Dear
Colleagues:
As the new BHP
technology has become know to us, many of course have asked 'can it
deliver?'. While we can't expect to hear much of what goes on internally within
BHP as to the use of the technology, when they deal with juniors, such as below,
some hint of how and where the technology is being used can be
surmised.
The piece notes that
from a survey over the Ekati ground itself, five Falcon targets were tested and
two were confirmed as kimberlites. No information about role of ancillary
magnetic or EM data is provided. However, to date, something over 125
kimberlites have been found on the Ekati property, primarily using magnetic and
EM data for targeting.
With respect to
the Falcon flying for the junior, it is stated they continue to also use
many other (traditional) sources of data to establish targets; topo, heavy
minerals, mag and EM and good old
"trendology".
While limited, the
information suggests strongly that Falcon is being used to incrementally reduce
the risk in establishing targets rather than being seen as a 'first strike tool,
i.e. producing such compelling results that much of the traditional exploration
process can be passed over. This being the case, then the direct and indirect
costs of such a tool has to be looked at closely.
Based on information
that has appeared elsewhere, BHP states as acquisition cost for Falcon of ~US$60
lkm (or $15/station since they as well state they measure data at about a 250
sample interval). This is about airborne EM comes in at, so is not out of line.
However, BHP's right to a 51% interest certainly looks like you've invited
the proverbial 800 lb gorilla to dinner...
Hopefully we'll hear
more of how this story unfolds after the up coming winter drill
season.
Regards
Ken
Witherly
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[This article
is from InfoMine web service, January 9,
2001]
BHP DIAMONDS INC, DHK
RESOURCES LTD and KETTLE
RIVER RESOURCES LTD
DHK Resources Ltd and Kettle River Resources have
identified a total of 22 geophysical targets on their Lac de Gras properties, in
the Northwest Territories, utilizing the Falcon gravity gradiometer developed by
BHP Diamonds. The targets are interpreted to be kimberlite pipes and/or dykes,
and have been prioritized. Three high priority targets have been selected based
on the size and intensity of the anomalies, as well as coincident indicator
mineral anomalies.
Property: LAC
DE GRAS (DHK / WI / WO BLOCKS)
(Complete Text of Jan 08, 2001 News Release)PDF
DHK Diamonds Inc., a private company
incorporated under the laws of the
Northwest Territories, equally owned by Dentonia Resources, Horseshoe Gold Mining and Kettle River
Resources, advises that on Friday, Dec.
22, 2000, BHP Diamonds Inc. released the results of the Falcon gravity gradiometer survey carried out
over the WI and DHK blocks (approximately
70,000 acres) in August and September, 2000,
to the joint venture partners DHK Resources Ltd., Archon Minerals Ltd. and SouthernEra Resources Ltd. The
boundaries of the WI and DHK block
straddle Lac de Gras and are adjacent to the southern edge of the Ekati diamond mine Buffer
zone.
BHP's proprietary airborne Falcon gravity gradiometer
technology is designed to detect density
contrasts in the bedrock. Kimberlites of
sufficient size and density contrast with the surrounding bedrock (especially pyroclastic or crater facies
kimberlite) are detectable with this
technology. The system was deployed during summer 2000 over the Ekati diamond mine property. Two Falcon
gravity targets, out of five tested,
were confirmed as kimberlite pipes. In
addition and concurrently with the WI and DHK block Falcon gravity gradiometer survey, BHP carried out its own
magnetic survey and also reinterpreted
earlier geophysical data made available by Kennecott.
The results of surveys can be summarized as
follows. A total of 22 targets have been
identified as possible kimberlite pipes or
dikes within the boundaries of the WI and DHK blocks. The targets have been prioritized on the basis of size and
intensity of the gravity anomalies,
topographic expression and the presence of collaborative indicator mineral abundances and/or coincident
electromagnetic and magnetic anomalies. Of
the 22 targets, three No. 1 priority
and six No. 2 priority type targets were
identified within the boundaries of the WI and DHK blocks. All three No. 1 priority
targets are located on the DHK block. The WI and DHK blocks appear to be along the
southwestern, northeastern trend on which
most of Ekati's commercial diamond pipes
are located. Under the terms of agreements
in effect, BHP can earn a 51-per-cent
working interest in each of the WI and DHK blocks by conducting a 200-tonne bulk test, at its cost, on the Falcon
discoveries of its choice, on each block.
Archon will maintain a 10-per-cent working interest by testing the first five Falcon targets, while
DHK and SouthernEra will maintain their
respective interest of 29.25 per cent and 9.75 per cent, by contributing after the first five Falcon
targets are tested.
