Mining Engineering
Exploration and Geology
MINING & MINERALS EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGY (Shallow Subsurface Geophysics)
Near surface geophysical methods, from survey design through acquisition to an interpretation that admits its ambiguity.
- Duration
- 5 days
- Contact hours
- 30
- Level
- Intermediate
- Fee from
- On enquiry
Overview
Shallow geophysics images the first few hundred metres, which is where most exploration drilling is aimed and where most engineering ground investigation happens. This module covers the methods, magnetics, electrical, electromagnetic, seismic refraction and ground penetrating radar, in terms of the physical property each responds to. Survey design and acquisition are covered practically, and interpretation is taught with non uniqueness front and centre, because a model that fits the data is not the only one that does.
Who should attend
Exploration geologists and geophysical technicians, geotechnical and environmental staff commissioning surveys, and project geologists interpreting contractor reports.
What you will be able to do
- Match a geophysical method to the physical property contrast expected.
- Design a survey with appropriate line spacing and station interval.
- Supervise acquisition and recognise poor data in the field.
- Apply basic processing and understand what each step does.
- Interpret a result while acknowledging non uniqueness.
How it is taught
Short input, then work, across 5 days of roughly 6 teaching hours each. Exercises run on situations delegates bring rather than on a case study written for a different organisation. Cohorts are capped so that everybody is asked something.
Available as classroom, live online, in house.
Programme outline
Day 1
Physical properties
- Magnetic susceptibility, density, resistivity and velocity
- What creates a detectable contrast
- Depth of investigation and resolution
Day 2
Potential field and electrical
- Ground magnetics and gravity
- Resistivity and induced polarisation
- Self potential
Day 3
Electromagnetic and seismic
- Frequency and time domain electromagnetics
- Seismic refraction
- Ground penetrating radar
Day 4
Acquisition
- Survey design and coverage
- Noise, culture and terrain
- Field quality control
Day 5
Processing and interpretation
- Corrections, filtering and gridding
- Modelling and inversion in outline
- Non uniqueness, and constraining with geology
What you leave with
- A survey design for a stated target.
- A processed and interpreted dataset.
- A review of a contractor report with the right questions asked.
Dates and fees
| Dates | Location | Format | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 to 27 November 2026 | Durban, South Africa | Classroom | R15,000 |
| 30 November 2026 to 4 December 2026 | Nicosia, Cyprus | Classroom | US$1,500 |
| 7 to 11 December 2026 | Accra, Ghana | Classroom | US$1,500 |
| 14 to 18 December 2026 | Kampala, Uganda | Classroom | US$1,500 |
Fees are per delegate and cover tuition, all programme materials and the certificate. Travel, accommodation and visas are arranged by the delegate. Registration closes two weeks before a programme starts.
Certificate
A GATI certificate recording what was attended, issued after the programme has run and attendance has been taken. Attending at least 80 per cent of the days earns a certificate of completion; attending less earns a certificate of attendance stating exactly what was attended. Every certificate carries a code that anybody can check against GATI's own record.
It records participation. and GATI does not claim one it does not hold.