Location Intelligence: Important Support for Mineral Exploration

The natural resource industry depends on technical data to be able to locate, analyze, and develop their main assets. In the mineral exploration industry, location is everything. Location intelligence solutions have proven to be essential in the mineral exploration industry. By using a comprehensive location intelligence system, companies can find the exact location of the largest resource concentration. Location intelligence technology allows mineral exploration scientists and researchers to make more accurate decisions resulting in greater use of time and money.

Location intelligence solutions allows mineral technical staff to integrate data from a number of different sources, put all of the data in a central geospatial environment, and then provide the analytical tools to put the data in their own framework. Using such location technology as satellite sensors that contain multiple wave band colors, scientists are able to interpret short wave infrared, near infrared, and thermal infrared wave lengths to identify the earth’s various structural features. As well, thematic mapping and multi-spectral imaging allows for the collection of various vegetation, rock, and soil properties. The data can be used to identify oxides, soils, and clays from satellite images. With location intelligence, researchers and scientists can identify exact resources.

Location intelligence is an ideal platform to search for new mineral deposits as data sources from various sources such as satellite images, geologic maps, and geophysical images, can be put in formats that allow them to be brought together to determine important results. As well, GIS can help scientists and researchers perform such tasks as: data collection, analysis, reporting, management, and forecasting. They can collect field data electronically using GPS receivers and other data collections can be downloaded from the internet. All of the data groups can be integrated, manipulated, and analyzed using location intelligence solutions. Various applications can be employed for a variety of tasks such as managing borehole data. With such data as elevation, geophysics, and geochemistry, geological cross sections can be created. The overall result is more accurate data and analysis which will help management make better business decisions, reduce exploration waste costs, and it gives the company a competitive edge.

Location intelligence solutions provide all of the essential tools needed to complete the mapping and analysis for the early stages of mineral exploration. By using this innovative and advanced technology, technical and research staff have the ability to create, modify, import, and display data in easy to understand formats for easy interpretation. They also have the ability to zoom-in and pan around areas in real-time and manipulate, modify, and analyze the data to predict possible outcomes. It is also used to assist geologists in identifying trends and anomalies in the various types of data gathered from the different sources. As well, it can also help identify false anomalies that would normally not be apparent when using conventional methods of analysis.

The underlying mapping and visualization capabilities of location intelligence allow mineral exploration companies to integrate and analyze exploration information which gives them the ability to make critical decisions accurately and with confidence. Location intelligence is a vital support tool for the mineral exploration industry.