The document summarizes the success of lineament analysis techniques developed by Dr. Vadim Galkine and Ricardo Valls over 15 years. Their techniques identified known mineral deposits in blind tests and reduced exploration areas. Their targets were confirmed by clients' drilling and surveys. Examples show their techniques located gold and copper deposits, kimberlites, oil/gas fields, uranium and emeralds in Canada, US, Mexico, Peru and other countries. Their lineament analysis involves structural mapping, physical modeling and integrating diverse datasets to generate exploration targets.
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A brief story of success of the lineament analysis
In November 1999 we successfully applied the R.C.C.™ method to a blind test area in Rouyn-
Noranda. Using only lineaments, we were able to determine the presence of 12 known mines, and
to differentiate them into gold and copper-gold ones.
“Too good to be true…, but in this case it was. Just by
using lineaments, they identified all major known gold and
copper deposits and could even differentiate two
separated metallogenic zones… and they didn’t even know
at that time where was the area under study!”
John Harvey, EnergoSources, 1999
During the year 2000, we applied the method to several areas within the Treasure Hunt Project in
the Province of Ontario. Our targets completely coincided with the results of the flight-through
aero-magnetic program, at a fraction of the cost and time. Field checking of some of our targets
(Fig. 1) confirmed the presence of alteration, mineralization, abrupt changes in tectonics, etc.
Figure 1. Uldis Abolins takes samples from a mineralized quartz vein from a target area predicted by our method in
Southern Ontario.
By the end of the year 2000, we introduced the binary analysis of the distribution of known
mineralized zones which enabled us to do a more targeted search within the studied areas.
Also in 2000, Dr. Galkine was a participant of the Competition which attracted huge interest of
the mining community at the time. Dr. Galkine became one of the 15 semi-finalists of the
Challenge with his application of the Lineament Analysis and Physical Modeling to the search for
the next six million ounces of gold on the Goldcorp’s Property.
Below are two slides from his presentation which deserved international recognition of the method
by the judges of the Contest (Figs 2-3).
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Figure 2. Slide from the presentation to Goldcorp Challenge- 2000.
Figure 3. Results of the physical modelling of the Goldcorp Challenge-2000.
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The year 2001 marked the beginning of the international application of this method with the study
of an area in Mexico for Intrepid Minerals Corp. and of our first kimberlitic studies within the
James Bay Lowlands Area for Dumont Nickel Inc. and for 1081798 Ontario Inc.
“Excellent work! It was delivered on time and with an
outstanding presentation”
Don Farrell, Tyrell Geological Services, 2000
Figure 4. Circular structures at Suaqui Grande, Sonora, México.
“Intriguing! … [your interpretation] pointed out to a complete
new area that we did not consider at the beginning”
Dr. Laurence Curtis, Intrepid Minerals Corp., 2000
On test-works conducted in the area (Fig. 5) we were able to locate 100% of all the known Jurassic
kimberlitic intrusions, as well as 85% of all the known pre Cambrian ones, which are covered by
hundreds of metres of Paleozoic sediments.
As of the last field season, we have three new kimberlitic targets confirmed on surface within the
James Bay Lowlands area (Fig. 6).
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Figure 5. At the Attawapiskat River our method identified all the known kimberlitic intrusions, including the diamond-
producing Victor Pipe.
“I must congratulate you with the quality and timing of your
presentation and for introducing a different point of view on
the interpretation of the current data”
Stephen McIntyre, Dumont Nickel Inc., 2001
Figure 6. This study identified all the known kimberlitic pipes in the Attawapiskat region.
“Incredible results, but they make sense. We are staking these
targets now”
Gordon Leliever, 1081798 Ontario Inc., 2001
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Also in 2001, we completed a successful study at NW Ontario (Fig. 7), where we, for the first
time, developed the method to target different types of ore deposits (Fig. 8)
Figure 7. Report on the Birch-Uchi lineament study.
Figure 8. Selective targets for gold and diamond. Coordinates are blanked for obvious reasons.
