Publications

Many of our geophysicists have published papers in refereed journals and publications. The links will take you to a list of their papers and from there to the selected abstract.

Bob Anderson - Ian Bishop - Guy Cross - Simon Emsley - John Lui - Max Maxwell - Rob Luzitano

Mark Monier-Williams - George Schneider - Jeffrey Schmok - Richard Sylwester

Bob Anderson

• Retzlaff, R. and R.H. Anderson. 1996. The application of time domain electromagnetics to a regional groundwater investigation in Western Washington: in Case Histories of Geophysics applied to Civil Engineering and Public Policy. Geotechnical Special Publication No. 62, P. Michaels and R. Woods, ed., American Society of Civil Engineers, New York NY, pp. 27-41.

Ian Bishop

• Bishop, I. & Koor, N.P., 2000. Integrated geophysical and geotechnical investigations of old masonry retaining walls in Hong Kong. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology, 33, 335-349.
• Snow, M., Bishop, I. and Keenan, R., 1999. Case History of Geomembrane Damage Assessment, Proceedings of Geosynthetics '99, April 30, Boston, Massachusetts, 635-644. [Paper received an Award of Excellence for outstanding contributions to Geotechnical Environmental Technology.]
• Bishop, I., Styles, P., Emsley, S.J. and Ferguson, N.S., 1997. The detection of cavities using the microgravity technique: Case histories from mining and karstic environments. Modern Geophysics in Engineering Geology - Geological Society Engineering Geology Special Publication No. 12, edited by McCann, D., Eddleston, M., Fenning, P.J. and Reeves, G.M.
• Emsley, S.J. and Bishop, I., 1997. The application of the microgravity technique to cavity location in the investigations for major civil engineering works. Modern Geophysics in Engineering Geology - Geological Society Engineering Geology Special Publication No. 12, edited by McCann, D., Eddleston, M., Fenning, P.J. and Reeves, G.M.
• Styles, P. and Bishop, I. and Toon, S., 1997. Surface and borehole microseismic monitoring of mining induced seismicity; the potential for three-dimensional fracture imaging. Modern Geophysics in Engineering Geology - Geological Society Engineering Geology Special Publication No. 12, edited by McCann, D., Eddleston, M., Fenning, P.J. and Reeves, G.M.
• Bishop, I., Styles, P. and Allen, M., 1993. Mining induced seismicity in the Nottinghamshire Coalfield. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology, 26, 253-280.
• Bishop, I. and Styles, P., 1990. Seismic tomographic imaging of a buried concrete target. Geophysical Prospecting, 38, 169-188.
• Roberts, J.D.M., Belchamber, R.M., Betteridge, D., Bishop, I. and Styles, P., 1989. An evaluation of computerised tomography for near-surface geophysical exploration. Computers and Geosciences, 15, 727-737.

Guy Cross

• Cross, G.M., and Knoll, M.D., 1991. Diffraction-based velocity estimates from optimum offset seismic data. Geophysics, 56, 2070-2079.

Simon Emsley

• Emsley, S.J., Beccacini, A., Cosma, C., Enescu, N. and Shiner, P., 2002. Fractured Reservoirs: Using VSPs to Bridge the Scale Gap Between Image Logs and Seismic. EAGE 64th Conference & Exhibition - Florence, Italy, 27 - 30 May 2002.
• Bishop, I., Styles, P., Emsley, S.J. and Ferguson, N.S., 1997. The detection of cavities using the microgravity technique: Case histories from mining and karstic environments. Modern Geophysics in Engineering Geology - Geological Society Engineering Geology Special Publication No. 12, edited by McCann, D., Eddleston, M., Fenning, P.J. and Reeves, G.M.
• Emsley, S.J. and Bishop, I., 1997. The application of the microgravity technique to cavity location in the investigations for major civil engineering works. Modern Geophysics in Engineering Geology - Geological Society Engineering Geology Special Publication No. 12, edited by McCann, D., Eddleston, M., Fenning, P.J. and Reeves, G.M.
• Emsley, S.J., Olsson, O., Cosma, C., Tunbridge, L., Stanfors, R. and Stenberg, L., 1996. Integrated Characterisation of a Rock Volume at the Äspö HRL Utilised for an EDZ Experiment. EUROCK 96, 1996 ISRM International Symposium, Prediction and Performance in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, Torino, Italy, September 2-5 1996.
• Kragh, J.E., Chapman, C.H., Emsley, S.J., and Dodds, K.J., 1996. Anisotropic traveltime tomography in a hard-rock environment. First Break.
• Gunning, A.P., Emsley, S.J., and Pearson, R.A., 1994. Acquiring Geophysical Wireline Logging Data as Part of the Geological Investigations for a Radioactive Waste Repository. Modern Geophysics in Engineering Geology Special Publication No. 12, edited by McCann, D., Eddleston, M., Fenning, P.J. and Reeves, G.M.
• Styles, P., Emsley, S. J., and McInairnie, E. A., 1990. Outburst Prediction and Management Using Surface Seismic Monitoring. Geophysical Journal International, vol. 101, no. 1.
• Styles, P., Emsley, S. J. and Jowitt, T. 1988. Microseismic monitoring for the prediction of outbursts in Cynheidre Colliery, Dyfed, South Wales. In: Engineering Geology of Underground Movements, Geol. Soc. Engineering Geology Special Publication, 5, pp. 423-433.
• Styles, P. and Emsley, S.J., 1986. Microseismic monitoring for the prediction of outbursts in Cynheidre Colliery, Dyfed, South Wales. In: Bell, F.G., Culshaw, M.G. and Cripps, J.C. (Eds.). Engineering Geology of Underground Movements.

