EXPLORATION ’87 (September 01, 1987)

Geophysicists from around the world will meet in Toronto this month for a once-per-decade conference to discuss the latest in mineral exploration techniques and developments. It will be the third decennial conference on geophysical and geochemical exploration for minerals and groundwater. Canada, as the acknowledged pioneer and leader in geophysical exploration techniques, has hosted all three; the first in Niagara Falls in 1967, the second in Ottawa in 1977. About 1,000 geologists, geophysicists and geochemists representing 58 countries are expected to attend the 5-day conference, says Harold Seigel, general chairman of the organizing committee and chairman of Scintrex Ltd of Concord, Ont.

“Few conferences other than those sponsored by the United Nations bring together representatives from as many countries as this one,” says Seigel. “Technical conferences are usually very narrowly defined. This one is has an objective; it is directed at applied geophysicists, geochemists and geologists from a variety of disciplines.” The rapid development and variety of change in the industry make it important that like-minded people get together to look at what is happening in the industry and share experiences, he says. “Geology knows no national boundaries. We can all learn a great deal from others.”

The conference, called Exploration ’87, will be the largest of the three conferences held so far, an indication of the international demand for current information on the subject and testimony to the success of the organizing committees for all three conferences. In 1967 about 560 delegates from 51 countries attended; in 1977 about 760 from 36 countries. The 1987 edition has been three years in the planning.

The technical program will feature 70 oral presentations, half by Canadian authors and the rest by experts from 11 countries. The technical program will address the application of geophysical and geochemical methods, recent advances and the role of computers; it will also provide case-history examples. Plenary sessions will feature the role of exploration in resources development and will look ahead to exploration in the next decade and beyond.

More than 100 poster sessions are also planned. These include displays of maps, diagrams and other visual material, but no oral presentation, although the author is usually on hand for questions or discussion.

One of the most successful features of the previous conference at Niagara Falls in 1967 was a field school where equipment and techniques were demonstrated. The field school was not held at the 1977 conference, but this year there will be two 2-week field schools. Registration has been limited to 50 delegates with preference given to those from developing countries. One of the field schools, focusing on mining and groundwater geophysics, will be held at the Ontario Geological Survey’s geophysical test site near Timmins, Ont., Sept 10-12. The second field school, on exploration geochemistry, will be held at the same time at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. The field schools will cover such topics as survey procedures, use of instrumentation, selection of survey parameters, in-field processing data and interpretation of results. The focus is to be on practical aspects of exploration techniques, with participants gaining hands-on experience.

An important part of the conference will be a trade exhibition. Instrument manufacturers, government agencies and contract service organizations from 11 countries will be displaying the latest in equipment and services. Senior personnel from of all exhibitors will be on hand for discussions with delegates at the exhibition area adjoining the conference area at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

After the formal close of Exploration ’87, delegates will have the opportunity to visit, individually or in organized tours, many of the exploration consultants, contractors and instrument manufacturers located in the Toronto area. Here’s a look at the companies offering visits and seminars which are also exhibitors at the conference:

Barringer Research will provide a seminar on the current advances in geochemistry relating to exploration for minerals and hydrocarbon and on the application of remote sensing instruments and techniques.

Crone Geophysics will demonstrate its Digital Pulse EM instrument and show case histories of recent mineral discoveries and soundings.

Dataplotting Services will give a tour of its facilities and a presentation of data-processing techniques for geophysical data.

Dighem Surveys & Processing will hold a seminar conducted by Dr Douglas Fraser encompassing a plant tour, discussion of Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM), data-processing and system design.

EDA Instruments will host a 2-day seminar on the following geophysical methods; integrated magnetometer-gradiometer-VLF, resistivity, IP, MT, seismics and radiometrics.

GEM Systems will discuss and demonstrate its state-of-the-art Proton (Overhauser) magnetometers and gradiometers; special emphasis will be placed on computer-compatible instruments during this 1 1/2-hr plant tour.

Geonics Ltd. will give a presentation on the theory and application of transient electromagnetics for mineral and groundwater exploration. Other electromagnetic instrument theory and operation instruction will also be available.

Geosoft Inc., an associated software company of Paterson, Grant and Watson Ltd., is pleased to offer demonstrations of state-of-the-art computer geophysical data-processing and interpretation techniques.

JKS Boyles will provide tours of its Orillia and Toronto facilities where diamond core drills and pumps, surface-set and impregnated diamond products are manufactured.

Lamontagne Geophysics will provide a plant tour, a seminar on the latest EM data-processing developments and a field demonstration of the UTEM 3-ground transient EM system.

Phoenix Geophysics will be demonstrating its magnetotelluric system for Exploration ’87, which includes real time, in-the-field data-processing and multi-station remote reference capability.

RMS Instruments will present a seminar on an airborne/mobile data acquisition/logging system, focusing on a flexible system allowing reconfiguration and some programming.

Scintrex Ltd. plans to offer tours of Canada’s largest geophysical instrumentation facility and lecture/demonstrations of its latest computer-compatible instrumentation for airborne, ground and borehole exploration.

Urtec Instruments Sales Ltd. will conduct a 3-hr seminar featuring an international panel of experts discussing the latest trends and developments in airborne geophysics.