Our brochure on seismic monitoring is available as pdf download here. The brochure is also available in French and Spanish. A short video intruducing seismic monitoring is here.

The use of the deep underground is associated with stress changes and deformation processes in the rock, which manifest themselves as mini-earthquakes and lead to subsidence at the earth's surface. This affects mines of all kinds, caverns in salt rock, deep thermal aquifer reservoirs, deep geothermal wells and stimulated oil and gas production wells. Operators and authorities have a great interest in ensuring that economic activities in the subsurface are as safe and seismologically event-free as possible. This requires the establishment of a seismic monitoring system in the respective areas, which consists of several seismic sensors that continuously register any vibrations. If there are significant tremors, the corresponding data are automatically and immediately transmitted by mobile radio to previously defined locations for evaluation.
K-UTEC is one of the few companies in Europe that plans, builds, erects and operates seismic monitoring systems which are also known as microseismic monitoring technology. The company brings several decades of experience to the table. The seismometers are built in K-UTEC's own workshop, Made in Germany. The software packages, tailored and optimised for this application, were developed together with a partner specifically for this purpose and work seamlessly with the K-UTEC data logger and data network. K-UTEC's seismic monitoring systems are currently located at numerous sites in Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain and South America. We take care that the registration of the tremors runs smoothly. Our team evaluates reports of major seismological events around the clock, 365 days a year as part of an on-call service. Within just one hour, the operators of the plants are informed when and where exactly an incident has occurred. Authorities can be informed, too, if requested by the client. With the help of the data from several seismometers, the geophysicists at K-UTEC can pinpoint exactly which spot in the underground is responsible for the measured tremor.

With the help of this timely information, operators can react immediately, for example by closing and reinforcing certain unstable sections of mines. In this way, disasters can be prevented. Geothermal operators and natural gas producers could reduce the production rate, and cavern storage facilities could stop the inflow or outflow. Continuous seismic monitoring gives operators and authorities the certainty that everything is runnign smoothly. The data also form a good basis for documenting the responsible operation of the plant to local residents. If incidents do occur, the monitoring data help to identify the true cause of vibrations in a court-proof way, or to ward off unjustified allegations. K-UTEC's data can be used for this purpose without restriction, because the geophysics department is a laboratory accredited by the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS) according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025. In addition, K-UTEC AG is registered as a measuring body according to § 29b of the Federal Immission Control Act (BlmSchG) in the sense of § 26 BlmSchG for the field of activity "Determination of vibrations". K UTEC is a Certified Quality Company according to the criteria of the Professional Association of German Geoscientists (BDG). Seismic monitoring is also used to exclude possible disturbances of earthquake measuring stations by new wind farms.

Contact for seismic monitoring: Thomas Schicht, Thomas.Schichtk-utec.de, Tel. +49-3632-610 187

Mining and raw material processing produces large quantities of residues that cannot be used economically. These are deposited on heaps that can be up to 200 metres high. Depending on the material, the slopes of the heaps must not exceed a certain angle to guarantee their stability and prevent slides. Geomechanics and geotechnical engineers from K-UTEC support companies in the geotechnical calculation and dimensioning of the tailings piles. Our geophysicists scan the inside of the tailings piles with the help of sound wave measurements (seismics), electricity (geoelectrics) and georadar. Objectives are the detection of weak points in the tailings pile body as well as the identificaction of flow paths of rainwater. If these informaton are known at an early stage, operators still have sufficient time to react to them.

Contact for geomechanics: Dr. Christian Jakob, Christian.Jakobk-utec.de, Tel. +49-3632 610 174
Contact for heap tomography: Sandro John, Sandro.Johnk-utec.de, Tel. +49-3632 610 17

Our brochure on Dam Safety Monitoring is available as pdf download here.

