Category: Mineral Resources | Geoscience Ireland

Advanced Drilling Technology Demonstration by Priority in Laos

May 26, 2025/in Capacity Building, Mineral Resources, News

Zero Trip technology was developed by Priority Drilling Ltd ( a Geoscience Ireland member) and its international deployment continues. .

Last week Zero Trip personnel visited Laos with Boart Longyear to provide five days training their drill staff on the installation of the Zero Trip wedge.

Commenting on the visit, Priority’s Corey McCarthy said;

“It was an incredible experience to see drilling operations in action across Southeast Asia and to share our knowledge of directional drilling with such a skilled and welcoming team.

A huge thank you to Wayne Roberts and the entire Boart Longyear Laos team for the opportunity, and to Tommy Prior for taking such great care of us throughout the trip.

We’re excited for what’s ahead and look forward to continuing our partnership hopefully returning again soon!”

TELLUS Geochemical Sampling Completed by Aurum Exploration for Geological Survey Ireland

August 20, 2024/in Environment, Mineral Resources

Project

Tellus Geochemistry Programme

Date

2020 – 2026

Location

Across Ireland

Client

Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) a division of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC)

Business Sectors

Geochemical Surveying

Services (Technical Disciplines)

GSI is conducting a flagship project to sample and measure the geochemical characteristics of the surficial environment of Ireland. The Tellus geochemistry workstream commenced in 2011.

Aurum Exploration has been successful in a number of contracts since 2020, providing soil sampling acquisition services and more recently data QA/QC and project management services to the programme.

Project Objectives/ Outcomes

The Tellus geochemistry programme aims to produce spatial data to determine the geochemical baseline of shallow and deeper topsoil, stream sediment and stream water, mainly in rural Ireland. Once complete, this freely available national data et and archived sample material, Ireland will be one of the best geochemically mapped countries in the world. TELLUS data will provide useful baseline information for several sectors, including agriculture, health and environmental agencies.

Aurum Exploration’s ultimate objective was to provide seamless continuation of high-quality geochemical samples and data to the longstanding Tellus programme. Other objectives included advanced development and roll out of a multifaceted digital data capture system solution, streamlining workflow efficiencies in the field, at field manager QA/QC checking stage, for project manager quality and performance monitoring and clear real-time client facing metrics.

Aurum Exploration Outcomes:

§ Successful sample acquisition covering southern 50% of ROI, collecting samples from nearly 9000 individual survey grid cells

(including the highest ground in the country and development of protocols to see continued safe working throughout challenges of COVID-19)

§ Accelerated acquisition with nearly 6000 of Aurum Exploration surveyed sites collected in one calendar year, covering over 30% of the ROI land mass

§ Sample acquisition of all Tellus geochemical urban sampling
(Block G8 Dublin in 2020 and Block G12 comprising of four urban centres: Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Cork in 2024)

§ Lowest Client sample quality rejection rates in programme history; with multiple survey blocks having zero such failures – a testament to Aurum Exploration’s internal QA/QC sample and data procedures and development of a robust bespoke digital data capture system solution

Our Role

Aurum Exploration provided a specialist team to deliver:

§ Project management services

§ Specialist survey design planning and sampling strategy

§ Technical training on sampling methodologies

§ Data management services

§ QA/QC of geochemical data services

§ Community outreach

The final soil sample was collected in August 2024.

Geoscience Ireland Contact

Johnny Meehan, jmeehan@aurumexploration.com

International Audit of Iron Ore Mines

August 7, 2024/in Mineral Resources

Project

Audit of Drilling, Blasting & Explosives Standards at Iron Ore Mines

Date

June – December 2024

Location

Mines in Brazil, Mexico, Bosnia, Canada, Liberia and India

Client

LTMS is a sub-contractor to Micon International for ArcelorMittal

Business Sectors

Mining

Services (Technical Disciplines)

Drilling, Blasting and Explosives Standards

Observations on safety culture at each mine

Project Objectives/ Outcomes

1. Audit the client’s drilling, blasting & explosives standards

2. Sharing of knowledge and best practice standards

3. Preparation of site reports

4. Preparation of risk analysis

Our Role

LTMS is engaged as part of a Micon International team to carry out drill, blast and explosives audits at ArcelorMittal Mines, including exchanging knowledge, best practice standards and reviewing latest drill and blast techniques at the forefront of our industry.

Of note on the sites visited to date is the very strong safety culture which is evident from discussion and observations

The pink truck reflects equal opportunity for women in mining

Geoscience Ireland Contact

Brendan Morris

B.MORRIS@LTMS.IE

Geoscience Ireland Members QME & LTMS Collaborate on Egyptian Mining Project

November 18, 2021/in Mineral Resources

QME, a contract mining company based in Navan, Co. Meath and LTMS, a training and mine engineering consultancy based in Co. Monaghan, are successfully collaborating in delivering training, operation and maintenance services to Centamin’s Sukari Mine in Egypt. Three teams comprising over 50 skilled personnel are involved on a rotating shift basis.

Bon Ami Bauxite Mining Project | SLR Consulting

December 1, 2020/in Environment, Mineral Resources

Project Title:

Bon Ami Bauxite Mining Project | SLR Consulting

Date:

2020

Location:

Republic of Guinea, West Africa

Client:

Private client

Business Sectors:

Mining, Environment, Groundwater, Climate

Services (Technical Disciplines):

Key issues that SLR addressed:

Biodiversity (including natural and critical habitat loss and fragmentation – land, river and marine);
Air and noise emissions;
Climate change/greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
Groundwater contamination;
Surface water contamination

Project Objectives/ Outcomes:

Key deliverables:

Supplementary ESIA.
Framework environmental management and monitoring plans;
Conceptual Mine Closure Plan

Our Role:

SLR prepared a supplementary ESIA and related specialist studies to address gaps in the national EIA, in the context of the IFC Performance Standards and GIIP, based on steady state production: 10 Mt/annum

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Dr Deirdre Lewis- dlewis@slrconsulting.com

Independent Review of Deepening Project Study | LTMS

October 12, 2020/in Mineral Resources

Project Title:

Independent Review of Deepening Project Study | LTMS

Date:

Feb 2020- Ongoing

Location:

Mina Caraiba Mine Complex – Bahia State, Brazil

Client:

Ero Copper, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Business Sectors:

Mineral Resources

Services (Technical Disciplines):

Mining, including mine planning/design, geotechnical, pastefill, ventilation, transportation, infrastructure and risk assessment.

Project Objectives/ Outcomes:

The main project is to carry out a technical study of the deepening zone of the Pilar Mine which currently has extensive resources to a depth of 1,700m below surface. Current mining activities are to a depth of 1,300m. Alongside the project study, there are optimisation projects being carried out in two mines in the complex (Pilar & Vermehlos)

Our Role:

To provide independent assessment at all stages of the technical study.

To provide practical mining expertise to optimisation projects in the Pilar and Vermehlos mines.

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Brendan Morris – b.morris@ltms.ie