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Richard S. Smith
Professor
NSERC // Vale // KGHM International // Xstrata Nickel // Wallbridge Mining // CEMI Industrial Research Chair in Exploration Geophysics
B.Sc. (Hons.) (Adelaide)
M.Sc. (Toronto)
M.Sc. (Adelaide)
Ph.D. (Toronto)
Department of Earth Sciences
Laurentian University
Sudbury, Ontario
P3E 2C6
Telephone: (705) 675-1151 ext 2364
E-mail: rssmith@laurentian.ca |
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Content
- Research Interests
- Available Research Projects
- Current Graduate Students
- Representative Publications since 2005
Richard Smith joined Laurentian after spending 20 years working in the exploration business. He has extensive experience, working as a research scientist, an exploration geophysicist and a manager. He has international experience in the application of geophysics to lead-zinc exploration, hydrocarbon exploration and environmental issues. Richard is most familiar with the following geophysical methods: electromagnetics, magnetics, induced polarization and gravity. These types of data can be acquired on the ground, from aircraft, and below the earth surface in boreholes or in mines.
My main research interests are in the application of geophysical methods to the discovery of all types of mineral deposits. In particular, I am interested in using geophysical methods to create an image of the earth that reflects the physical properties of the material below the surface of the earth. These images can in some cases be used to infer the geology.
My current research is focused towards helping the sponsors of the Industrial Research Chair in Exploration Geophysics develop new tools for solving geological problems.
Students with an interest in processing and interpretation of data collected with a new multi-transmitter, multi-component electromagnetic system designed for deep mineral exploration are encouraged to apply. Mineral explorationists are looking deeper ore bodies and geophysical tools have to be developed to see deeper.
Background required: Geophysics, data processing, computer programming.
Supervisor: Dr Richard Smith (RSSmith@laurentian.ca)
We are initiating a project where electrical data acquired in mines and in boreholes is being used to determine if the rocks are under stress. These zones of weakness have a higher probability of collapse, so knowing the location of these zones will result in safer mines.
Background required: Geophysics, data processing, programming and data interpretation.
Supervisor: Dr Richard Smith (RSSmith@laurentian.ca)
This project will involve determining the optimal line spacing for ground electromagnetic surveys, enabling surveys to be designed so that conductive bodies will not be missed because the transmitter is in the wrong location or the traverse lines are too far apart.
Background required: Geophysics, data processing, programming and data interpretation.
Supervisor: Dr Richard Smith (RSSmith@laurentian.ca)
This project will involve creating aerial images of geophysical data from data that are collected along traverses. Normal methods for generating these images (minimum curvature, kriging) do not work well when the features are narrow and trend at an oblique angle to the traverse line. This project will build upon anisotropic diffusive gridding and involve programming.
Background required: Geophysics, data processing, programming and data interpretation.
Supervisor: Dr Richard Smith (RSSmith@laurentian.ca)
There is money available to fund Canadian students for these projects. Foreign students will need additional sources of funding of about $15000 per year to cover the cost of foreign student fees and the cost of living in Sudbury.
Olaniyan, Oladele, B.Sc. Hons. (Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria), M.Sc. Geoinformatics (ITC, Netherlands). Sudbury Basin Structural Investigation [Smith / Morris]
Kolaj, Michal, B.Sc. Hons (Carleton). Mapping laterally various conductance [Smith]
Lymburner, Joshua, B.Sc. Hons. (McMaster). A deep electromagnetic tool [Smith]
Parry, Devon, B.Sc. Hons. (McMaster). A Comparative Study of Borehole
Geophysical Instruments [Smith]
Ladan Kamiri Sharif, B.Sc. (Tehran) The radio imaging method and its application to the Sudbury area [Smith]
Smith, R.S. and O’Connell, M. D., 2007, An Improved Method for Trending of Features on Aeromagnetic Maps: In Milkereit, B. (Ed), Proceedings of Exploration 07: Fifth Decennial International Conference on Mineral Exploration. 853-861
Vallee, M.A. and Smith, R.S. 2007, Comparison of Fixed-Wing Airborne Electromagnetic 1D inversion methods: In Milkereit, B. (Ed), Proceedings of Exploration 07: Fifth Decennial International Conference on Mineral Exploration, 1067-1072.
Smith, R.S., Thurston, J.B., Salem, A. and Reid, A.B., 2012, A grid implementation of the SLUTH algorithm for visualizing the depth and structural index of magnetic sources: accepted for Computers and Geosciences.