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Also in 2001, we conducted a successful test to locate known kimberlites using only lineaments
(Fig. 9). It should be highlighted that the study took less than two months and a cost of less than
C$60,000 and we identified all the known kimberlitic targets in the area, including the Victor Pipe!
Figure 9. Blind test study for the location of known kimberlites using only lineament analysis.
In October 2002, we completed a study of the Neita District in Dominican Republic for Unigold
Dominicana Inc. Due to financial restrictions the Company could not review immediately the
results, but 2 years later the VP Exploration Daniel Denis told us that stream sediments and soil
sampling confirmed the two main targets we predicted with our study (Fig. 10).
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Figure 10. Complex interpretation of targets in Dominican Republic.
Since 2003 we have successfully applied our technique to the exploration of oil and gas deposits
in the United States. We have been able to identify reefs structures located hundreds of metres
deep and in a recent test-study in Tennessee, we were able to locate all the known oil and gas fields
in an area of 120 square miles near Oak Ridge.
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Figure 11. During a blind study in Tennessee we identified the Oneida Oil field hundreds of metres below a sedimentary
unit associated to corals.
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Figure 12. The rose diagram interpretation helped us identified the Oneida oil field.
“I am impressed! nothing could put you closer to an oil field than this technique”
Michel Gamblin, Cambridge Resources Inc., 2001
“If presentation and readability are half the battle... you have won already!”
Derek Barttlet, Blue Emerald Inc., 2001
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Figure 13. Combined prospective map for oil and gas.
Between 2004 and 2009, Dr. Galkine applied the Remote Exploration method to the uranium
property of Unor Inc. (Western Nunavut, Canada) while working with the Company as Senior
Consulting Geologist.
The targets outlined by the combination of the Lineament Analysis and Physical Modeling turned
out to be in a good correlation with the results of the airborne EM Survey, as well as with ground
magnetic survey and mapping and sampling data. The almost exact match of the method’s target
in the southern arm of the property and mapped alteration zone (also supported by PIMA analyses
about two years later) became another objective confirmation of the validity and capacities of the
Remote Exploration Technique. Two slides below show the results of the Lineament Analysis
targeting and Physical Modeling targeting respectfully.
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Figure 14. Lineament analysis at the Unor's uranium property, Western Nunavut.
Figure 15. 3D physical modelling at the Unor's uranium property, Western Nunavut.
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In 2007, we completed a lineament analysis over an area of 1,541 km2
encompassing the whole
Baja Verapaz ophiolitic complex in Guatemala. As a result of this study, the authors identified the
existence of new potential targets and clarified the relationship between the known deposits (Fig.
16).
Figure 16. New lateritic targets identified by the lineament analysis in Guatemala.
Also in 2007, we completed a very challenging study over the Nevada desert and helped the Client
(P. Geo. John Magee) to define a copper target under the sand dunes (Fig 17).
Figure 17. Tertiary lineaments over the sands of the Nevada desert.
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Early in 2009, we completed a blind study in Chile in a copper district that Codelco was interested
(Fig. 18).
Figure 18. Factor 2 ((C+SC+MM)/(SS+MS)) apart from the know deposits, this Factor defines three new very interesting
targets in the area.
In November 2009, we did a Lineament Analysis and Physical modeling on the Macusani area
(Puno Department) in Peru which included several concessions for uranium (Vena Resources,
Canada-Peru, by the request of David Bent, VP Exploration of Vena at the time). The area of the
analysis covered more than 1,000 km2
.
Figure 19 shows our results of the target generation for the area. Target generation took into
account the maximums of lineaments densities and maximums of elastic and plastic experimental
modelling results.
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Figure 19. Lineament analysis maximums, modeling maximums and main lineaments overlay for the LINCOLN XXVI-
XXXI area (Macusani, Punto Department, Peru).
Figure 20 shows the drilling program locations conducted in 2009-2010, i.e. after the analysis, and
plans for the campaign of 2011. Vena’s drilling set up is seen as located in the immediate vicinity
or very close to our targets for both Tantamaco and Isivilla Prospects (Fig 21, overlay of our targets
and Vena’s drilling). Good mineralization results were obtained in 2009-2010 (see Vena Resources
website, press-releases of 2009-2010, 2011 on Macusani).
