helpful addition to the monitoring of longitudinal apparent resistivity to trace the dynamics of subsurface and shallow crustal elements of the medium. It is shown that the method previously suggested for the inversion of relative changes in apparent resistivity into relative changes in electrical resistivities of the elements of the geoelectrical structure is applicable to the transversal electrical resistivity.     

金属护栏对洛阳地震台地电阻率干扰定量分析

自2018年12月起,因洛阳地震台测区内安装金属护栏,该台地电阻率出现异常变化。为正确评估此次影响,结合洛阳地震台电测深曲线、岩性资料建立了三维水平层状结构模型,利用有限元法计算了测区内金属护栏对洛阳地震台地电阻率观测的影响。同时,建立典型“H”型电性结构模型,分析了不同属性的金属导线对地电阻率观测的影响。结果显示：①金属护栏是洛阳地震台此次地电阻率年变异常的主要影响因素。当位于测区内影响系数为负的区域时,金属护栏引起地电阻率的趋势性上升;当位于影响系数为正的区域时,金属护栏引起地电阻率的趋势性下降。②不同属性的金属导线对地电阻率观测的影响不同。导线与测道夹角减小、导线长度增加、导线电阻率减小以及导线横截面积增加等均会导致干扰源对地电阻率年变影响作用增强。     

EXPLORATION OF BURUNDI NICKELIFEROUS LATERITES BY ELECTRICAL METHODS*

The laterites in Burundi, which are formed by weathering of ultrabasic rocks, show a complete profile with the following horizons: canga, the ferruginous crust capping, ferralite, consisting essentially of iron hydroxides, and saprolite, which contains a large quantity of hydrosilicate minerals. Nickel bearing minerals occur in the saprolite and the lower portion of ferralite. Resistivity well-logging and resistivity sounding indicated that the electrical properties of rocks depend upon their composition: Canga and ferralite showed high resistivities of 6,500 Ωm and 800 Ωm, respectively. The resistivity of saprolite was found to be much lower, between 10 Ωm and 20 Ωm. The laterite is underlain by resistive peridotite. The chargeability of saprolite was found to be lower than that of the upper horizons and the bedrock. Electrolytic conductivity of laterite, which depends on the geometry of the deposit, was found to be low, because the laterite contains moisture and ground water, which are highly resistive. The relatively high conductivity of saprolite is caused by nickeliferous hydrosilicates, which exhibit the electrical properties of clay minerals, with an apparent maximum conductivity of 0.25 S/m. The conductivity of saprolite corresponds to a concentration between 30% and 50% of conductive silicate minerals distributed in the pore space of deposit. A nickel enrichment of up to 6% was estimated from the resistivity of the saprolite. Prospecting for laterites by electrical sounding showed that the development of laterite horizons in a nickel deposit correlates with the surface morphology of weathered ultrabasic massif. Thus the method can be used in preliminary exploration of such deposits.     

通州台井下地电阻率测深初步分析

2020年7月12日唐山古冶 M_S5．1地震发生前,井下小极距地电阻率出现快速下降-折返的变化,变化形态、异常时长符合地电阻率孕震机理变化,但下降幅度远远小于地表大极距地电阻率孕震过程的变化幅度.因此,文章基于通州台地下电性结构和装置系统,采用数值分析方法,分析地表和井下小极距地电阻率的探测深度.结果表明,当底层电性变化区域介质电阻率发生某种减小时,通州台地表和井下小极距地电阻率装置系统地电阻率观测值会下降,下降的幅度随着深部介质电阻率变化区域上界面向上的扩展而增大.相比地表观测,井下小极距电阻率观测能更显著地接收到深部电阻率变化信号,对孕震有更强的反映能力.     

The main structure and tectonic features of the Chernorud-Mukhor site on the western shore of Lake Baikal from TEM and SP measurements