Smith, R.S., and Wasylechko, R., 2012, Sensitivity cross-sections in airborne electromagnetic methods using discrete conductors: accepted in Exploration Geophysics.
Vallée, M. A., Smith, R. S. and Keating, P., 2011, Metalliferous mining geophysics
– State of the art after a decade in the new millennium, Geophysics, in press.
Smith, R.S., Koch, R. And Hodges, G., 2011, A comparison of airborne
electromagnetic systems with ground resistivity data over the Midwest deposit in the
Athabasca Basin. Near Surface Geophysics, in press.
Bouchedda, A., Chouteau, M., Keating, P. and Smith, R., 2010, Sferics noise
reduction in time-domain electromagnetic systems: application to MEGATEMII
signal enhancement: Exploration Geophysics, 41, 225-239. doi:10.1071/EG09007
Ulla, J., Smith, R., Samson, C., Vallée, M., 2010, Automation of the SLUTH
method: a novel approach to airborne magnetic data interpretation: Near Surface
Geophysics, 8, 519-528. doi:10.3997/1873-0604.2010033
Smith, R.S., Wood, G. and Powell, B., 2010, Detection of alteration at the
Millennium uranium deposit in the Athabasca Basin: a comparison of data from
two airborne electromagnetic systems with ground resistivity data. Geophysical
Prospecting, 58, 1147-1158.
Vallée, M.A., Smith, R.S. and Keating, P., 2010, Case history of combined airborne
time-domain electromagnetics and power line fields survey in Chibougamau,
Canada: Geophysics, 75, B67- B72.
L. Z. Cheng, R. S. Smith, M. Allard, P. Keating, M. Chouteau, J. Lemieux, M.A.
Vallée, D. Bois, and D. K. Fountain, 2009, Evaluation of the Efficiency of Several
Airborne Electromagnetic Systems: Exploration Implications: Exploration and Mining
Geology, 18: 1-12.
Smith, R. S., Hodges, G., and Lemieux, J., 2009, Case histories illustrating the
characteristics of the HeliGEOTEM system: Exploration Geophysics, 40, 246–256.
Vallée, M.A., and Smith, R.S., 2009, Inversion of airborne time-domain
electromagnetic data to a 1D structure using lateral constraints: Near Surface
Geophysics, 7, 63-71.
Salem, A., Williams, S., Fairhead, D., Smith, R. and Ravat, D., 2008, Interpretation
of Magnetic data using tilt-angle derivatives: Geophysics, 73, L1-L10.
Cheng, L.Z., Smith, R.S., Allard, M., Keating, P., Chouteau, M., Lemieux, J., Vallée,
M.A., Bois, D., Fountain D.K., 2007, Geophysical case study of the Gallen deposit,
Québec, Canada: Exploration and Mining Geology, 16, nos 1-2, 67-81.
Smith, R.S. and Salem, A.S., 2007, A discrete conductor transformation of airborne
electromagnetic data: Near Surface Geophysics, 5, 87-95.
Hefford, S.W., Smith, R.S. and Samson, C., 2006, Quantifying the effect that
changes in transmitter-receiver geometry have on the capability of an airborne
electromagnetic survey system to detect good conductors. Exploration and Mining
Geology, 15, nos 1-2, 43-52.
Cheng, L.Z., Smith, R.S., Allard, M., Keating, P., Chouteau, M., Lemieux, J., Vallée,
M.A., Bois, D., Fountain D.K., 2006, Geophysical case study of the Iso and New
Insco deposits, Québec, Canada: Part I, data comparison and analysis. Exploration
and Mining Geology, 15, nos 1-2, 53-63.
Cheng, L.Z., Smith, R.S., Allard, M., Keating, P., Chouteau, M., Lemieux, J., Vallée,
M.A., Bois, D., Fountain D.K., 2006, Geophysical case study of the Iso and New
Insco deposits, Québec, Canada: Part II, modeling and interpretation. Exploration
and Mining Geology, 15, nos 1-2, 65-74.
Smith, R.S., Salem, A., and Lemieux, J., 2005, An enhanced method for source
parameter imaging of magnetic data collected for mineral exploration: Geophysical
Prospecting, 2005, 53, 655–665.
Smith, R.S., and Salem, A., 2005, Imaging the depth, structure, and susceptibility
from magnetic data: the advanced source parameter imaging method: Geophysics,
70, L31-38
Vrbancich, J., and Smith, R., 2005, Limitations of two approximate methods
for determining the AEM bird position in a conductive environment: Exploration
Geophysics, 36, 365-373.