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Figure 20. Macusani actual and planned drill grids.
Figure 21. Overlay of our targets and Vena’s drilling.
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In our view, this is one of the unquestionable examples of the success and the perspectives of our
targeting method.
In May 2009, we did a Structural Lineament Analysis of the Silver Property in South Lorrain
Township, ON, Canada –for Crown Minerals Inc, Toronto.
Figure 22. Locations of the Ag- properties on the satellite image with active claims (compiled with OGS Earth).
In Fig. 23 the secondary and, accordingly, tertiary lineaments were overlaid onto the scheme of
the existent Vein Systems. The agreement between many of the mineralized veins and secondary
and tertiary lineaments locations was striking! In red outline and/or with red arrows I highlighted
the strongest cases of remarkable
spatial coincidence between veins
and lineaments. Watson Vein,
Woods Vein, veins 25, 26, 20 and 1
(Technical report is available at
request) are located along the either
secondary or tertiary lineaments.
These results give us the direct
exploration directive – we should
be following and testing the
lineaments first and foremost. I
recommended concentrating first
on the secondary lineaments
elsewhere on the property, in the
first place – in the areas outlined in yellow.
Figure 23. The secondary and tertiary lineaments overlay onto the
scheme of the existent Vein Systems.
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In 2010, Dr. Galkine conducted a very comprehensive study on the West Red Lake Gold Mines
Company’s Property in Western Ontario (Red Lake Gold District). It could be reviewed in details
either from Dr. Galkine’s Linkedin page (http://ow.ly/4nv0vu), or by following this link:
http://www.slideshare.net/VadimGalkine/structural-study-of-the-west-red-lake-area-53747535
The Remote Exploration study involved Structural Lineament Analysis, Physical Modeling in
multilayered GIS environment. All the existing data - geological, geophysical, geochemical,
satellite and air-photo – have been analyzed. Anyone interested is advised to see a full text.
Here we want to mention just one of the results: the study of the lineament systems shown that
gold-bearing breccia corridor on the neighboring from the S-W Confederation’s (then Red Star)
property has similar features on the Hy Lake Property. It was recommended (Fig. 24) that the
secondary lineament intersections with the main breccia trend should be drilled with good chances
to discovery good gold intersections.
Figure 24. Recommended targetson the Hy Lake Gold property.
The follow-up drilling in the 2010 and later drilling programs led by Dr.Galkine confirmed the
assumption from the Remote Exploration method and delineated a new gold-bearing zone on Hy
Lake Gold property.
In 2013, we completed a complex structural and satellite study of the Geghi Ore Belt Project in
Armenia. The study allowed us to identify 4 areas of main importance where all exploration efforts
should be concentrated. This study has reduced the initial exploration area by almost 75%. Kill
zones coincide very well with the identified zones.
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Besides the know Voskedzor target to the North, we identified the Ajabaj-Karut target at the centre
of the license, the North Gazanlich target to the Southwest, and the Geghi target to the Southeast.
Figure 25. The study identified 4 new targets in the area.
All the new targets were verified with a complex of geophysics and geochemical survey and drill
targets were selected.
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Finally, in 2016, we completed a study for emeralds in Colombia (Fig. 26).
Figure 26. Lineament analysis for emeralds in Colombia.
The study reduced by 60% the area to explore by defining compact areas not conductive to the
formation of emeralds. The integrated analysis of geophysics, geochemistry, lineaments, and
satellite interpretation clearly defined two prospective areas that are currently being explored in
more details.
For more information, contact us by phone, e-mail or regular mail at the following address:
Valls Geoconsultant, 1008-299 Glenlake Ave, Toronto, ON, M6P 4A6, Cell: +1-416-294-3896,
E-mail: vallsvg@gmail.com
Finally, you can access an hour webinar on this subject from Compliance4all by visiting this link:
http://www.compliance4all.com/control/w_product/~product_id=500229REC/~sel=REC/~Ricar
do_Valls/~Lineament_analysis-_The_Modern_Way_to_Look_for_Ore_Deposits
