Anne Thompson - Smart Spectroscopy for Exploration
Documentation of mineralogy through space and time is key to understanding the evolution of fluids and mineralizing processes important in ore formation. Reflectance spectroscopy is a fundamental tool for geoscientists to identify these minerals and track changes in mineral chemistry. Over the last 30 years, the application of spectroscopy in exploration and mining has changed considerably largely due to advancements in digital data and analysis. Vast quantities of analyses are collected by exploration and mining groups, but how good is the data, and which approaches work best? Smart use of spectroscopy can be powerful, but poor interpretation or inadequate data will lead to loss of important knowledge. What do exploration geologists need to know? Are there key areas of research that need to be addressed? In this week's session with Anne Thompson, we will discuss these questions by examining case studies, reviewing the fundamental science, and considering current data analysis practices that work.