John Lui

Rob Luzitano

• Luzitano, R.D. and Ulrych, T.J., 1996. The value of two component GPR Data: Identifying the polarization contribution in amplitude anomalies. SAGEEP '96, 1179-1187.

Max Maxwell

• Russell, R.D., Butler, K.E., Kepic, A.W. and Maxwell, M. 1997. Seismoelectric exploration. Leading Edge, 1997, 1611-1615.
• Monier-Williams, M., Maxwell, M., and Schneider, G., 1997. Preparing for Waste: Geophysics in Geotechnical and Environmental Assessments of Proposed Mine Waste Facilities. In Proceedings of Exploration 97: Fourth Decennial International Conference on Mineral Exploration, Edited by A.G. Gubins, pp. 893-904.

Mark Monier-Williams

• Monier-Williams, M., Maxwell, M., and Schneider, G., 1997. Preparing for Waste: Geophysics in Geotechnical and Environmental Assessments of Proposed Mine Waste Facilities. In Proceedings of Exploration 97: Fourth Decennial International Conference on Mineral Exploration, Edited by A.G. Gubins, pp. 893-904.
• Monier-Williams, M.E., Greenhouse, J.P., Mendes, J.M. and Ellert, N., 1989. Terrain conductivity mapping with topographic corrections at three waste disposal sites in Brazil. SEG Special Publication on Environmental Geophysics, VOL II.
• Greenhouse, J.P. and Monier-Williams, M.E., 1985. A gravity survey over the terminus of the Dundas Buried Valley near Copetown, Ontario. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, January, 1986.
• Greenhouse, J.P. and Monier-Williams, M.E., 1985. Geophysical monitoring of groundwater plumes around waste disposal sites. Groundwater Monitoring Review, 5, Fall Issue.

George Schneider

• Monier-Williams, M., Maxwell, M., and Schneider, G., 1997. Preparing for Waste: Geophysics in Geotechnical and Environmental Assessments of Proposed Mine Waste Facilities. In Proceedings of Exploration 97: Fourth Decennial International Conference on Mineral Exploration, Edited by A.G. Gubins, pp. 893-904.
• Nobes, D.C. and Schneider, G.W., 1996. Results of Downhole Geophysical Measurements and Vertical Seismic Profile from the Canandaigua Borehole of New York State Finger Lakes. In: Subsurface Geologic Investigations of New York Finger Lakes: Implications for Late Quaternary Deglaciation and Environmental Change, Special Paper 311, The Geological Society of America, Edited by Henry T. Mullins and Nicholas Eyles, pp. 51-64.
• Schneider, G.W., Nobes, D.C., Lockhard, M.L., and Greenhouse, J.P., 1994. Urban Geology 4. Urban Geophysics in the Kitchener-Waterloo Region. Geoscience Canada, Volume 20, Number 4, pp. 149-156.
• Sanderson M., Karrow P.F., Greenhouse J.P., Paloschi G.V.R., Schneider G., Mulamoottil G., Mason C., McBean E.A., Fitzpatrick P.N., Mitchell B., Shrubsole D., Child E., (1995). Canadian Water Resources Journal, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 145-160.
• Greenhouse, J.P., Brewster, M.L., Schneider, G.W., Redman, J.D., Annan, A.P., Olhoeft, G.R., Lucius, J., Sander, K.A., and Mazzella, A., 1991. Geophysics and solvents: The Borden experiments. The Leading Edge, Vol. 12, pp. 261-267.
• Greenhouse, J.P., Nobes, D.C., Schneider, G.W. and Lockhard, M.L., 1991. Modification of the Shallow Seismic Reflection Method for Urban Geophysical Studies in Southern Ontario. Ontario Geological Survey Miscellaneous Paper #156, pp. 121-130.
• Nobes, D.C., Schneider, G.W., and Hodgson, S., 1987. Discussion on: "Effects of porosity and clay content on wave velocities in sandstones". Geophysics, Vol. 52 pp. 1439.

