Induced Polarization (IP) for Mineral Exploration
Why Induced Polarization is effective for detecting sulfide mineralization, and how to combine it with resistivity for more accurate exploration.
What is Induced Polarization?
Induced Polarization (IP) measures a rock's ability to temporarily store electric charge (the polarization effect) after current is switched off. Disseminated metallic minerals — especially sulfides — produce a strong IP response (chargeability), making IP one of the best methods for detecting mineralization invisible to resistivity alone.
What targets?
IP is highly effective for porphyry (copper-gold), epithermal, and disseminated sulfide deposits. Because many Indonesian deposits are porphyry and epithermal in type, IP is an important exploration tool for mining companies and exploration consultants.
Resistivity + IP
IP is usually measured together with resistivity. Combining the two distinguishes mineralized zones (high chargeability) from mere lithology variation or groundwater, making interpretation far more reliable.
High-power & full-waveform IP
For deep targets, a high-power transmitter is required. IRIS offers the SYSCAL system and IP transmitters up to 12 kW, plus a distributed full-waveform system (FullWaver) that records full signals at many points at once — the latest technology for large, deep IP surveys.
Need an instrument or advice?
The Jatific team is ready to recommend the right tool for your survey.
Request a Quote