A Method of Deep Mineralization Potential Exploration Based on UAVs and Its Application in an Abandoned Mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have increasingly become carrying platforms for Earth observation systems equipped with optical, microwave, and other types of sensors, primarily enabling high-resolution observations of above-ground targets. With the development of geophysical methods, bulky instruments originally designed for deep subsurface detection have been progressively miniaturized and made more lightweight, allowing their integration with civilian UAVs and opening new technological avenues for subsurface investigation. We have developed a semi-airborne transient electromagnetic system based on a UAV that is capable of simultaneously obtaining underground resistivity and polarization rate parameters. A survey was conducted over the M’sesa mining area in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is a mine pit that has been abandoned for over 50 years and has been flooded to form a lake, making it difficult to detect its deep mineralization potential using traditional ground-based methods. The results clearly delineate the spatial distribution of the Shangoluwe–M’sesa compressional fault and reveal a deep low-resistivity and high-chargeability zone, which provides clues for the exploration of deep deposits. This study will be of significant importance for accelerating the promotion and application of UAV-based semi-airborne electromagnetic exploration technologies.