Jeff Schmok

Richard Sylwester

• Sylwester, R. E. and Anderson R., 1997. A view below the surface. Civil Engineering News, January 1997.
• Sylwester, R. E., 1997. The application of continuous reflection profiling methods for trenchless pipeline projects. ASCE Trenchless Pipeline Projects, Practical Applications, Boston, Massachusetts, June, 1997.
• Sylwester, R.E., Lowell S., Cromwell R. and Hrutfiord D., 1997. A geological and geophysical investigation to determine the impact of marine erosion on SR-105, Willipa Bay, Washington. AEG 40th Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, September, 1997.
• Benson, M., McGinnis L. D. and Sylwester R., 1997. Characterization of the hydrogeologic framework at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, using marine seismic reflection profiling. Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society Tenth Annual SAGEEP Conference, Reno, Nevada, March 1997.
• Sylwester, R.E., Dasler J. and Sullivan T., 1996. A marine geophysical investigation to determine the cause for failure of the Yaquina Bay Jetty, Newport, Oregon. ASCE Geotechnical Special Publication No. 62; Case Histories of Geophysics Applied to Civil Engineering and Public Policy, November, 1996.
• Sylwester, R.E. and Holmes M.L., 1995. Mapping of shallow fault zones by integrating geologic and digital marine geophysical methods. Third Thematic Conference Remote Sensing for Marine and Coastal Environments, Seattle, WA, 1995.
• Sylwester, R.E. and Bohlke B., 1991. An array of geophysics resolves complex geology and design issues for the Boston Outfall Project. The Proceedings for the 34th Annual AEG Meeting, Chicago, IL, 1991.
• Sylwester, R.E. and B. Bohlke, 1989, Boston Harbor outfall project: A marine geophysical survey. Sea Technology, October 1989.
• Sylwester, R.E. and Holmes M.L., 1989. Marine geophysical evidence of recent submarine slope failures in Puget Sound, Washington. The Proceeding for Oceans 89, Seattle, Washington.
• Sylwester, R.E., 1989. Seminar on the fundamentals and applications of marine geophysical acoustical techniques. Oceans 89, Seattle, WA, 1989.
• Sylwester, R.E. and Lister C.R.B., 1988. A unique high-resolution seismic reflection system using an electromagnetic source and a surface reflection canceling hydrophone. Proceedings of the 20th Annual Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, Texas.
• Scott, J.L., Sharp, K.D. and Sylwester R.E., 1987. Outfall relocation study in Commencement Bay, Washington. Bull. Assoc. of Eng. Geol., Vol. XXIV, No. 4, pp 507-521.
• Sylwester, R.E., 1983. Single-channel, high-resolution, seismic-reflection profiling: An introduction to the fundamentals and instrumentation. Geophysical Exploration at Sea, Geyer, R., Editor, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
• Sylwester, R.E., Dillon, W.P. and Grow J.A., 1979. Active growth faults on the seaward edge of the Blake Plateau. Geomathematical and Petrophysical Studies in Sedimentology, Gill, D. and Merriam, D.F., Editors, Pergamon Press, New York, N.Y.
• Sylwester, R.E., 1971. The determination of active fault zones in Puget Sound, Washington by means of continuous seismic profiling. Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Engineering Properties of Seafloor Soils and their Geophysical Identification, Seattle, Washington.