Dams are essential for storing large volumes of water and mining waste. The integrity of these dams is critical to the safety of communities downstream from the reservoirs. Disasters such as the failure of the Brumadinho tailings dam, a Brazilian iron ore mine in Minas Gerais on 25 January 2019, are a reminder of the latent risk of such structures and the enormous damage that unsafe operation can cause.

K-UTEC offers a comprehensive monitoring service for dams. This enables the early detection of potential weaknesses to allow timely remedial action. The toolbox consists of a range of non-destructive geophysical methods such as inclinometers, seismic sensors, conductivity probes and drone-based monitoring. The data is processed using proprietary computer models and fed into a real-time early warning system. Safety alerts are immediately transmitted to the operators of the structures so that they can inform the relevant authorities without delay.

K-UTEC has collaborated with renowned European research institutes such as the Geoforschungsinstitut GFZ in Potsdam and the Universities of Weimar and Kiel, as well as other certified partners, on several projects to monitor dams and other infrastructure using multi-parameter sensors developed in-house. The technology has proven itself in practice as a robust, cost-effective and adaptable system for any risk monitoring and analysis project. We have a customised dam safety solution for every structure. We are happy to help you select the right monitoring equipment for your project.

Contact for dam and levee safety: Thomas Schicht, Thomas.Schichtk-utec.de, Tel. +49-3632 610 187

Sinkholes can occur when natural cavities form in subsurface rocks and propagate to the earth's surface. The cavities are formed in relatively easily soluble rocks such as salts, gypsum or limestone. In Germany alone, several hundred new sinkholes are created every year. Depending on their location, these karst holes can cause great damage to buildings and infrastructure. Property owners, municipalities and insurance companies therefore have a great interest in determining the exact location and temporal development of underground cavities in sinkhole areas. For this purpose, K UTEC carries out detailed geophysical measurement campaigns based on hybrid seismics and geoelectrics. This produces a comprehensive geophysical picture of the subsurface. Based on these seismic and resistivity investigations, the sinkhole risk can be realistically assessed. Equipped with this information, effective mitigation measures can be planned to protect buildings and infrastructure. Construction bans in particularly risky zones prevents later losses.

Contact for geophysical karst features imaging: Sandro John, Sandro.Johnk-utec.de, Tel. +49-3632 610 172

K-UTEC offers a wide range of geophysical measurement methods. These include, among others:
-    Geoelectrical sounding, mapping, tomography 1D/2D/3D
-    Surface and borehole radar
-    Reflection and refraction seismics, surface wave seismics, hybrid seismics
-    Borehole seismics, VSP measurements, CH tomography
-    Seismic and electromagnetic tomography
-    TEM measurements
-    Sonar exploration
-    Borehole deviation measurements, camera surveys

These methods are used for a variety of applications:
-    Subsurface cavity exploration
-    Resources exploration and assessment
-    Hydrogeological and geohydraulic exploration
-    Exploration of strata boundaries and geological structures
-    Exploration of steep structures and formations
-    Infrastructure routing exploration
-    Locating pipes and pipelines

K-UTEC carries out geophysical measurements in potash mines in order to optimise mining and to target the most productive parts of the deposit. Techniques include borehole radar, georadar, geoelectrics and seismics. Another field of application for these methods is the exploration of foundations for construction, rail, road and renewable energies.

Contact for geophysical measurements: Sandro John, Sandro.Johnk-utec.de, Tel. +49-3632 610 172

K-UTEC‘s geophysics and geology department supports companies in the exploration and resource assessment of potash deposits of all kinds. Firstly, large parts of the global potash resources occur in the form of solid salt rock. The potash seams are usually several metres thick and are located at depths of several hundred metres. The seams are typically exploited by conventional mining. However, brine mining is also practised, whereby the potash is extracted from the deposits via boreholes and caverns. Secondly, potash also occurs in natural brines in the underground of salt lakes. From there, it is pumped to the earth's surface, where the potash is concentrated in evaporation basins.

