Soil Gas Hydrocarbons for Kimberlites - The NAU...

SGH – Soil Gas Hydrocarbons

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“Soil Gas Hydrocarbons:A Dual Purpose Geochemical

Exploration Tool Used in the Search for Various Types of Blind Uranium Targets”

GLOBAL URANIUM SYMPOSIUM“WHAT ABOUT U”

May 13, 2009 – Keystone, Colorado

Dale SutherlandActivation Laboratories Ltd.

1336 Sandhill Drive, Ancaster, Ontario


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SGH – A Geochemical analysis researched since 1996.

Uses near surface samples (not only soils) which act as long term collectors.

SGH are not gaseous compounds at room temperature.

SGH measures 162 organic compounds in the C5 to C17 carbon series range.

SGH compounds are robust to sampling, handling, shipping, sample preparation, and site cultural activity.

Low parts-per-trillion (ppt) concentrations are reported.

SGH OVERVIEW


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The SGH method is a weak leach of the samples and thus detects those compounds that have be been mobile from the target at depth.

Samples that can be used: soil, till, peat, humus, snow, rocks, and even fully submerged lake bottom sediments.

SGH OVERVIEW


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Number of Samples–e.g. Kimberlite

Location of Pipe

One-third into background

One-third over target

One-third into background

A minimum of 50 samples is recommended for a small target. Equally spaced sampling is best.

Individual samples in remote background areas

are not useful

Diadem - Franklin Area, NWT


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SGH is a DUAL purpose tool:

Used to vector to the location of a targetusing Geochromatography, and is

Used to confirm the identity of a target through the specific mix of the SGHpathfinder classes found.

SGH Interpretation:Geochromatographic Signature


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In 2000 Dr. Gordon Southam and associates at the University of Western Ontario conducted bacteriological experiments in support of the Canadian Mining Industry Research Organization project, CAMIRO 01E02.


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CAMIRO 01E02 – Dr. Gordon Southam's report

CAMIRO 01E02 – SGH Results from Bacteria growing on Gold Ore


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CAMIRO 01E02 – Dr. Gordon Southam's report

CAMIRO 01E02 – SGH Results from Bacteria growing on Uranium


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SGH – Source of Hydrocarbons

SUMMARY

Bacteria mobilize/leach compounds from the deposit as a food source and internally metabolize new compounds. When bacteria die their cells rupture which releases the hydrocarbons that are measured by the SGH geochemistry.


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What is does an SGH signature look like?

The SGH surficial samplescontain the same “visible” SGH signature as that found in the VMS ore.

= Individual compound responses -GC/MS

Specific compounds are stripped out by the

computer and grouped into chemical classes.

Ore

Soil

Soil


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SGH Signatures – A Proxy for REDOX Measurements

The Ontario Geological Survey (OGS) has commented that:

“SGH appears to be an excellent tool for identifying reduced areas or REDOX CELLS in the overburden and possible microbiological activity at depth”.

(pers. comm. Dr. Stewart Hamilton, Nov. 2004)


12CAMIRO 01E02 – Dr. Stewart Hamilton's Report


13PRESENTATION – Dr. Stewart Hamilton


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SGH has 19 different groups or classes of compounds that have different chemical characteristics. The compounds within each group have similar characteristics e.g. molecular weight, solubility, structure, partition coefficients, etc.

Each group or pathfinder class moves through the overburden at different rates and disperse away from the deposit to a different distance based on a process called “geochromatography”.

The order of dispersion, or the geochromatography, of the different pathfinder classes is a constant.

This knowledge of the geochromatography is used to vector to the location of the centre of a REDOX cell which is theoretically over the centre of the deposit.



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SGH INTERPRETATION OVERVIEWThe “geochromatographic order” of the dispersion of the

SGH hydrocarbons is a “constant”. Spacing will be different.

122

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SGH INTERPRETATION OVERVIEWMultiple SGH classes accurately vector to the location of target.

The use of multiple class vectors improves the confidence in identifying the target location.


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Templates of groups of classes have been developed that together describe the SGH signatures for Gold, VMS, Nickel, Copper, SEDEX, Kimberlite, Uranium and Polymetallic type deposits.

These templates define at least three SGH “pathfinder chemical classes” that are used to locate and identify each type of deposit. Different mixtures of these classes define the signature for the different target types.

Each pathfinder “class” is made up of 4 to 9 specific pathfinder compounds.

SGH Interpretation:Deposit specific pathfinders !


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SGH interpretations and reports are thus based on the agreement of a specific mixture of usually a total of 15 to 25 SGH compound responses.

This depth of interpretation results in a confident and robust geochemistry with a high level of confidence.

As the interpretation is made up of a large number of responses the variability from one or two compounds is not significant.