Integrated Geophysical and Geotechnical Investigations of Old Masonry Retaining Walls in Hong Kong

The collapse of an old, masonry retaining wall in Hong Kong in 1994 prompted research by the Hong Kong SAR government into the use of modern, non-invasive, geophysical investigative techniques for site characterisation. Hong Kong has thousands of retaining walls and during periods of high rainfall, some old masonry walls have failed, damaging property, restricting access and occasionally leading to loss of life. Occasional catastrophic failure of old masonry walls has been linked to combinations of lack of design, high pore pressures, leaking utilities, substandard construction, void development and changes in the land use around the structure. In Hong Kong, the identification of anomalous features in or behind a wall, using conventional investigations such as drilling and trial pits, is expensive and time consuming. Because of the discrete nature of these intrusive methods, they are also less likely to intersect anomalous features that could adversely affect the stability of the masonry wall. One of the main objectives of the research was to identify efficient, non-invasive, geophysical tools that could assess the geometry and structure of old masonry walls, provide information on the hydrogeological conditions and continuous images of the subsurface and, if required, guide conventional investigation methods. The main conclusion is that a combination of ground penetrating radar and electrical imaging has the potential to identify 'thin' old masonry retaining walls in Hong Kong provided that attention to detail during data acquisition and the correct application of analytical techniques is made.

Case History of Geomembrane Damage Assessment

This paper presents a case history of the installation, geophysical leak survey, damage assessment, and leak repair of the primary geomembrane liner in a double-lined 0.6 hectare septage impoundment at the Landers Sanitary Landfill, San Bernardino County, California. The case history outlines the importance of considering damage to geomembranes during construction and in particular during placement of soil covers. The case history also demonstrates the effectiveness of post-construction electrical leak surveys.

This case history highlights several important considerations in geomembrane design and construction: (1) construction quality control (CQA) monitoring is important during all phases of construction including during placement of soil materials; (2) geotextile cushions must be considered when soil particle sizes and loading conditions are critical; (3) specifying a minimum soil layer thickness beneath construction equipment plays an important role in protecting the geomembrane during construction and operations; and (4) leak surveys and re-surveys are effective in evaluating the performance of geomembrane liners.

The Detection of Cavities using the Microgravity Technique: Case Histories from Mining and Karstic Environments.

The presence of mining-related cavities (workings, shafts and tunnels) or karstic (solution cavities and sinkholes in limestone) within the top 100 m in the rock mass restricts land utilization, and their migration to the surface may damage property or services or cause loss of life. Confirmation of features marked on existing plans prior to design and construction may be sufficient but it is often necessary to determine the detailed subsurface structure. The standard method of site investigation is to drill a pattern of boreholes to locate the spatial extent of any cavities. However, unless the spacing is less than the cavity dimensions it is possible to miss it completely. A cavity may be filled with air, water, or collapse material resulting in a contrast in physical properties which may be detected using appropriate geophysical methods. One powerful technique is microgravity which locates areas of contrasting subsurface density from surface measurements of the earth's gravity. Although the method is fundamentally simple, measurement of the minute variations in gravity ( 1 in 108) requires sensitive instruments, careful data acquisition, and data reduction and digital data analysis. Final interpretation must be performed in conjunction with independent information about the site's history and geology. This paper presents three examples in both mining and karstic environments demonstrating that microgravity is a very effective technique for detecting and delineating cavities in the subsurface.

The Application of the Microgravity Technique to Cavity Location in the Investigations for Major Civil Engineering Works.

The detection of subsurface cavities, including mine workings, mine shafts and solution features, is an essential component of any site investigation for major civil engineering works and often relies on drilling investigations to identify the presence of any cavities. However, there is no standard, cost-effective site investigation technique which can be readily used for the physical investigation of such features.

Whilst a desk study may yield documentary information on the presence of recorded mine workings and shafts, the location of solution features is generally even more problematical. Two complementary approaches have been developed for the location of subsurface cavities. Firstly, closely spaced boreholes are drilled in a specific pattern to locate cavities. This method can prove prohibitively expensive, with no guarantee of intersecting all voids or cavities. Secondly, remote sensing geophysical techniques have been used. Such techniques rely on the existence of contrasts in physical properties between the rock mass and the cavities, which can be detected using suitable geophysical methods.

This paper describes the application of the microgravity technique to the detection of solution cavities and mine workings with reference to three case histories. In the first and second examples the microgravity technique was used as a reconnaissance method for defining targets for subsequent physical investigation; in the third, the technique was used to define the extent of solution features, having been initially and unexpectedly encountered by a drilling program. These examples demonstrate the applicability of the microgravity method in detecting and delineating both solution cavities and mine workings within differing geological settings.

