With hundreds of millions of dollars spent on drilling for coal exploration each year, GroundProbe has worked with Carabella Resources to use the unsurpassed resolution of the SkyTEM airborne technology to provide cost and time reductions in their exploration program.

The airborne program was flown in only a few days and covered over 2,500Ha, with preliminary results delivered within 48 hours of data acquisition.

The joint interpretation of the data performed by GroundProbe and Carabella has shown the airborne system to provide information on a number of features, including:

• Location of basalt flows
• Indication of depth of weathering
• Inferred areas of reduced likelihood of coal seams

The data correlation with drilling clearly shows the benefits of SkyTEM, with no other airborne system able to deliver data to such high resolution from surface to over 100m depth.

This service means that Carabella can more effectively target its drilling program over key areas, reducing the cost and time required. In addition, drillhole casing depths can be optimised and the geological model is more accurate than would be possible with drilling alone. It may also prove useful for overburden characterisation.

The SkyTEM data has allowed us to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our drilling program and improve our model of the resource

Mitch Jakeman, Managing Director, Carabella Resources

Using the unique high-resolution and calibrated SkyTEM airborne system, GroundProbe was able to clearly define several major geological structures that are possible conduits for groundwater flow from the USF and therefore need to be investigated carefully.

By combining the airborne data with borehole logging and sampling information, an integrated hydrogeological investigation and analysis of the area was performed. This resulted in a more accurate hydrogeological model than would be otherwise possible, as shown below.

The result fo this process is that the cuyrrent TSF at Yarwun can now be managed in a more effective manner and the planned expansions designed ensuring there will be minimum impacts on the area’s groundwater regime.

 Map of results with air photo, clearly showing important features