Geological Survey of Canada, Current Research (Online) no. 2004-C5

Book excerpt: Electrical resistivity measurements previously made on graphitic shale samples from the Astarte River Formation on Baffin Island indicate that they display weak to strong anisotropic characteristics, with low and high resistivities in the directions parallel & perpendicular to foliation respectively. The purpose of the study described in this paper is to determine the electrical conductivity mechanisms that resulted in those characteristics. Study methods included electrical resistivity and porosity measurements, graphite thin-section analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. Resistivity-related factors examined in the study include pore-fluid connectivity, the presence of graphite, and the insulating quality of quartz grain layers.