Transient electromagnetic (TEM), self-potential (SP) and geoelectrical mapping measurements were carried out at the Chernorud-Mukhor site in the Priolkhonje area on the western shore of the Lake Baikal. All measurements were made along several profiles across the main strike of the regional Primorsky fault. TEM measurements were carried out in a time range from a few tens of microseconds to several tens of milliseconds. The most important result of the 1D modelling of TEM soundings is the discovery of nearly horizontal boundaries that divide high resistive overlying and well conducting underlying rocks. The resistivity of the former is in the range from 100 Ωm to 1000 Ωm, while the resistivity of the latter varies from less than 1 Ωm to several tens of Ωm. This good conductive zone could also be verified by geoelectrical mapping using Schlumberger array (AB/2=100 m). Due to high conductivity of the underlying rocks only the upper boundary of the conductive layer could be determined by TEM soundings. A regional SP anomaly with amplitude of about −450 mV has also been observed above the low resistivity zone indicating the electron nature of its conductance. Geologically, the conductive zone is represented by a graphite-bearing layer within the region of archean rocks. Since that layer extends over a large area, it may be used as a key in studying structures and tectonics of the Priolkhonje area. A 1D TEM geoelectric section shows a wide, gently sloping syncline as a probable base structure of the Chernorud-Mukhor site. Neotectonic faults divide the syncline into vertically displaced blocks that form a wide complicated graben with a total amplitude of about 250 m.     

Complex resistivity of mineral rocks in the context of the generalised effective‐medium theory of the induced polarisation effect

This paper develops the generalised effective‐medium theory of induced polarisation for rock models with elliptical grains and applies this theory to studying the complex resistivity of typical mineral rocks. We first demonstrate that the developed generalised effective‐medium theory of induced polarisation model can correctly represent the induced polarisation phenomenon in multiphase artificial rock samples manufactured using pyrite and magnetite particles. We have also collected representative rock samples from the Cu–Au deposit in Mongolia and subjected them to mineralogical analysis using Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals by Scanning Electron Microscopy technology. The electrical properties of the same samples were determined using laboratory complex resistivity measurements. As a result, we have established relationships between the mineral composition of the rocks, determined using Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals by Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis, and the parameters of the generalised effective‐medium theory of induced polarisation model defined from the laboratory measurements of the electrical properties of the rocks. These relationships open the possibility for remote estimation of types of mineralisation and for mineral discrimination using spectral induced polarization data.     

Geoelectrical structure and hydrogeological investigations of the southern Rif Cordillera (Morocco)

An electrical prospecting survey is conducted in the Rharb basin, a semi‐arid region in the southern part of the Rifean Cordillera (Morocco) to delineate characteristics of the aquifer and the groundwater affected by the marine intrusion related to Atlantic Ocean. Analysis and interpretations of electrical soundings, bi‐logarithmic diagrams and the geoelectrical sections highlight a monolayer aquifer in the southern part, a multilayer system in the northern part of the Rharb basin and lenticular semi‐permeable formations. Several electrical layers have been deduced from the analysis of bi‐logarithmic diagrams: resistant superficial level (R₀), conducting superficial level (C₀), resistant level (R), intermediary resistant level (R′), conducting level (Cp) and intermediary layer of resistivity (AT). Spatial distribution of the resistivity deduced from the interpretation of apparent resistivity maps (AB = 400 and 1000 m) and the decreasing of resistivity values (35–10 Ωm), in particular in the coastal zone show that this heterogeneity is related to several anomalies identified in the coastal area, which result from hydraulic and geological processes: (i) heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity in particular in the southern part of the Rharb; (ii) lateral facies and synsedimentary faulting and (iii) the relationship between the electrical conductivity and chloride concentration of groundwater shows that salinity is the most important factor controlling resistivity. The distribution of fresh/salt‐water zones and their variations in space along geoelectrical sections are established through converting subsurface depth‐resistivity models. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Detection of alteration at the Millennium uranium deposit in the Athabasca Basin: a comparison of data from two airborne electromagnetic systems with ground resistivity data

