Leveraging Water, Geophysics for Mining Excellence

Q: What services does Tesolum offer the mining sector and how were these services influenced by the oil and gas industry?
A: The company began operations in 2018 focusing on water exploration for the agriculture and public water industry. We gradually expanded our services to include the mining industry, where we have been involved in various water exploration and modeling projects. For example, we recently completed a project in Chihuahua, where we did modeling for an open-pit project to help the client determine where to access water and plan its project accordingly.

Most companies in the mining industry focus on mineralized zones and often overlook water-related factors. We use surface geophysics methods like resistivity and induced polarization (IP) to not only explore mineralized zones, but also to evaluate where water sources are located. This is crucial for mining companies to avoid unexpected flooding issues. Many companies, including major ones, conduct extensive drilling without using downhole geophysics, which is essential for modeling the mining project and understanding the geological structures deep underground. We offer downhole geophysics services, running probes inside boreholes to gather valuable information about structures and fractures. Downhole geophysics allows us to gather as much information as possible before a collapse occurs.

Our goal is to work closely with clients during their drilling campaigns to provide real-time data and insights to optimize their mining operations and minimize risks associated with water and geological structures.

Q: What sets Tesolum’s services apart from others in the industry? 
A: We initially focused only on the water industry, but we have since diversified our services. Our equipment allows us to conduct resistivity surveys for water exploration and IP surveys for mineralization detection. One of our key advantages is our ability to reach depths of up to 450m using resistivity and IP tomography, with cables extending up to 2km. While some companies may promise deeper surveys, we have the ability to provide detailed tomographies in 2D or 3D modeling at these depths.

We also offer geotechnical services for dam monitoring. Using resistivity and IP surveys, we can detect leakages and assess the structural integrity of dam walls, helping to prevent potential disasters. This is particularly useful for large dams where pinpointing a leakage source can be challenging. By identifying and addressing issues early, we can help prevent costly and dangerous failures.

Q: Why were these oil and gas techniques not previously used in mining? 
A: It is probably because they are not well known. These types of problems are often kept confidential due to their sensitivity and the need for specialized resources. A client in Sinaloa faced a similar issue with its dams and had to bring in experts from Chile since it could not find them in Mexico. 

While not well known in Mexico, this knowledge can add value to our clients. For example, if a client believes that a significant amount of gold is available at the bottom of its old dam, it could perform several small drilling operations. However, we plan a geophysics study to accurately pinpoint the location of gold deposits before it starts drilling.

Q: What activities is the company involved in at the La Muralla Project? 
A: Tesolum owns claims for an exploration project located 20km south of Batopilas, Chihuahua, a district known for producing over 300Moz of silver, and about 21km east of El Sauzal, a former Goldcorp site that produced over 1.7Moz of gold. The La Muralla project, located in Chihuahua, shows promising signs of polymetallic mineralization, with gold grades up to 12g/t and silver grades from 200g/t to 1,400g/t. We identified veins up to 900m in length containing significant amounts of gold, silver, copper and lead, as well as some molybdenum, which suggests the presence of a substantial ore body underground.

We conducted resistivity and IP surveys on the surface at deep and shallow depths to follow the veins and identify anomalies. A 350m deep geophysics survey confirmed the presence of anomalies, indicating the potential for a significant ore body. We met with investors and major companies to discuss expanding the project, which could lead to a drilling campaign. Our future goal is continue the exploration of this project and then possibly become a public company if is needed.

Despite the challenging topography, we have conducted extensive surface mapping and identified an old mine with three levels and tunnels up to 50m deep. One of the tunnels has an average of 2.3k of silver sampling, indicating the presence of significant mineralization. With further exploration and drilling, we are confident we will discover a large mineral deposit in La Muralla.

Q: What are Tesolum’s main priorities for growth and expansion?
A: Many of our clients are facing challenges with water management. Some have trouble with excessive water, while others need more water for their operations. For example, in Sinaloa, we helped a client by evaluating their existing wells and determining the best locations for new drilling to optimize water extraction. Companies often overlook water-related issues because they are more focused on minerals. 

We are expanding into new areas within the water industry and designing equipment for water well fracking, a process similar to oil well fracking but adapted for water wells, which makes it cleaner than in the oil and gas industry. This technology, which is unique in Mexico, allows us to increase water flow or seal off zones without using harmful chemicals, offering a more environmentally friendly solution.

Tesolum started as Geophysics provider now becoming a Junior Exploration Company.