Surface and Borehole Microseismic Monitoring of Mining Induced Seismicity; The Potential for Three-Dimensional Fracture Imaging.

To determine whether 130 felt earth tremors around Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire, UK, which also experienced severe surface fissuring, were caused by coal extraction, a surface seismometer array was established around Thoresby Colliery. Over the next year, 785 microseismic events were detected. The spatial and temporal variations in seismicity are clearly associated with the commencement, continuing extraction and closure of faces. Of particular note are events which locate at the surface and appear to be related to the active fissuring. Events occur within days of commencement of production and cease when production finishes, with good correlation between face advance and hypocentral position. Naturally occurring microseismic events have also been detected up to 1 km ahead of active longwall faces in the Midlands using triaxial geophone packages grouted into the seam together with a surface seismometer in the top of the borehole. The quality of these data was very high and guided waves can clearly be seen with the dispersive characteristics associated with seam waves. In one experiment, more than 2000 events were detected in only two days of monitoring even in a relatively noisy surface environment. This paper demonstrates how useful locations can be generated using three-component digital data from only one borehole. The event distributions give a dynamic, three-dimensional image of the developing patterns of fracturing above, below and ahead of the longwall face with important implications for roof control, subsidence prediction and gas migration.

Mining Induced Seismicity in the Nottinghamshire Coalfield.

Between July 1989 and August 1990 over 130 earth tremors were felt and reported by people living in the Edwinstowe district of Nottinghamshire. In order to determine whether the tremors were caused by mining activity, a small aperture array of eight temporary surface seismometer stations was established around the area of coal extraction from Thoresby Colliery. Over the following 11-month period, 785 microseismic events were detected. The spatial and temporal patterns of this seismicity can clearly be seen to be associated with the commencement, the continuing extraction and the closure of faces. Activity is at a minimum at weekends, holidays and during periods of enforced closure due the weather, rising to a maximum on the Wednesday of each week. Events occur within days of a face going into full production and cease at the end of the production, with good correlation between face advancement and hypocentral position. While the location of events outside of the array is inferior to those within the Thoresby take, it is clear that there are very strong indications that the majority of these events originate from the adjacent collieries, especially Welbeck, Ollerton and Clipstone. While the results establish a definite causal relationship between coal production and the local microseismicity, frequency magnitude studies suggest that the seismic hazard and risk of damage to properties is low, as the maximum magnitude recorded during this period was less than 2.5.

Seismic Tomographic Imaging of a Buried Concrete Target.

This paper describes a field evaluation of an algebraic reconstruction technique for the tomographic imaging of subsurface velocity anomalies. We describe the construction of a three-dimensional concrete model and the acquisition and processing of seismic traveltime data through the model. Image reconstructions of the data sets, using an algebraic reconstruction technique and incorporating prior knowledge are presented and these are compared with the actual model. Reconstructions show that it is essential that accurate data are obtained as we demonstrate that relatively small errors in the traveltime data can seriously degrade the reconstruction. We also show that raypath effects are very important limiting factors to the analysis.

Diffraction-based velocity estimates from optimum offset seismic data.

A graphical method is characterized for estimating seismic velocity directly from diffraction patterns, observed on common offset records. The nature of the resulting estimate is examined by illustrating the connection between the graphical approach and a related method used by practitioners of ground penetrating radar. While the latter provides only a crude stacking velocity, the graphical technique yields the generalized RMS velocity for stratified media. Associated interval velocities can be derived from two or more diffraction events having their sources within the plane of survey. Where there is a lack of geological evidence to suggest that scatterers reside in-plane, we propose a simple strategy for locating a scatterer from its expression on two or more independent records. Error in the resulting location is directly related to subsurface velocity heterogeneity. Finally, since the diffraction-based velocity estimates assume that source and receiver are coincident, the error stemming from non-zero offset is characterized.

The value of two component GPR Data: Identifying the polarization contribution in amplitude anomalies.

