Deep Mineral Exploration:Opportunities and Challenges in Reflection Seismics
Wang Yun
Chen Xiaofei
Di Qingyun
Huo Shoudong
Liu Guofeng
Li Yingda
Peng Miao
Hu Xiangyun
Qian Zhongping
Li Jianguo
Abstract：Integrating geological and drilling data,traditional geophysical techniques such as gravity,magnetic,and electrical surveys provide quantifiable constraints on density,magnetic susceptibility,resistivity and polarization,for locating concealed and deep-seated metallic ores.Since seismic exploration offers higher spatial resolution on strata and structural geometry,its combination with gravity,magnetic,and electrical methods can significantly enhance exploration accuracy of metallic ores.Due to the complex terrain and subsurface geological conditions encountered in metallic ore exploration,however,the traditional reflection seismic method faces two major challenges:high acquisition costs and multiplicity of only P-wave velocity tomography.Therefore,based on modern sensing,communication and computing technologies,in this paper it draws on the latest seismic techniques applied in engineering geology and fossil energy to address how to reduce the cost of seismic survey and improve the imaging accuracy in conditions of complex surface and subsurface geological structures of metallic ores.After thorough analysis of the challenges in metallic ore seismic exploration,it proposes several technical solutions,including the combined use of active and passive source seismic,artificial intelligence-based seismic acquisition technique to decrease the seismic acquisition cost substantially,multi-component seismic scattering imaging,and joint inversion for multiple physical parameters to improve accuracy of predicting ore deposits.Additionally,it discusses key issues that should be addressed in the future regarding the limitations of current seismic theories and techniques.
Keywords：geophysical prospectingmetallic oreseismic technologyactive and passive sourcesartificial intelligencemulti-component
Publication Date：2025-11-30
Online Publishing Date：2025-12-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：16( 4284-4299 )