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Geophysics for Today and Tomorrow LARAC web-panel series: The current state of mining geophysics in Latin America Miguel Bosch / Jose Arce / Jeremy Barrett / Telma Aisengart / Annabella Betancourt / Ana Curcio
As part of the broader line of webinars, Geophysics
regulated mining activities have such high standards
for Today and Tomorrow, the Latin American
that
minimize
that
impact
considerably.
Our
Regional Advisory Committee is organizing a series of
dependence on mining for our everyday life is often
web-panels focused on the current state of applied
not fully realized. All our activities today use materials
geophysics in Latin America, with emphasis in non-oil
extracted from the Earth.
production related activities. The objective is to inform
Concerning the required technology, Jose considers
on the state of the techniques and business, allow the
that mining geophysics is becoming more critical in
presentation of different points of view, and generate
the discovery process as most deposits close to surface
discussion on the topic. For this purpose, the web
have already been discovered. Techniques with deeper
panels include presentations of three experts having
reach and higher quality instrumentation, accompanied
professional practice in the region, followed by
by a new generation of sensors permit us to work in
questions and discussion.
sensitivity levels in our measurements not thought
The first panel, dedicated to the topic of Mining
possible in the recent past. New geophysical
Geophysics, was presented on Friday 10th December.
applications are also being developed and improved to
We were grateful to have the presentations by Jose
be applied from automated drone platforms, reducing
Arce, Jeremy Barrett and Telma Aisengard, followed
our footprint in the field, and extending our reach into
by questions and panel discussions. Jose is member of
areas that are harder to explore.
various SEG committees, has been regional Vice
Jeremy Barrett described the relevance of the Latin
President and participated in various committees for
American mining sector in the global scene. The Latin
the Society of Economic Geologists and was president
America region has a long established and globally
of the Peruvian Geological Society and is current
important mining industry. This is supported by just
manager of Arce Geofísicos. Jeremy, currently based
over
on Chile, has a long career in the exploration of
budget. Despite a paucity of quantitative information
mineral resources in Latin America, and is manager of
on expenditure in geophysics, as practitioners we see a
Southern Rock Geophysics. Telma, based on Brazil,
healthy level of activity in the geophysics sector with
has a wide experience in potential field data
an excellent level of expertise, technology and
interpretation applied to mining and oil related projects
application. The science is driven forward with
in the region.
numerous and vibrant R&D projects in the region,
a
quarter
of
the
world’s
exploration
Jose Arce explained the challenges of the activity in
although there is still a tendency to look outside of the
the region, including the public perception. As in other
region for solutions, both in terms of hardware and
extractive industries, mining activities in the region are
software. As evidenced in the oil and gas sector, a
commonly under attack due to lack of knowledge in
significantly skewed R&D risk profile appears to exist
the general public. It is true that any human activity
between mining/exploration companies and their
will cause an impact to the environment, but current
service providers with the latter risking significantly
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