Quantum sensing in mining

Magnetics is already central to exploration

Magnetic anomalies arise from the uneven distribution of magnetic minerals, mainly magnetite, and aeromagnetic surveys are a standard tool for mineral exploration and geological mapping.¹ Canada alone has a national aeromagnetic compilation built from more than 700 surveys flown since 1947.² Any new sensor has to improve on a mature, well-understood workflow.

What quantum magnetometers could add

• Sensitivity and stability that could resolve subtler anomalies or allow smaller, lower-flying platforms.
• Vector measurements from some sensor types, adding directional information to total-field surveys.
• Drone-scale payloads, making dense, low-altitude surveys cheaper. A Canada–UK project (QUAMINEX) has flown a diamond quantum magnetometer on a drone alongside gravimetry, with public funding from NRC IRAP and UKRI; performance claims are the companies' own.³

Positioning underground

Underground mines are a textbook GNSS-denied environment.⁴ Today's solutions rely on installed infrastructure — for example, ultra-wideband systems that have achieved localisation errors mostly below 1 m in trials⁴ — or on inertial dead reckoning. Whether magnetic or other quantum sensing can help underground positioning is a genuine research question: local magnetic disturbance from equipment and ore bodies is severe, and suitable reference maps rarely exist.

Practical considerations for a survey trial

1. Define the geological question — target size, depth and expected contrast — before choosing a sensor.
2. Design the survey — line spacing, altitude and tie lines appropriate to the target.
3. Control noise — platform and equipment magnetic signatures, and diurnal variation corrected against a base station.
4. Compare fairly — fly the same lines with the incumbent sensor and compare processed products, not raw noise figures.
5. Plan the data chain — processing, levelling and interpretation workflows that can use the new data.

Limitations

• Better sensor sensitivity only helps if platform noise, positioning and survey design keep pace.
• Quantum magnetometers for mining are at an early stage; most published results are company-reported.
• Underground magnetic navigation is substantially harder than airborne use and has little public evidence so far.

Evaluation opportunities with Orbital Quantum

Orbital Quantum is a Canadian company developing True North Navigation™ quantum magnetometer modules for GPS-independent positioning, currently offered as Founder's Edition units for partner evaluation ahead of broader commercial release. See how True North Navigation works.

Orbital Quantum's current focus is GPS-independent navigation for defence and UAV partners. Mining and exploration applications are at an exploratory stage: we are interested in speaking with exploration and mine-technology teams who would like to evaluate quantum magnetometer modules on a defined problem. No mining deployments or results are claimed here.

Sources

1. USGS Open-File Report 01-81 — aeromagnetic anomaly description — pubs.usgs.gov
2. Government of Canada Open Data — Canadian aeromagnetic data compilation — open.canada.ca
3. Newswire.ca — SBQuantum & Silicon Microgravity QUAMINEX announcement (Mar 2024) — www.newswire.ca
4. Ziegler et al. — UWB localisation in underground mines, Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (2023) — link.springer.com