LiDAR Services, LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada, the wholly owned US subsidiary of LiDAR Services International, Calgary, Alberta, conducted an aerial LiDAR survey for TriMetals Mining Inc. in an area straddling the northern border of Nevada and Utah providing striking results for the gold and silver mining company.
The recently acquired LiDAR data at TriMetals Mining’s Gold Springs property has produced a high resolution, high accuracy “bare earth” digital terrain model by removing all ground based vegetation as part of the post processing deliverables. This has not only allowed for detailed structural interpretations and clear outlines of vein traces, but for the identification of all historic shafts, adits and even small isolated pits. Field investigations aided by the LiDAR survey have identified several new target areas.
In a company press release, Ralph Fitch, President and CEO of TriMetals Mining Inc. stated, “We are making new discoveries with the help of the recently completed LiDAR survey, which can see through the trees to show geology and very small old prospect pits and outcrops which our team has been following up with on-the-ground visits. The LiDAR in conjunction with our ZTEM geophysical survey which shows rocks that are associated with the gold mineralization, and our growing database of geochemistry and geology have proven to be powerful tools for identifying and targeting new areas with high exploration potential. These additional target areas present excellent opportunities for new gold-silver discoveries in this emerging gold district. Now, with a positive PEA, an ongoing drill program intended to expand the resources at Grey Eagle and Jumbo and the ever increasing number of outcropping drill targets bodes well for the continuing success of the project. We continue to drill with the intention of expanding the resource as we move the project closer to production.”
Field investigations of other areas of historic workings shown on the “bare earth” LiDAR image have found significant zones of veining, brecciation and stockwork development. Sample results from these additional areas are pending.
“We are extremely pleased to work with TriMetals Mining Inc. on this project,” said Dan Phillips, Chief Business Officer with LiDAR Services, LLC. “LiDAR can be an invaluable tool for mining operations: There will be cost reductions associated with the elimination of redundant surveying and mapping services for each phase of the project. When developing a site, it is not uncommon for survey crews to be sent out multiple times to determine and survey preferred routes for roads, pipelines, drill sites and other infrastructure…this can easily lead to multiple surveys for a particular road or pipeline and there are numerous occasions for these surveys throughout a project lifespan. These surveys can add up to tremendous costs …not to mention the risks of sending crews out to hazardous, severe environments.”
“The utilization of a comprehensive, detailed, accurate survey using airborne LiDAR and ortho photos provides an accurate, detailed base-map from which all preconstruction design and engineering can be done in the office by computer using CAD and GIS software. A LiDAR/orthophoto survey can eliminate redundant, expensive surveys, improve safety by sending fewer crews onsite to survey treacherous and inaccessible terrain, and improve decision making by utilizing the best, most accurate data for the project area,” added Phillips.
Additional benefits of high-density, highly accurate LiDAR point-clouds provide rich survey data for detailed designs for open-pit slopes, waste dumps, rock piles, earth dam structures, slope stability assessments and provides valuable survey information for the design of earth structures, mine waste management, monitoring programs, mine closure planning, and tailings management. Remote sensing data can also be used for construction material suitability studies, optimizing the use of mine waste for construction.
