Application of the opposing coils transient electromagnetic method in investigation of mined-out areas of a gold deposit

The Dashui gold deposit in Maqu County,Gansu Province is a typical mine of the western Qinling region.Owing to continuous mining,many mined-out areas have been formed at different depths below high and steep slopes No.5 and 9,causing local surface collapse and major safety hazards.According to the requirements for environmental protection and safety,there is an urgent need to determine the spatial distribution of concealed collapse to effectively prevent geological disasters.Using the opposing coils transient electromagnetic method (OCTEM),this study conducted the fine-scale interpretation of the anomalies on the typical sections of the exploration area.Based on this,as well as the comprehensive analysis of the hydrogeological data and basic geological data of the exploration area,this study determined the transparent and three-dimensional distribution of the concealed collapse of the Dashui gold deposit.The results of this study show that the subsurface investigation of mined-out areas using the OCTEM can effectively reveal the lithologic and electrical characteristics of concealed strata in mined-out areas.Moreover,the significantly different physical properties between mined-out areas and surrounding rocks can be used to effectively identify the locations and basic morphologies of subsurface mined-out areas.The data on the boundary characteristic points of the mined-out areas on geophysical profiles with multiple exploration lines and three-dimensional modeling allow for the three-dimensional visualization of the spatial morphology of the mined-out areas.The application performance of the OCTEM,along with three-dimensional modeling,provides a technical basis for mine restoration and safety evaluation,thus effectively serving the construction of digital mines.