Salem, A., Ravat, D., Smith, R., and Ushijima, K., 2005, Interpretation of magnetic
data using an enhanced local wavenumber (ELW) method: Geophysics, 70, L7-L12.
Smith, R.S., Lee, T.J., Annan, A.P. and O’Connell, M.D., 2005, Approximate
apparent conductance (or conductivity) from the realizable moments of the impulse
response: Geophysics, 70, G29-G32.
Salem A. and Smith, R., 2005, Depth and structural index from normalized local
wavenumber of 2D magnetic anomalies: Geophysical Prospecting, 53, 83-89.
Smith, R.S., and O’Connell, M.D., 2005, Interpolation and gridding of aliased
geophysical data using constrained anisotropic diffusion to enhance trends:
Geophysics, 70, V121-127.
Smith, R., Shore, M, and Rainsford, D., 2012, How to make better use of physical properties in mineral exploration: The exploration site measurement: The Leading Edge, 31, March, 936-940.
Smith, R., 2010, Airborne electromagnetic methods: applications to minerals, water
and hydrocarbon exploration: CSEG Recorder, 35(3), 7-10.
Vallee, M.A., Smith, R.S., 2009, Application of Occam’s inversion to airborne time-
domain electromagnetics: The Leading Edge, 28, March, 284-287.
Smith, R., McConnell, D., Rowe, J., 2008, The application of airborne
electromagnetics to hydrocarbon exploration: First Break, 26, November, 65-70.
Smith, R.S., Cheng, L.-Z., and Chouteau, M., 2008, Using reversed polarity
airborne transient electromagnetic data to map tailings around mine sites: The
Leading Edge, 27, November, 1470-1478.
Smith, R., and Pellerin, L., 2008, President’s page: SEG: one big, happy family:
The Leading Edge, 27, January, 8.
Salem, A., Williams, S., Fairhead J.D., Ravat, D., Smith, R., 2007, Tilt-depth
method: A simple depth estimation method using first-order magnetic derivatives:
The Leading Edge, 26, December, 1502-1505.
Thurston, J., and Smith, R., 2007, Source location using total-field homogeneity:
Introducing the SLUTH method for depth estimation: The Leading Edge, 26,
October, 1272-1277.
Smith, R., and O’Connell, M., 2007, Improved trending of features on aeromagnetic
maps: CSEG Recorder, 32, June, 32-36.
Fountain, D., Smith, R., Payne, T., Lemieux, J., 2005, The HeliGEOTEM helicopter
time-domain EM system applied to mineral exploration: system and data: First
Break, 23, November, 73-78.
Smith, R., Fountain, D., and Allard, M., 2005, The MEGATEM fixed-wing transient
EM system applied to mineral exploration: a discovery case history. CSEG
Recorder, October, 27-30.
O’Connell, M.D., Smith, R.S. and Vallee, M.A., 2005, Gridding aeromagnetic data
using longitudinal and transverse horizontal gradients with the minimum curvature
operator: The Leading Edge, 24, 142-145.
Smith, R., 2011, A review of developments in airborne electromagnetic methods with examples for uranium exploration: Workshop on Recent advances in ground and airborne electromagnetic methods, Hyderabad, India, 27-28 September, 2011.
Smith, R., 2011, Recent advances in electromagnetic methods applied to mineral exploration, Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems, Workshop W-1: Advances in Near-surface Electromagnetic Induction Geophysics.
Kolaj, M., Smith, R., Samson, C., 2011, Mapping laterally varying conductance using EM gradients over dry tailings ponds: SEG Expanded Abstract, 30, 1368-1372.
Ulla, J.D., Smith, R., Samson, C., 2009, Automation of the SLUTH method for
deriving depth and location of magnetic sources: SEG Expanded Abstract, 29, 903-
907.
Smith, R.S., Lemieux, J. and Hodges, G., 2009, Case histories illustrating the
characteristics of the HeliGEOTEM system. Aust. Soc. Explor. Geophys. 20th Conf.
and Exhib., Adelaide.
Smith, R.S. and Lemieux, J. 2009, Examples showing characteristics of the
MEGATEM airborne electromagnetic system. Aust. Soc. Explor. Geophys. 20th Conf. and Exhib., Adelaide.
Vallée, M.A., Smith, R.S., Lemieux, J., Keating, P., Houle, P., 2008, Geological
Mapping with Power line fields measured with MEGATEM data: SEG Expanded
Abstract, 28, 1093-1097.
