Twin Otter to explore minerals in State
Source: Hueiyen News Service / N Sanajaoba Meetei

Imphal, November 14 2012: In a first of its kind, Twin Otter - a Canadian made British Multi Sensor Aircraft would be used for surveying the presence of minerals in Manipur particularly in Ukhrul and Chandel district.

According to sources from Commerce and Industries Department, Government of Manipur, the 7th session of the Central Geological Programming Board was held at the Remote Sensing and Airborne Survey (RSAS), Bangalore on July 16 last.

The meeting resolved to survey areas in Manipur and Nagaland where mineral deposits are expected to be found under the supervision of Geological Survey of India (GSI) .

Accordingly, GSI has sent an application to the Union Defense Ministry for approval on implementing the resolution of the meeting.

The approval of the Union Defense Ministry is likely to arrive by March, 2013.By then, the Twin Otter, a multi sensor aircraft which is capable of performing multi tasks would be pressed into service for surveying presence of minerals in Ukhrul and Chandel districts of Manipur.

The survey in Ukhrul district will cover an area of 1138 square kms extending to places like Nampisha, Yenlem, Gamnom Pushing, Phangrei and Nungpi while in Chandel district, the survey would be conducted covering an area of 293 square kms including places like Leibi, Khudengthabi and Minou, sources disclosed.

There have been reports of possible presence of various precious minerals like Platinum, Uranium in Ukhrul district, sources said.

Sources explained that 'Twin Otter', the Multi Sensor Aircraft, which is equipped with specially designed sensor ability to recognize presence of mineral ores inside the ground while flying low to the ground.

Apart from taking reports from its sensors, the aircraft would also be recording the photographs of the surface of the earth which could help in analyzing them minutely after converting the images into three dimensional formats.

The reports obtained from the Heliborne survey would be compared with the survey done on the surface of the earth and the minerals, thus detected, during the survey would be examined carefully for identification.

Before the Heliborne survey came into existence, the survey was normally conducted from high above the ground and it is known as Airborne Survey.

But it is particularly hard to identify rocks and minerals from high above the sky.

As such, Heliborne Survey is much more accurate than the Airborne Survey, sources said.

Nonetheless, sources went on to indicate, Heliborne Survey has also its own disadvantages when it comes to surveying rough terrains, thick jungles and hill areas.

Since the Multi Sensor Aircraft cannot be flown in accordance to the level of hills and valleys, and has to be flown at a certain height, the survey reports of much higher areas will be clearer while those of low areas would be less clear.

It will also face some problems while taking the photographs of thick jungles.

The ground surveys of certain areas in Ukhrul and Chandel have already been conducted.

However, there are certain areas where the ground survey was not possible.

In such areas, use of Heliborne survey has become a must, sources added.

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