UBC researchers uncover new ways to detect diamonds in soil
As ore’s interaction with soil alters communities of soil microbes, researchers examined microbes in soil as “biological fingerprints” of buried mineral deposits. The study, which has tested soil in Northwest Territories and other parts of Northern Canada, represents a new technique for mineral exploration.
When evaluating this technique against geochemical analysis, an established mineral detection method that examines elements in soil, it was found the microbial analysis was more precise. The technique can potentially be applied to the identification of other metallic deposits. Ongoing research is looking into the detection of porphyry copper deposits.
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