Smith, R.S., Cheng, L.Z., and Chouteau, M., 2008, Mapping tailings around mine
sites with reverse polarity airborne transient EM data: SEG Expanded Abstract, 28,
1313-1317.
Yin, C., R.S. Smith, G. Hodges and P. Annan, 2008, Modeling Results of On-
and Off-time B and dB/dt for Time-domain Airborne EM Systems: 70th EAGE
Conference and Exhibition, Rome, Italy.
Vallée, M.A. and Smith, R. S., 2008, 1D Laterally constrained inversion of time
domain airborne data. AEM 2008: 5th Int. Conf. on airborne electromagnetics,
Haikko, Finland.
Smith, R. S., McConnell, D. and Rowe, J., 2008, The application of airborne
electromagnetics to hydrocarbon exploration. AEM 2008: 5th Int. Conf. on airborne
electromagnetics, Haikko, Finland. (Keynote paper)
Smith, R., Wood, G., Powell, B., 2008, A comparison of TEMPEST and
MEGATEM airborne electromagnetic data with ground resistivity data over the
Millennium deposit. AEM 2008: 5th Int. Conf. on airborne electromagnetics, Haikko,
Finland.
Smith, R. and Hodges, G., 2008, The HeliGEOTEM II system, with an example of
data from the Maimon deposit in the Dominican Republic. AEM 2008: 5th Int. Conf.
on airborne electromagnetics, Haikko, Finland.
Smith, R., Koch, R. and Hodges, G., 2008, A Comparison of broadband
GEOTEM, TEMPEST and RESOLVE airborne electromagnetic data with ground
resistivity data over the Midwest Deposit. AEM 2008: 5th Int. Conf. on airborne
electromagnetics, Haikko, Finland.
Salem, A., Smith, R., Williams, S., Ravat, D. and Fairhead, D., 2007 Generalized
magnetic tilt-Euler deconvolution. SEG Expanded Abstract, 26, 790-794.
Cheng, L. Z., Smith, R. S., Allard, M., Chouteau, M., Keating, P., Lemieux, J.,
Vallee M.-A., Fountain, D., and Bois, D., 2007, Lessons learnt from three massive
sulphides test sites: KEGS symposium -- Geophysical contributions to new
discoveries. A workshop at Exploration 07. Sept 13.
Smith, R., and Salem, A., 2006, A discrete conductor transformation of airborne
electromagnetic data. SEG Expanded Abstracts 25, 1278.
Smith, R.S., and Koch, R., 2006, Airborne EM measurements over the Shea Creek
uranium prospect, Saskatchewan, Canada. SEG Expanded Abstracts 25, 1263.
Smith, R.S., Cheng, L-Z., Allard, M., Keating, P., Chouteau, M., Lemieux, J., Vallee,
M.A., Fountain, D., and Bois, D., 2006, An analysis of geophysical and geological
data from the Iso/New Insco test site, Quebec, Canada. SEG Expanded Abstracts 25, 1248.
Smith, R.S., Cheng, L-Z., Allard, M., Chouteau, M., Keating, P., Lemieux, J., Vallee,
M.A., Fountain, D., and Bois, D., 2006, An analysis of geophysical and geological
data from the Gallen test site, Quebec, Canada. SEG Expanded Abstracts 25,
1243.
Bouchedda, A., Chouteau, M., Keating, P., Smith, R., and Lemieux, J., 2006,
Traitement des données MEGATEMII pour la mise en évidence des anomalies de
faible amplitude. GAC-MAC meeting, Montréal. SM 02.
Cheng, L.Z., Chouteau, M., Smith, R. S., et Allard, M., 2006, Technologie
MEGATEM : développements récents. GAC-MAC meeting, Montréal. SM 02.
Chouteau, M., Keating, P., Smith, R., and Lemieux, J., 2006, Traitement des
données MEGATEMII pour la mise en Évidence des anomalies de faible amplitude.
GAC-MAC meeting, Montréal. SM 02.
Smith, R.S., and Chouteau, M.C., 2005, Combining airborne electromagnetic data
from alternate flight directions to improve data interpretability: the virtual symmetric
array: 74th Annual Internat. Mtg., Soc. Expl. Geophys., Expanded Abstracts, 1209-
1212. MIN 3.3.
Smith, R.S., O’Connell, M.D., Poulsen, L.H., 2005, Using airborne EM surveys
to investigate the hydrogeology of an area near Nyborg, Denmark: 74th Annual
Internat. Mtg., Soc. Expl. Geophys., Expanded Abstracts, 1405-1408. NSG 3.4 |
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