Research Interests

·         Experience in optical and radar remote sensing, predominantly for geological and applications

·         Experience in GIS and spatial data analysis

·         Develops remote sensing and GIS analysis techniques and tests their applicability in the geoscience field

·         Applies remote sensing analysis techniques in the geoscience field. This includes remote sensing for geological mapping, minerals exploration, water resources assessment, environmental assessment and geological hazard assessment

·         Participates in statutory research programmes

·         Consults on commercial projects for the minerals exploration industry

·         Involved with training of National and International Scientists

·         Advises public and private sector organizations

·         Involved in the development of project and contract proposals

·         Management of large research programmes

My job profile as scientific officer at the Council for Geoscience involves the development of remote sensing techniques for application in the geoscience field of practice. This includes the testing of developed methodologies to determine its application in the geoscience field. In this regard, the use of remote sensing techniques for geological mapping have been developed and applied for several large scale mapping programmes including two mapping programmes in Ghana and a mapping programme in Madagascar.

An extension of geological mapping capabilities includes remote sensing for minerals exploration. Here, satellite remote sensing techniques have been developed to highlight exploration targets in several deposit types including porphyry copper, hydrothermal gold, alluvial diamonds and both sheer-hosted and laterised Manganese deposits. The use of remote sensing for minerals exploration is an ongoing effort with consulting work being aimed at private sector minerals exploration companies.

To address and monitor the environmental effects of mining, several remote sensing techniques and approaches have been developed to monitor the changes on the earth surface that may be indicative of pollutants and their distribution in mining areas. This research has mainly focused on addressing the problem of acid mine drainage and water ingress associated with gold-mining activities in the Witwatersrand basin.

Recently, the remote sensing research has developed to address the field of geological hazards. In this regard, state-of-the-art research is aimed at developing Differential Radar Interferometry and Polarimetric Interferometry techniques to detect millimeter to centimeter scale deformation at the earth surface. These techniques make use of microwave remote sensing data through advance image processing algorithms. The technique is currently being employed to detect surface subsidence associated with Coal mining activities in South Africa. The research involves close working relationships with research organizations including Coaltech as well as the University of Cape Town’s Department of Electrical Engineering. The research is also the topic of a PhD thesis that is currently undertaken. This work has lead to several papers accepted for National and International conference proceedings and a publication in the South African Journal of Geology.