Global experts in integrated geophysical exploration and data solutions

Geophysical methods play an integral role in mineral exploration particularly as we explore deeper, under cover, remotely, and in areas of difficult access whether that’s rugged terrain or highly vegetated. Successful application of geophysics to any given project area requires a considered, customised, and collaborative approach with project geologists and integrating all available information.

SGC geoscientists have decades of combined experience and understanding of greenfields exploration right down to in-mine target delineation and discovery success for precious and base metals, iron ore, rare earth element (REE), uranium, diamonds, and more in all geological terranes.

We provide a full geophysical service from new survey planning, management, and data QC, to processing, modelling, interpretation, and target generation of new or legacy datasets. Our Principals and Consultants review entire project areas or specific targets and make recommendations for the optimal application of geophysical methods.

Groundwater is an essential part of life, especially in Australia. Whether it’s for urban planning, agriculture, mining, industrial or even recreational use, the success of many projects depends on securing a suitable, reliable, and cost- effective source of water.

SGC has experience in all aspects of geophysics including magnetics, gravity, radiometrics, satellite spectrometry, electrical, electromagnetic, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and seismic survey methods.

SGC can design and manage your survey, process, and interpret the data, and identify and prioritise targets for drilling. SGC’s team of professional geoscientists will work closely with you to ensure the optimal result to maximise the benefit to your project. The SGC group has considerable experience working on groundwater projects all over the world, including Australia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, and Sri Lanka.

Hydrocarbons, copper, lead-zinc-silver, and uranium deposits are hosted within sedimentary basins. Knowledge of the formation and evolution history of the sedimentary basin is important to focus exploration activities. The basin geometry, depth, and structure can be determined from a range of geophysical methods including gravity and magnetics, seismic reflection, drillhole data, and surface geological mapping.

A key strength of SGC is the ability to integrate these datasets to provide valuable insights on subsurface structure, rock physical properties and contrasts and the presence of igneous and sedimentary intrusions.

What is Machine Learning?

At SGC, we believe in combining AI insights with specialised knowledge from geologists and geophysicists to ensure precise data interpretation and better identification of potential mineral deposits.

Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of AI models is crucial and requires continuous refinement. AI complements, rather than replaces, traditional geological expertise, creating a synergy that enhances sustainable mineral exploration. Demystifying AI involves recognising its role as a tool that empowers professionals to collaborate more effectively, innovate, and responsibly utilise Earth’s resources.

Read more >>

SGC offers geophysical data acquisition services that are ideally suited to technically challenging work, orientation surveys, and small-scale projects that are outside the capabilities or budget of traditional contractors.

SGC’s experienced in-the-field geophysicists and specialist geophysical technicians allow for trialling multiple techniques and instant data interpretation to determine optimal settings for particular targets and local conditions.

Surveys are completed by in-house staff. Utilised in the mineral and resources sector as well as the environmental, hydrological and construction sectors, niche acquisition techniques include electromagnetics, magnetics, electricity resistivity (ERI), and passive seismic.

Geophysical methods can reliably investigate soil and bedrock geotechnical properties as well as engineered structures. Structural information includes the depth to bedrock and water table, soil strength and stiffness, fractures, and underground voids.

Geophysical solutions employed by SGC to conduct these investigations include Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), Seismic Refraction surveys, Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI), Electromagnetic Induction (EMI), and Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR).

Physical property measurements on selected drill core or grab samples provide quantitative data on contrasts between mineralised and unmineralised host rocks. We use this information to determine suitable techniques for mapping and targeting, to optimise survey planning, constrain geophysical modelling, and aid the interpretation of geophysical data.

SGC can provide in-house testing of samples or a range of portable hand-held equipment to use on your project site. We can interpret the data, in the context of your exploration project, and provide relevant recommendations for further geophysical and drill testing.

The cost of physical property testing is a fraction of geophysical surveying, and therefore this is a smart way to de-risk and optimise your geophysical exploration programs.

Typical measurements include:

• Magnetic susceptibility for magnetic surveys,
• Density or specific gravity for gravity and seismic surveys
• Inductive (electromagnetic) conductivity for electromagnetic (EM) surveys
• Galvanic (contact) resistivity for resistivity and other electrical surveys
• Induced polarisation chargeability for induced polarisation (IP) surveys
• Magnetic viscosity for screening SPM (superparamagnetic) anomalies in EM surveys
• Gamma spectral assays for radiometric surveys
• Koenigsberger ratio (Q) for screening remanent magnetisation in magnetic surveys
• P-wave velocity for seismic surveys

Non-destructive geophysical imaging brings significant added value to contaminated site investigations and environmental assessments. Geophysical methods can characterise subsurface structures and material conditions, estimate groundwater depth and quality, map buried targets, and extend past or “infill” between boreholes and other point sensor data. Geophysics is also well suited for repeat surveys to facilitate the monitoring of dynamic processes.

“So, whether you are dealing with industrial site clean-up, acid mine drainage, or soil and groundwater remediation, geophysics may provide the solutions you are looking for”.

Southern Geoscience Consultants has experience with a comprehensive range of geophysical techniques that are suitable in the assessment of contaminated sites. These include Time- and Frequency-Domain Electromagnetics (TDEM, FDEM), Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI), Induced Polarization (IP), Multi-Channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), Magnetometry, Seismic Refraction, and Ground-penetrating Radar (GPR).

Quality spatial data underpins all exploration work. Our Geomatics team are spatial data experts that provide key in-house GIS and data management support to our geophysicists as well as our clients.

Utilising a large suite of the latest GIS software and applying modern processing and imaging techniques to any geophysical dataset, historical or new, SGC can add significant value and derive information producing high quality vector and raster image products for interpretation and target generation.

SGC is the custodian of significant geoscience collections including Western Australia multi-client airborne geophysical surveys and the Nick Lockett Remote Sensing Interpretation Archive.

Jack Hallberg 1:25,000 scale mapping are available in (unregistered) raster form from GSWA, SGC can offer a service to register the maps and merge/stitch individual maps into selected groups over client-defined areas. The GIS version of Jack’s mapping is now a work-in-progress with GSWA and is likely to be released in part in 2025, and so is no longer available through SGC.

Contact our multi-client team if you would like SGC to act as the multi-client custodian of your survey data or for further information on purchasing a multi-client dataset.

Multi-Client Airborne Geophysical Surveys

Forrestania and Nepean EM Test Ranges

PERTH INTEGRATION OF AEROMAGNETICS AND GEOLOGY WORKSHOP – 2-DAYS

SGC runs internationally renowned 1- and 2-day training workshops on Integration of Aeromagnetics and Geology at various times throughout the year in Perth and periodically at local and international conferences. Customised workshops can be developed and run in-house, on-site, or virtually for company groups.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST – PERTH WORKSHOP

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST – AIRBORNE EM INTERPRETATION FOR GEOLOGISTS

SGC is excited to announce a new workshop offering on Airborne EM Interpretation for geologists. The introductory workshop will cover the range of applications of AEM data, basic theory and the key steps involved in data acquisition, processing, modelling, and inversion.

We also offer training workshops on MapInfo Basics, Gravity and Magnetics for Oil and Gas Exploration, Geophysics for Hydrogeologists, and Geophysics for Non-Geoscientists. Contact Us

SGC has a wide range of geophysical equipment available for short- and long-term rental or hire. We also provide necessary training on equipment usage, data acquisition techniques, and best practice.