The Millennium uranium deposit is located within the Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan. The basement rocks, comprised primarily of paleo‐Proterozoic gneisses, are electrically resistive. However, the deposit is associated with highly conductive graphitic metasediments that are intercalated with the gneisses. An unconformity separates the basement rocks from the overlying, horizontally stratified, Proterozoic sandstones of the Athabasca Group (which are also highly resistive). The strike extents of the graphitic metasedimenary packages are extensive and therefore electromagnetic (EM) survey techniques are successful at identifying these zones but do not identify the specific locations where they are enriched in uranium. Through drilling it has been noted that hydrothermal processes associated with mineralization has altered the rocks in the vicinity of the deposits, which should in theory result in a resistivity low. A significant resistivity low has been mapped coincident with the Millennium deposit using ground resistivity survey techniques. However, a comparison of the airborne EM and ground resistivity results reveals that the two data sets have imaged different features. The resistive‐limit (on‐time) windows of the MEGATEM data show conductive features corresponding to lakes located to the west and south of the deposit. The late‐time windows show a feature to the east of the deposit, interpreted as being associated with the east‐dipping graphitic basement conductors (similar to that observed in historical ground EM data collected in this area). The early‐time TEMPEST windows (delay times less than 0.2 ms) show a broad resistivity low located at approximately the same location as where the alteration has been identified through drilling. Modelling the data is not easy but a response that decays prior to 0.3 ms is consistent with 500 Ωm material in the sandstone, a resistivity value close to the lower limit with respect to the hydrothermally altered Athabasca group sediments in this area. The MEGATEM system does not see a conductive zone over the alteration as clearly but the high signal‐to‐noise ratio in the late‐time MEGATEM data means that the conductive material at a greater depth is more coherently imaged.     

Focused imaging of electrical resistivity data in archaeological prospecting

Electrical resistivity mapping and electrical resistivity profiling are powerful instruments for investigating archaeological structures. Interpretation of geoelectrical data is complicated by near-surface anomalies and the characteristics of the applied electrode arrays. Averaging Wenner α and Wenner β data as an alternative method of focused imaging is presented to overcome these problems. The mechanism of focused imaging is explained using the sensitivity distribution of the combined arrays. Various methods of imaging geoelectrical data are examined with synthetic and field data. In electrical resistivity mapping, inversion of the data is unnecessary when using focused imaging. In electrical resistivity profiling, focused imaging gives a first idea about the subsurface resistivity distribution without achieving the quality obtainable by inversion.     

Neogene aquifer properties specified through the interpretation of electrical sounding data,Salamiyeh region,central Syria

Twenty‐nine Schlumberger electrical soundings were carried out in the Salamiyeh region in Syria using a maximum current electrode separation of 1 km. Three soundings were made at existing boreholes for comparison. Aquifer parameters of hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity were obtained by analysing pumping test data from the existing boreholes. An empirical relationship between hydraulic conductivity determined from the pumping test and both resistivity and thickness of the Neogene aquifer has been established for these boreholes in order to calculate the geophysical hydraulic conductivity. A close agreement has been obtained between the computed hydraulic conductivity and that determined from the pumping test. The relationship established has, therefore, been generalized in the study area in order to evaluate hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity at all the points where geoelectrical measurements have been carried out. This generalization allows one to derive maps of the hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity in the study area based on geoelectrical measurements. These maps are important in future modelling processes oriented towards better exploitation of the aquifers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The use of gypsum spheres for identifying water flow routes in soils

Gypsum (plaster of paris) has been cast into spheres and placed in soils; weight loss has been used to identify relative water flow routes. Theoretical considerations and laboratory experimentation show that solutional weight loss of the material used increases with increasing water flow, but is independent of pH above pH 4. Results for gypsum sphere weight loss are presented for soils where moisture conditions have been measured independently using tensiometers. The data suggest that the weight loss method provides a viable time-integrated demonstration of relative water flow routes.     

3-D Magnetotelluric Exploration of Tenerife Geothermal System (Canary Islands,Spain)

The resistivity structure of the Tenerife geothermal system has been determined by the 3-D inversion of data from different magnetotelluric surveys. In this paper, the ocean and topography effects on the magnetotelluric data were investigated by constructing a 3-D conceptual geoelectrical model of the island. The study showed that these effects should be taken into account in order to obtain a reliable subsurface model of the island. Data from 148 sites were used during three-dimensional inversion. The most interesting feature in the final geoelectrical model of the geothermal system is a low resistivity structure (<10 Ωm) above the resistive core of the system. The low resistivity structure has been interpreted as a hydrothermal clay alteration cap typically generated in the conventional geothermal systems. The resistivity model has been correlated with a recent seismic velocity model, showing that a low resistivity structure surrounds an area with high P wave velocity and medium–high resistivity. This medium–high resistivity area can be associated with a slowly solidified magma and, therefore, with a hotter part of the geothermal system.     

