Evolution of VTEM – technical solutions for effective exploration

Abstract

The helicopter borne time-domain VTEM system has been in constant development since 2002 through complex and multicomponent technical improvements in an effort to satisfy exploration and mining industry requirements. Progress in the geoelectrical informational level of data obtained with different VTEM systems is illustrated with the results of test surveys over the Caber VMS deposit. Forward plate modeling with different systems for the Caber deposit geometry target with changing conductance, as well as resistivity-depth transforms of the real data, both serve to illustrate significant broadening of the conductance aperture and increasing depth of investigation over time. Most of all the increasing sensitivity of the VTEM system is highlighted.