The West Coast, long renowned for it’s high grade coal deposits, is undergoing a new development in the Buller region with a fresh approach from Australian / New Zealand company Bathurst Resources. With resource consent granted, a comprehensive $8million exploration program is underway, and Subsurface Imaging is playing an integral role undertaking the borehole geophysical surveys. The geophysical logs collected throughout the permit area will be an indispensable tool for geologists mapping deposits and completing resource estimates.

This is a large scale exploration project, and showcases SSI’s ability to adapt to our clients needs. We had the flexibility to implement the changes required to suit Bathurst’s developments, and now with an operator based full time in Westport and a new operator on board, an extra vehicle and spare equipment on site, as well as a complete redesign of our logging equipment setup to what is now a fully heli-portable unit, we are well into a successful and engaging project.

The Denniston Plateau provides an ever changing collage of weather patterns, and will soon remind you to never go anywhere without your wet weather gear, as we have found out! It is a rugged and unforgiving landscape, and has proven a real test for both the vehicles we take there, and for us on foot. The permit covers a large area, with many sites being rather inaccessible, and the primary means of transport for the equipment is by helicopter. We have designed a heli-portable logging unit especially for this purpose, which allows us to move all our equipment from site to site easily and efficiently in a single cage unit. The cage has a robust wet weather cover, and so the whole operation now can be as flexible, and as all-weather as the people operating it can handle!

We have been working at this for almost a year now, with the exploration project expected to last ~ 3 years by Bathurst’s estimates. It is a challenging and intensive program which has allowed us to develop our repertoire and to build on the logging services we offer.

SSI has an extensive history with borehole logging in all environments, all over NZ, and drawing on this experience we have been able to, and will continue to provide reliable, accurate and cost effective geophysical solutions.

For more information on the Buller Project of Bathurst Resources see: http://www.bathurstresources.com/Projects/New-Zealand/Buller-Coal-Project

Dan came on as a full time geophysicist with us in 2011 after several years working on occasional SSI projects in New Zealand and Australia. He brings to the table a strong academic and leadership background, through his studies and society memberships at University of Waikato, but more importantly a willingness to learn and a knack for problem solving in practical situations. He is a futureintech ambassador for IPENZ, a member of the Geoscience Society of New Zealand, and an avid student of all things rock-related. He now has a stack of field experience behind him and is the primary wireline geophysicist for Subsurface Imaging in NZ, along with maintaining involvement in ground radar projects throughout the country. He is spearheading several company development initiatives, and is playing a stronger and stronger role in client relations and logistical management, tasks ranging from staff employment and training to equipment procurement and project proposals.

Emma joined SSI in early 2012 as a field technician for wireline operations. She came to us from Hamilton, where she was an ecologist and masters student at the University of Waikato. Emma is also a territorial soldier in the NZ Army, and the practical skills she has gathered through this, and years of DOC fieldwork, have proven invaluable. She is most comfortable out in the field, in any conditions, and can be found “mucking in” on site more often than not. She is focussed and determined, and these traits have seen her pick up geophysical logging with ease, and she is now a fully capable operator and data processor. In June 2012 she will be taking over the reins as project operator for the Bathurst project in Westport, a move which will challenge her to step up her game yet again, and one she is more than ready for.

Experience shows me that you get what you pay for.

SSI delivers high quality results at an economic cost.

grant 10/5/2010

Ways to get good value from Geophysics
1) Do Geophysical surveys because it delivers results not because its a pretty picture
2) Use combinations (more than one geophysical method and physical investigation) and consider more one technique for a solution.

Theres a caution here, much of the procesing and aquisition has been dumbed down…  so inexperienced operators and processors get loose on data and can turn a data set from nothing into something that appears to have useful information… They mean well but there many traps for lack of experience across a range of technologies and knowing whats real and what is not.

My rule of thumbs are

IF YOU CANT SEE SOMETHING IN THE RAW DATA THEN USUALLY THE PROCESSING IS SHOWING YOU ARTIFACTS THAT ARE NOT REAL

GET YOUR DATA  COLLECTOR/ PROCESSOR TO SHOW YOU THE FEATURE IN THE RAW DATA AND SHOW YOU HOW THEY ENHANCED IT, IF THEY CANT… THEN TREAT THE RESULT WITH A LOT OF CAUTION

Im always happy to look over any modest data sample and give a second opinion

Grant 9/04/2010

I sometimes wonder that when i go on site i need a large broom and witches hat or maybe a wand,  ive been offered divining sticks, metal rods, wooden bits of tree  and even just straight arm waving… and the MAGICIANS are so so convinced their divining methods work, maybe it does??

GEOPHYSICS  is not magic its sound science and backed by a lot of experience… we get good results and we solve the issues

grant 8 /4 /2010

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