Geological Survey of Canada, Current Research (Online) no. 2005-C3

Book excerpt: This paper describes a novel, high-resolution application of cross-borehole seismology at the Snap Lake diamond mine, Northwest Territories, to assess whether the relatively thin kimberlite dyke that hosts the diamonds could be mapped underground with sufficient resolution to accurately estimate its volume and to guide mining. Subsequent mining and mapping with the 50-by-70-metre test panel indicated whether the technique was able to map the top & bottom surfaces of the dyke and to identify ramps, pinch-outs, and cross-cutting fracture planes. The tests also compared the performance of that new technique with two other geophysical methods, high-frequency vibrating seismic surveying and ground penetrating radar.