The use of a group of pathfinder classes is the reason why SGH can be used with a variety of sample types and why data from different sampling times can be combined.



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SGH “Geochromatography” –- Kimberlite Case Study

SGH Kimberlite “Tertiary” Pathfinder

Class Map

This SGH class always develops a

“wide” halo anomaly over a

target


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SGH Kimberlite “Secondary”

Pathfinder Class Map

This compound class has halo anomalies

that are more focused.


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SGH Kimberlite “Primary”

Pathfinder Class Map

The primary compound class is consistently the most focused and shows the edges of the pipe.

This vectoring “order” of classes is a constant.


22EXTERNAL RESEARCH – SENT IN SAMPLES FOR SGH ANALYSIS


23EXTERNAL RESEARCH – SENT IN SAMPLES FOR SGH ANALYSIS


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SGH – THIS IS A NEGATIVEResearch

WithShear

Minerals

04H151

Not a Diamondiferous Kimberlite

Pathfinder ClassesReported by Actlabs “Very Low Rating”


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SGH – THIS IS A POSITIVE

Pathfinder ClassesReported by Actlabs “Very High Rating”

Research with Shear Minerals04H150

A Diamondiferous Kimberlite


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Kimberlite Case Study –Ekati - Impala Pipe

Difficult sampling due

to swamp conditions.

Pipe

Swamp

River

Sample Location Map


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SGH Halo Anomaly with Location of Pipe.

• Although half of the pipe was covered in swamp, this did not adversely affect the SGH interpretation.

SGH Kimberlite Signature – Ekati -Impala Pipe


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SGH Kimberlite Signature– Lake Bottom Sediments

SGH predicts a Kimberlite pipe under Bright Lake, Manitoba.

Lake bottom sediments were taken with an Eckman dredge sampler from a canoe, water depth was 4

metres.

With permission from Harold Westdahl


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SGH Gold Signature – N. SaskatchewanGolden Band Resources Inc.

www.goldenbandresources.comApril 16, 2008 Press Release

SGH “Primary Gold Pathfinder Class” anomaly from a large grid of soil samples. Two drill holes in this anomaly resulted in cores having “visible” gold in quartz veins at ~95 metres drill depth.


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SGH Ni-Cu Signature-INCO Birchtree Deposit

Ore Body

Raw Data Map

Thompson Nickel BeltManitoba – Ni-Cu-Co-PGE

Ore is 200 metres below bedrock & overburden.


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SGH Uranium SignatureCAMECO's Interpretation:McArthur River Deposit

492500 493000 493500 494000 4945006397000

6397500

6398000

6398500

6399000

-2.471 to -0.116-0.116 to 0.3840.384 to 1.2811.281 to 2.5082.508 to 5.104

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

P2 Main Pod AreaHydrocarbon StudyDiscriminantScores

-2.471 to -0.116-0.116 to 0.3840.384 to 1.2811.281 to 2.5082.508 to 5.104

P2 Main Pod AreaHydrocarbon StudyDiscriminant Scores

Ore Depositintersections

N. Saskatchewan

“Deep Penetrating”

520 metres ofcover rock

Water table isabove deposit.


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SGH – Uranium in the Athabasca

SGH yields clear, easily interpreted

anomalies.


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SGH Uranium SignatureRoll Front Uranium -Nevada

“Very good agreement withRadon Gas survey”

Three parallel transectsof soil samples.


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Breccia Pipe – “North Arizona Uranium Project”“CSAMT Survey – Makapuu Claim”


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Breccia Pipe – “North Arizona Uranium Project”“CSAMT and SGH Interpretations Agree”


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Breccia Pipe –“North Arizona Uranium Project”

“2D plot of SGH & CSAMT Conductivity results ”

Potentially shows Uranium mineralization

at a depth similar to other known pipes in the

region

With permission from Greg Yount


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SGH – Uranium - Breccia Pipe - ArizonaSGH yields high contrast

anomalies – a well developed“Redox” cell is seen at this site

using the same Uranium pathfinder classes.


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BENEFITS

Unobtrusive and only one field visit is required

Easy sampling – use Soils, Peat, Humus, Sediments, etc.

Easy shipping – only small “fist sized” samples are needed

No special preservation is needed

Has been shown to be an excellent “Redox Cell” locator

Has been successful at locating mineralization at over500 metres below surface.

SGH – SOIL GAS HYDROCARBONS


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SGH – SOIL GAS HYDROCARBONS

BENEFITS

The analysis is rugged to sampling procedures

The analysis is rugged to geographical features

The analysis is rugged to cultural activity

The SGH geochromatography “vectors” to the deposit

SGH pathfinder classes “identify” the type of deposit

Cost effective

EMAIL QUESTIONS to: [email protected]

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