The Horizon Europe AGEMERA Project: Innovative Non-Invasive Geophysical Methodologies for Mineral Exploration

The AGEMERA project [1], which is an acronym for Agile Exploration and Geo-Modelling for European Critical Raw Materials, employs three non-invasive survey methods for mineral exploration: a passive seismic method to assess bedrock hardness and rock type boundaries; an integrated, multi-sensing fixed-wing drone system for measuring conductivity, magnetism, and radioactivity; and a multidetector system based on muon detection for detailed 2D, 3D, and 4D density profiles of large-volume rock bodies (with the 4th dimension being time). The technologies are designed to map geological structures in scenarios where traditional methods are either environmentally unsound or socially challenging. By the project's conclusion, these methods are anticipated to achieve a Technological Readiness Level (TRL) of 5 within a three-year timeline. The technologies vary in their operational capacities, including acquisition time, depth penetration, area coverage, and volume assessment. The multi-sensing drone effectively probes to 300-500 meter depth and can survey vast areas, up to hundreds of square kilometres, in a single campaign. Muography, on the other hand, can reach depths of up to 1000 metres and cover large volumes, up to a cubic kilometre. Passive seismic analysis, meanwhile, can survey any area and depth while a larger depth usually implies a lower resolution. While these techniques, especially when combined with deep 3D muography, may require extended periods for data collection, the valuable insights they offer make them a worthwhile investment. After conducting these innovative, non-invasive geophysical surveys, the findings will be consolidated in a web-based data repository. This repository will be accessible for in-depth analysis to enhance our understanding of critical raw material distribution. The project receives funding from the Horizon Europe program (Grant agreement ID: 101058178).   [1] AGEMERA project homepage, www.agemera.eu (accessed 9.1.2024)