 Vertical electrical sounding (VES) or

electrical drilling
▪ deeper penetration

 Resistivity profiling or electrical trenching

▪ Lateral variation in resistivity.

PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS

6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
Field Procedure
Resistivity survey are conducted to satisfy the needs
of two distinctly different kinds of interpretation
problems:
(i) the variation of resistivity with depth, reflecting
more or less horizontal stratification of
sub-surface materials
Vertical electrical sounding (VES)

(ii) lateral variations in resistivity

Horizontal Profiling, or traversing.

PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS

6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
 Lateral variation in resistivity

 The potential and current electrodes are

maintained at a fixed separation and progressively
moved along a profile.

 Application
 Mineral exploration
 Locate faults
 Locate shear zones
6/20/2019
Locate localised body
DAVID DOTSE of anomalous conductivity
PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS
WEMEGAH
1. Profiling
The electrode spacing is fixed (constant) for all
measurements.

The apparent resistivity is computed for different

electrode center points as the entire electrode
spread is moved.

PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS

6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
The procedure is also suitable for the detection of
steeply dipping contacts and dikes of contrasting
resistivity, and faults etc.

Deposits of gravel, particularly if unsaturated, have

high resistivity and can therefore be prospected by
this method.

Solution cavities or joint openings may also be

detected as high resistivity anomaly, if they are
open or low resistivity anomaly if they are filed with
soil or water.

Investigating areal geology

PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS
6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
 PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS
6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
 PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS
6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
 PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS
6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
 Study of horizontal interface

 Study subsurface variation of resistivity with depth

 Potential and/or Current is progressively expanded
about a fixed point.

 Application
 Geotechnical investigation of overburden
 hydrogeology
PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS
6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
2. Vertical electrical sounding (VES)

Recall that the fraction of the total current that flows at

depths varies with the current electrode
separation, VES is conducted with a fixed electrode
centre and the electrode spacing are symmetrically
increased.

Here, it is assumed that the depths variations in

resistivity can be quantized into a series of discrete
layers, each with a constant resistivity.

Commercial resistivity equipment employs a large number of electrodes

and performs this switching automati- cally, while continuously reading
and storing data.
PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS
6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
Method useful in determining depth of

•Overburden,

•Depth,

•Structure,

•resistivity of flat-lying sedimentary beds,

• basement rock also if it is not too deep.

PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS

6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
 DC or AC at frequency < 6Hz
 Source level: 100 V to 1000V
 Current few mA to 1-10A

 Potential Electrode
 Non-polarizing (steel, Al, brass)

 Current electrode
 Low impedance

PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS

6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
 PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS
6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
 PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS
6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
 PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS
6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
CURRENT CABLE CURRENT ELECTRODE

PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS

6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH
 PHY 477: ELECTRICAL & ELECTROMAGNETIC PROSPECTING METHODS
6/20/2019 DAVID DOTSE WEMEGAH