Remote Prospecting?
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Joe S (AK)
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Re: Remote Prospecting?
Helicopter evaluations are like snapshots - not like detailed videos.
Unless a specific plan, including on-foot area exploration, is followed, the natural tendency is to land, sample one or two (maybe 3) of the best grab sample locations and then go on to the next spot on the list. While efficient in the raw numbers of sample spots checked off in a given time, much, if not all, of the local features remain unseen in way too many "remote evaluations". I have seen that exact thing with USGS reports from summer help supervised by one crew chief of not much more experience than the crew, itself. Short sighted time constraints can raise the onus of "degraded sampling procedures", further degrading 'make-work' summer projects.
While it is exhausting to slog on foot from area to area, the opportunities to see unanticipated things first hand from nose high instead of a thousand + feet of altitude makes the trek worthwhile (in my opinion),
Just from what I've seen - and I haven't seen it all yet.
Joe
Unless a specific plan, including on-foot area exploration, is followed, the natural tendency is to land, sample one or two (maybe 3) of the best grab sample locations and then go on to the next spot on the list. While efficient in the raw numbers of sample spots checked off in a given time, much, if not all, of the local features remain unseen in way too many "remote evaluations". I have seen that exact thing with USGS reports from summer help supervised by one crew chief of not much more experience than the crew, itself. Short sighted time constraints can raise the onus of "degraded sampling procedures", further degrading 'make-work' summer projects.
While it is exhausting to slog on foot from area to area, the opportunities to see unanticipated things first hand from nose high instead of a thousand + feet of altitude makes the trek worthwhile (in my opinion),
Just from what I've seen - and I haven't seen it all yet.
Joe
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