Characterising sand and gravel deposits using electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) : case histories from England and Wales
2012
Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) is a rapidly developing geophysical imaging technique that is now widely
used to visualise subsurface geological structure, groundwater and lithological variations. It is being increasingly used
in environmental and engineering site investigations, but despite its suitability and potential benefits, ERT has yet to
be routinely applied by the minerals industry to sand and gravel deposit assessment and quarry planning. The
principal advantages of ERT for this application are that it is a cost-effective non-invasive method, which can provide
2D or 3D spatial models of the subsurface throughout the full region of interest. This complements intrusive sampling
methods, which typically provide information only at discrete locations. Provided that suitable resistivity contrasts are
present, ERT has the potential to reveal mineral and overburden thickness and quality variations within the body of
the deposit.
Here we present a number of case studies from the UK illustrating the use of 2D and 3D ERT for sand and gravel
deposit investigation in a variety of geological settings. We use these case studies to evaluate the performance of ERT,
and to illustrate good practice in the application of ERT to deposit investigation. We propose an integrated approach
to site investigation and quarry planning incorporating both conventional intrusive methods and ERT.
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