Most of the current research in ground penetrating radar (GPR) relating reflection strength to material properties, such as soil moisture and the existence of contaminants, involves only single component data i.e., the component with transmitter and receiver antennas parallel. This scalar view of a vector phenomenon leaves most of the information contained in the reflected wavelet untapped. Moreover, an amplitude anomaly in the parallel component may be largely, or at least in part, due to a polarization effect. Anomalous polarization of the returned wavelet degrades the coupling with the receiver antenna since the march between wavelet and antenna polarizations is decreased. This polarization contribution is ignored by the common scalar approach which ascribes the amplitude anomaly entirely to such properties as water saturation or a suspected contaminant plume. Wavelet depolarisation occurs, to some degree, for most cases of reflection and refraction. Indeed, the depolarising character of a scatterer can aid in its identification. Although complete depolarisation, causing reflections to extinguish, was confirmed 20 years ago in sea ice, little attention has been given to possible depolarisation effects in soil or rock.

We investigate the power loss in the parallel component due to anomalous polarization by using a new instantaneous attribute: polarization match. The instantaneous polarization match estimates how severely depolarisation is affecting amplitudes while also identifying the responsible depolarizing structure. In this initial investigation the instantaneous polarization match estimate is applied to data from sites of two different structural complexities. Field experiments at an abandoned overpass ramp investigated depolarisation for the simple cases of smooth shallow dipping interfaces and a lateral change in material. Both profiles and common midpoint (CMP) soundings demonstrated that the transverse magnetic TM wavelet depolarised more than the transverse electric (TE) wavelet. This difference, is at least in part, explained by the occurrence of the Brewster angle in the TM mode. At the sites investigated, the most significant mechanisms for depolarisation appear to be scattering from rough spots (a 5 – 20% power loss) and at points of wavefront interference. These surveys provide only an initial investigation, and other transverse orientations, environments, and target types should be investigated, some of which are likely better depolarisers than the targets in this study.

Although degraded polarization match is usually a secondary amplitude effect, in some cases this problem could become significant. When pursuing targets of anomalous amplitude, or any other attribute, at least one two-component profile should be acquired to characterize the depolarisation nature of the field site.

Seismoelectric Exploration.

Seismoelectric effects are electromagnetic signals that arise when seismic waves stress earth materials. At least four are of interest to geophysicists: (1) the modulation by seismic stress of the resisitivity of the earth through which steady currents flow; (2) seismically induced electrokinetic effect analogous to streaming potentials; (3) the piezoelectric effect; and (4) highly nonlinear processes that generate high audio frequency and radio frequency impulsive responses in sulfides.

This method dates to the 1930 and has intrigued researchers in several countries in the succeeding decades. Soviet and Russian researchers have been active in this area since the 1940s and are responsible for the first measurements of the piezoelectric effect from quartz veins. In the late 1970s, G.A. Soboloev discovered unusual radio-frequency responses from sulfide ore bodies. This effect, which has obvious exploration potential, was originally referred to at PRRER but recent publications prefer the term RPE.

This paper describes three case studies illustrating the application of seismoelectric effects to shallow geophysics: the detection and delineation of a zinc-rich orebody at the Lynx Mine, British Columbia, Canada; the delineation of a quartz blow in the goldfields of Bendigo mining district of Victoria, Australia; and the mapping of a shallow boundary between road fill and the underlying glacial till at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forestry at Haney, B.C., Canada.

Preparing for waste: geophysics in geotechnical and environmental assessments of proposed mine waste facilities.

In today’s mine development environment, two essential components of a successful venture are the feasibility study and the environmental assessment. Geophysical surveys can provide valuable information for the planning, design and construction of mine infrastructure and, in particular, mine waste facilities. The use of geophysical methods aids in optimisation of solutions for geotechnical and environmental issues. We highlight specific examples of geotechnical and environmental applications of geophysical techniques that are effective for preparing for mine waste. We note that there have been significant advances in geophysical methods in available hardware and interpretative software. It is our experience that geophysical information span the geotechnical and environmental aspects of mine development. Geophysical applications producing data used by both camps act as an external catalyst to bind these two areas and provide a more integrated final product.

Components of geotechnical design include tailings basin selection, dam site selection, borrow material supply, pipeline/linear infrastructure routing, and infrastructure siting. For these geotechnical aspects, geophysical methods can be applied to profile and map depth to bedrock, overburden stratigraphy, basin bathymetry, basin soft sediment thickness, bedrock geology, faulting in the bedrock, in-situ material/engineering properties, permafrost and massive ground ice. In addition, most of these data are useful for planning to mitigate future environmental impacts. The geophysical data provide critical information for environmental planning including hydrogeological modelling to aid design and to predict groundwater flow and contaminant transport.

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