Airborne Electromagnetics (AEM) measures electrical conductivity of the ground. Electrical conductivity of rocks and soils is a property that depends on composition and water content. AEM detects geological changes and moisture variations beneath the earth’s surface, enabling rapid, high-resolution mapping of large areas.
The system is suspended from a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft and transmits weak low-frequency radio waves into the ground to variable depths of between 300m and 450m, dependent upon the moisture content and composition of the rocks and measures the response that returns from the ground. The data collected is processed into slices and 3D images that give our technical team a compositional model of the earths subsurface and is used to model geological structures, changes in lithology, and the presence of conductive features such as mineralised zones or groundwater systems.
The ability to collect continuous data over vast and often inaccessible terrain with considerable sand cover makes AEM a highly efficient method during early-stage exploration or regional targeting.
Globally, the technology has been instrumental in major mineral discoveries, ranging from gold-bearing structures in West Africa to nickel-copper deposits in Western Australia and uranium deposits in Canada’s Athabasca Basin in Canada. Its utility in mapping concealed greenstone belts, sediment-hosted copper systems, and kimberlite pipes has made it a cornerstone in modern exploration.
With the majority of our KCB licence area being covered by thick Kalahari sands, we integrate AEM with ground-based geophysics to gain a comprehensive understanding of subsurface geology. This enhances targeting accuracy, reduces exploration risk, and accelerates our pathway to drilling.
