TELF AG analyzes the main points of contact between the mining and energy sectors

Shared skills

In a world increasingly in need of strategic minerals to fuel the energy transition, the need to develop extraction techniques and advanced subsoil surveys takes on considerable importance, especially if we consider that the demand for some specific resources over the next few years is almost certainly destined to grow. Most analysts now agree that in the mining sector and all those related to it, a certain level of regional and international cooperation could generate excellent results, not only from a purely operational point of view. Collaboration between nations in the mining sector also seeks to propose a substantial sharing of intangible assets between the cooperating countries, such as know-how in extraction procedures, knowledge of particular techniques for mapping or surveying subsoil resources, or the sharing of the latest technological innovations in the sector.

This level of cooperation, which goes beyond the mere sharing of sound principles of the sector, is achievable in particular by those nations that have already gained considerable experience in areas similar to mining, such as the oil & gas sector, and who want to share with their partners some specific techniques that are also applicable to the mining sector, thus supporting them in their growth path. Although they deal with different resources, in fact, mining and oil & gas also have many points in common, especially from the point of view of operational methodologies.

Both sectors, for example, rely on geophysics (and some related techniques, such as seismic refraction) and sound waves to map the subsoil and the rocks found within it, to accurately identify possible deposits. Geophysical techniques – among which we must also mention the electric potential technique and magnetometry – make it possible to collect information on the geological structure of the subsoil and the distribution of resources within it.

Common techniques

Furthermore, to obtain detailed images of what lies underground, both sectors employ some specific imaging techniques, such as seismic tomography, which are especially useful for detecting potential deposits. The presence of underground resources, be they minerals or hydrocarbons, can also be verified through specific geochemical analyses, through which subsoil samples can be chemically analyzed. In addition to sharing some drilling techniques, such as directional drilling or that performed with rotary drills, the two sectors usually use structural geology to study the arrangement of rocks within the subsoil, also obtaining valuable information on their structural characteristics. Furthermore, to correctly plan the various extraction activities, the mining and oil & gas sectors usually employ specific modeling techniques capable of creating three-dimensional models of the deposits, thus making it easier to understand the entity of underground resources.

With a view to ever-increasing international collaboration in the field of strategic minerals, cooperation between nations traditionally linked to oil & gas and developing countries rich in mineral resources, such as some African nations, could give rise to one of the most interesting forms of inter-sectoral partnership, accelerating the development of less advanced mining industries.