Mineral Exploration – Insect Style.

Are insects set to revolutionise mineral exploration? (Jim Upton)

Mining exploration is expensive, time consuming and by no means an exact science. Identifying exactly what mineral deposits are beneath the ground is what it is all about. To do this scientist and mining companies use highly sensitive magnetic field sensors, radiation detectors and take soil sample for analysis. Drilling is often used to see what’s below the ground and not just on top. Call in the insects!

Many termites build large mounds and to do this, they burrow up to 30 metres underground bringing up small parcels of soil, mostly ingested, then excreted and used to form the termite mound. These parcels of soil contain minerals from beneath the ground. Over long periods of time the amount of minerals deposited in the mounds become much higher than the surrounding surface environment.

Scientist (Including CSIRO) and mining companies working together have found by analysing the termite mounds they can identify what mineral deposits are deep below the ground. The process is done with little or no damage to the precious mounds and has been used successfully to identify uranium deposits in Africa and with the aid of a mass spectrometer have found gold deposits in the Tanami Desert in The Northern Territory and also in Western Australia. These methods are now being exploited in uranium exploration across Northern Australia.

While the technology being used these days is highly advanced the secret of the insect miners was recognised years ago with local African villagers panning termite mounds for gold with great success. As the termites are an important part of our ecosystem this practise is neither recommended or encouraged in Australia.