Wedoany.com Report-Aug. 12, The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) in Taiwan, through the Geological and Survey Mining Administration, has teamed up with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and De’An Aviation to launch MobileMT, a new airborne magnetotelluric (MT) survey program for geothermal exploration. The airborne survey is scheduled to run from 6-12 August and will focus on the Sanxing and Datong townships in Yilan County.

Airbone magnetotelluric survey equipment for geothermal exploration in Taiwan

This region, particularly the middle and upper areas of the Lanyang River in Yilan County, is recognized for its high geothermal potential, making it one of Taiwan's most promising geothermal zones. The aim of the survey is to utilize advanced technology to make breakthroughs in the geological research of geothermal resources, with a particular focus on identifying structures that could indicate the presence of geothermal energy.

The MobileMT survey will be conducted by suspending the MT instrument from a helicopter, which will fly at relatively low altitudes, around several hundred meters above the ground. This approach allows for the rapid collection of subsurface resistivity data over a large area, which will help in identifying highly permeable geological formations or structures rich in conductive minerals, important indicators of geothermal activity.

The results of the survey are expected to be published on the Geothermal Exploration Information Platform website, making the findings accessible to the public. The survey is being led by a team of experts in geothermal exploration and geophysics from Canada, who bring significant experience in conducting similar helicopter-based surveys worldwide.

The Mineral Resources and Earth Science Center has assured the residents of the survey area that all survey operations will follow standard procedures and have been approved by the relevant authorities to ensure safety and compliance.