与大震孕育过程有关的地电阻率变化研究

我国地震预报研究中的地是贩主要特点在于有着广泛分布于各主要地震带和对国民经济有重要意义地区的固定台网，并长期连续定点地观测电阻率随时间的变化。从而在我国大陆１９６６年以来的地震活跃期中积累了大量与大地震发生有关的地电阻率异常变化资料。与此同时，关于地电阻率法以及它和孕震过程的关系的理论研究工作也在深入进行，本文对这些震例资料和地电阻率法理论研究进行了讨论。     

COMPUTER CALCULATION OF RESISTIVITY PSEUDOSECTIONS OF A BURIED SPHERICAL CONDUCTOR BODY*

The use of the electrical image method in calculating the potential of a source in the presence of a buried conductive sphere proves to be difficult because of the great number of terms making up the potential formula. The disadvantages contained by this method are avoided here by resorting to the theory of graphs. In view of this aim the “propagation” of the electrical images due to the sphere has been represented by an infinite graph to which an infinite matrix has been attached. Taking this as a basis several FORTRAN IV programs for the computation of resistivity pseudo-sections for various electrode configurations have been coded, and a great deal of such pseudo-sections have already been calculated with an IBM-360 computer. Using these results, recommendations regarding both the methodology of the geoelectrical prospecting of spherical shaped conductors and the most suitable way of building resistivity pseudo-sections are developed.     

Saltwater intrusion modelling in Jorf coastal aquifer,South‐eastern Tunisia: geochemical,geoelectrical and geostatistical application

Marine intrusion is the most serious problem facing the coastal Jorf shallow aquifer, located in south‐eastern Tunisia on the Mediterranean Sea. Jorf Aquifer is intensively exploited to supply the growing needs of agriculture and domestic sectors. This work proposes a multidisciplinary investigation, involving hydro‐geochemical, geoelectrical survey and geostatistical techniques for modelling the saltwater intrusion. For this purpose, 36 water samples were conducted and analysed. Electric conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids and major ions were measured and analysed. Pie and Durov Diagrams, Q‐mode hierarchical cluster and geostatistical analysis were considered to identify the main groundwater mineralization processes. Results revealed that the Na‐Cl‐Ca‐SO₄ is the dominant water type suggesting that dissolution of halite and gypsum was the main mineralization source of groundwater in the central and southern part of study area. However, saltwater intrusion was shown to control groundwater quality essentially in coastal areas. Variographic analyses were used to select the variographic model that best fits the spatial development of apparent resistivity. Kriged apparent resistivity profiles showed an abnormal decrease of resistivity values in the coastal zone, implying highly saline water because of seawater intrusion. Apparent resistivity values also decrease considerably in the faulted areas, suggesting a contribution of faults to seawater intrusion. Finally, saltwater mixing ratio was computed for each sample, and a refined seawater intrusion map was developed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

地电阻率正常变化与电剖面的关系

本文以变化电性剖面模式阐明地电阻率正常变化的复杂行径及其以可能原因为基础, 通过计算得到了地电阻率正常相对似年变幅与台址电性剖面诸参数间的定性、定量关系.从而阐明台址电性参数条件对地电阻率正常变化的影响和控制作用.通过实验证实上述结论的正确性, 指出获取平稳正常变化资料的可能性和具体途径.      

Characterisation of soils with stony inclusions using geoelectrical measurements

Characterisation and sampling of coarse heterogeneous soils is often impossible using common geotechnical in situ tests once the soil contains particles with a diameter larger than a few decimetres. In this situation geophysical techniques—and particularly electrical measurements—can act as an alternative method for obtaining information about the ground characteristics. This paper deals with the use of electrical tomography on heterogeneous diphasic media consisting of resistive inclusions embedded in a conductive matrix. The adopted approach articulates in three steps: numerical modelling, measurements on a small-scale physical model, and field measurements. Electrical measurements were simulated using finite element analyses, on a numerical model containing a random concentration of inclusions varying from 0% to 40%. It is shown that for electrode spacing 8 times greater than the radius of inclusions, the equivalent homogeneous resistivity is obtained. In this condition, average measured resistivity is a function of the concentration of inclusions, in agreement with the theoretical laws. To apply these results on real data, a small-scale physical model has been built, where electrical measurements were conducted both on the model and on each phase. From these laboratory measurements, a very satisfying estimation of the percentage of inclusions has been obtained. Finally, the methodology applied to a real experimental site composed of alluvial fan deposits made of limestone rocks embedded in a clayey matrix. The estimated percentage of rock particles obtained via electrical measurements was in accordance with the real grain size distribution.