K-UTEC prepares detailed exploration programmes for potash projects worldwide. With the help of seismic and other geophysical measurements, the large-scale structure of the deposit is first examined using selected profiles. Is the deposit homogeneous or subdivided by geological fault zones? At what depth can the potash horizon be expected? Is the salt layer horizontal or tectonically tilted? K-UTEC carries out the seismic and other geophysical measurements with its own equipment or works with local partners outside Europe. The data is then processed and interpreted by K-UTEC.

For potassium-containing groundwater brines in arid salt lake areas, K UTEC uses the geophysical TEM method, which stands for Transient ElectroMagnetics (TEM). This method determines the electrical conductivity of the subsurface. On the geological profiles, the brine-bearing layers stand out clearly from the rest of the sequence due to their increased electrical conductivity and low electrical resistance.

On the basis of the 2D geophysical information, K-UTEC then plans suitable boreholes that sample the deposit in a representative manner across the exploration concession. For solid rock potash seams, it must be precisely determined at which locations and how many metres of drill cores must be obtained. Drill cores provide important undisturbed sample material that allows a detailed geochemical, mineralogical and petrophysical characterisation of the salt sequence. As coring is more expensive than normal drilling with drill cuttings, a reasonable economic compromise has to be found. The aim is to obtain a meaningful minimum data set with the smallest possible number of boreholes and cores.

The rock samples obtained are then analysed in detail chemically and mineralogically in K UTEC's own salt special laboratory. Subsequently, the boreholes are geophysically logged along their entire length. Potassium minerals are easily identifiable in the gamma-ray logs due to their slightly elevated natural radioactivity, so that the depth and thickness of the potash deposits can be reliably determined. K UTEC uses specialist software for the petrophysical evaluation of the logs. For potassium-containing groundwater brines, both rocks and brines have to be analysed. K UTEC is planning pump tests of different durations to determine both the possible brine production rates and the chemical composition of the brines.

Based on all the information collected, K-UTEC produces 3D models that depict the spatial distribution of the potash deposit in the salt deposits or in the potash-bearing groundwater brine. With reference to international exploration standards (e.g. NI 43-101, JORC), K-UTEC's certified resource geologists then calculate the amount of potash that can be economically extracted from the subsurface. The department includes three Eurogeologists ("European Geologists" according to the European Federation of Geologists) in the fields of resource estimation and hydrogeology. These titles are roughly equivalent to the American title "Qualified Person" (QP) and the Australian title "Competent Person" (CP).

K-UTEC carries out geophysical measurements in potash mines in order to optimise planning and target the most productive parts of the deposit. Borehole radar, georadar, geoelectrics and seismics are used.

Contact for exploration and resource assessment: Sandro John, Sandro.Johnk-utec.de, Tel. +49-3632 610 172

Although lithium is relatively common on Earth, it is usually only found in very low concentrations. Lithium exploration therefore focuses on deposits in which lithium is already naturally present in a more concentrated form. The dominating resource types are lithium-containing brines of salt lakes (salars) and certain crystalline solid rocks, so-called pegmatites. Lithium-containing mudstones, volcanic tuffs and deep geothermal waters are also suitable. The geophysics and geology department of K UTEC supports companies in the exploration of all these deposits.

