The Fast and Low-Cost Magnetometry with Micro Electro Mechanical Systems Sensor

With the extraction of surface minerals and the depletion of their reserves, the exploration of deeper deposits has become a pressing consideration. Among the geophysical techniques available for such exploration, magnetometry stands out. Proton magnetometers, the prevailing instruments in terrestrial magnetometry, are characterized by their high cost, high weight, and large size. Moreover, their low sampling rate necessitates prolonged and consequently costly field operations. However, the advancement of Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors, which are both lightweight and cost-effective and possess high sampling rates and satisfactory sensitivity, has garnered significant interest. In this research, one such MEMS sensor was deployed and employed in the examination of a small iron deposit located in Western Iran. Then, the findings from these measurements were compared to those obtained using a proton magnetometer. The comparison reveals a substantial difference in efficiency. Magnetometry with MEMS sensors over the selected deposit took approximately 8.5 hours, whereas the survey with the proton magnetometer on the same profiles spanned around 44 hours. In addition to the time savings, the application of MEMS sensors led to a remarkable reduction in operating costs, by up to fivefold. On the other hand, due to the small size of this magnetometer, by placing it in a handbag or backpack of the operator, it is possible to carry out the magnetometer survey without any problem of dealing with the opponents and to prevent the postponement of the field magnetometer operation.