New Global Exploration Targeting Paradigms by Bob Watchorn

Join the South West WA Branch and AusIMM Geoscience Society for their in-person and livestream event on New Global Exploration Targeting Paradigms by Bob Watchorn.

About this event

This technical presentation will be delivered as both an in-person event and a Livestream webinar focussing on Global Mineralising systems and related Exploration Targeting, using EagleEye structural geology data.

New Earth mineralising system overview

It is suggested that the mass of the giant subductions around the original Theia Impact in the Pacific Ocean are ‘scraped off’ by the hotter Outer Core which is then pressurised releasing heat and mass back up to the surface.

This over-pressuring and subsequent release of the outer core most likely causes the cycles of mineralisation on Earth.

It is suggested the first major global tectonism occurred at 3 – 2.6 Ga forming the first worldwide mineralisation events. Figure 1 - A, B and C show that subvertical surface mineralisation structures can be followed down right to the outer core. This indicates that some mineralisation, heavy metals in particular, may have been derived straight from the core. Inset D suggests that structures from this deep geology can be used to target surface mineralisation in the Yilgarn.

The ability of EagleEye to define geological structure, at all scales, from geophysical and geographical data is new and gives a much needed, completely new dimension to exploration targeting.

Figure 1. A. Section through Earth. B. Africa section. C. South America section. D. Yilgarn Exploration Targeting.

Over the last 30 years successful experimentation by Bob Watchorn using structural recognition and definition programs to look into Earth’s geological structure has developed into the EagleEye system. We can now obtain MRI type Earth structural geology from the surface to Inner Core.

Everywhere Earth has been examined there is evidence of a brittle geological lithospheric environment down to the Outer Core. There is also abundant evidence of continental scale block movement. This block movement is generated from the core to the surface as the plate margins extend sub-vertically to the core. Thus, there are release paths from the core to the surface for mineralisation.

Event Program:
5.30pm-6.00pm: Registration, networking and light supper
6.00pm-7.00pm: Livestream and In-Person presentation begins
7.00pm-7.30pm: Q&A and closing
7.30pm: Post-presentation networking

Speaker/s

Bob Watchorn

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Bob Watchorn was born in Tasmania. He commenced as a geological assistant with Aberfoyle Tin at Rossarden in 1968. He gained an Associateship in Mining Geology at WASM, Kalgoorlie in 1972 and BSc in 1978 at Curtin University. He commenced work with WMC, in the nickel mines in Kambalda in 1971.
After working in the Kalgoorlie and Norseman gold mines he moved to Stawell playing an important role in restarting the mine. At Stawell he completed an MSc at University of Melbourne on the ‘Structural geology and mineralisation of Stawell goldfield’ under the mentorship of Professor Chris Wilson. He was chief geologist of the large and geologically complex Mt Magnet and St Ives gold operations.
After leaving WMC in 1999 he worked as a geological consultant on many Australian and overseas projects. He commenced structural research in the 1980s under outstanding, unique mentors, Tim O’Driscoll and Pat McGeehan, by experimenting with geophysical software to obtain the best detail out of images used in exploration. This, combined with his extensive 3D structural knowledge, gained from 45 years underground and surface mapping, led to his EagleEye process where exceptional (real) detail can be obtained (for the first time) from most geophysical images.