Lithium from salars: The lithium-bearing brines are located in the sediment pore space several tens to a few hundreds of metres below the salar surface. K-UTEC experts plan detailed geoscientific exploration programmes for project owners to determine the distribution and concentration of the brines and to estimate the economically recoverable resources. As a first step, the geometry of the geological salar structure needs to be surveyed over a large area. This is based on literature studies, aerogeophysical methods and geological mapping. Spectral and false colours images of remote sensing techniques help to map the distribution of chemical components.
After that, the work continues on the ground. Here, a range of geophysical, geological and especially hydrogeological methods are being employed. K-UTEC uses the geophysical TEM method, which stands for Transient ElectroMagnetics (TEM). Alternatively, this is also known as Common Source ElectroMagnetic (CSAMT). This method determines the electrical conductivity of the subsurface. On geological profiles, the brine-bearing layers stand out clearly from the rest of the sequence due to their increased conductivity and low electrical resistance. In addition, low-cost passive seismic measurements (H/V) can be carried out alongside conventional but more cost-intensive reflection seismic surveys.
Based on the 2D geophysical information, K-UTEC plans suitable boreholes that will sample the deposit in a representative manner across the exploration concession. The boreholes are first geophysically logged. This is followed by pumping tests of varying duration to determine both the possible brine production rates and the material composition of the brines. The extracted brine is geochemically analysed in the K-UTEC laboratory or in partner laboratories. Based on all the information collected, K-UTEC creates 3D models that map the spatial distribution of the lithium-bearing groundwater brine. K-UTEC's certified resource geologists subsequqntly calculate the amount of lithium that can be economically extracted from the subsurface, following international exploration standards (e.g. NI 43-101, JORC).

Lithium from pegmatites: Pegmatites are coarse-grained magmatic rocks from deep geological levels. Some of the pegmatites contain lithium-bearing minerals such as spodumene, lepidolite or petalite. In certain regions, pegmatites came to the earth's surface through tectonic processes. Here, the rock can be sampled and mapped by K UTEC geologists. In order to obtain a large-scale overview, the pegmatite can also be explored by remote sensing instruments carried by aeroplanes, helicopters or drones. Various sensors are used, for example spectral photographs, which allow lithium-bearing minerals to be identified on the earth's surface. Once the lithium distribution at the surface has been clarified, the downward continuation of the pegmatite body has to be reconstructed. In some cases this is achieved by seismic measurements in order to map out the edge of the lithium ore body. However, this only works if the pegmatite has intruded into a rock that can be acoustically distinguished from the pegmatite in the seismic measurement. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case.
Pegmatites are difficult to study geophysically because they are non-magnetic, electrically non-conductive and have only a low density contrast to the neighbouring rocks. In such cases, K UTEC plans borehole programs that deliver drill cores and drill cuttings distributed systematically across the pegmatite body. These will then be geochemically and mineralogically analysed in the laboratory. The boreholes will also be geophysically logged. If the pegmatite does not quite reach the earth's surface and is hidden underground, so-called "mobile metal ion" (MMI) geochemistry can be used. In this process, components from the pegmatite body migrate into the soil layers at the Earth's surface, where they can be detected geochemically as an anomaly. Based on the combined surface and subsurface data, K UTEC then creates a three-dimensional geological deposit model, which serves as the basis for resource estimation according to international standards (e.g. NI 43-101, JORC).

Lithium from shales and tuffs: The exploration concept for this deposit type is based on careful geological surface mapping and sampling, supported by airborne geophysics and ground-based seismics for structural exploration. Due to the properties of the host rocks, the mudstones and tuffs can geophysically usually be well distinguished from the surrounding rock strata. Subsequently, boreholes are drilled which are geophysically logged and samples geochemically analysed to determine the spatial extent and quality of the lithium enrichment.

Lithium from deep geothermal wells: Exploration differs fundamentally from the other types of lithium deposits, as the target zone is located at a depth of several kilometres. Deep seismic data are required which have to be acquired by specialised companies. Deep wells have to be drilled by third-party companies that are petrophysically logged. K-UTEC focuses here on the data synthesis and the generation of hydrogeological models to determine the commercially recoverable amounts of lithium.

The department includes three Eurogeologists ("European Geologists" according to the European Federation of Geologists) for the areas of resource assessment and hydrogeology. These titles are equivalent to the American title "Qualified Person" (QP) and the Australian title "Competent Person" (CP).

Contact for exploration and resource assessment: Sandro John, Sandro.Johnk-utec.de, Tel. +49-3632 610 172