Candle Hills electromagnetic geophysics

Project Details

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• Project ID:

  1736

• Nickname/Abbreviation:

  Candle Hills EM

• Parent Project:

  Geophysics Program

• Status:

  Active

• Description:

  The Candle Hills airborne electromagnetic survey covers a portion of the McGrath and Iditarod quadrangles, southwest of McGrath, across part of the Kuskokwim Mountains in western interior Alaska. The McGrath and Iditarod quadrangles are prime exploration targets because they lie within historically productive mining districts and contain geologic structures and rock units known to host gold and other metallic mineral deposits. The survey was conducted to characterize subsurface electrical resistivity variations and to support geologic mapping and mineral resource evaluation. These data provide a framework for identifying concealed lithologic contacts, structural features, and alteration zones that may indicate areas of elevated mineral potential. Time-domain electromagnetic data were acquired using the helicopter-mounted VTEM Terrain system on August 5-12, 2025, by Geotech Ltd. A total of 1060 line-kilometers was flown over a single survey block measuring 369.5 square kilometers. The block was flown with northwest–southeast line orientation and a nominal spacing of 400 meters, along with northeast-southwest oriented tie lines with a nominal spacing of 4000 meters. Mean ground clearance was 44 meters, with a mean survey speed of 86 km/hr.

• Project Date(s):

  2025 - 2026

• Primary Contact:

  Petersen, Eric I.

• DGGS section:

  Mineral Resources

• Alternate Url:

  Find out more...

• Project Participants:

  Logan A. Fusso, Eric I. Petersen

Publications

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GPR 2026-3

Petersen, E.I., Fusso, L.A., Geotech Ltd., and Aqua Geo Frameworks LLC, 2026, Candle Hills airborne electromagnetic survey, Kuskokwim region, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Geophysical Report 2026-3, 9 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/31963