The Beep Mat Documents The Quick User's Guide

The Beep Mat Quick User's Guide

A) Connect the probe (Beep Mat) to the back of the reading unit.

B) Press [ON] until the first sound signal stops, then release it. "Standby" will then appear on the display indicating that the probe is connected and warming up. If possible, it is recommended to warm up the instrument at least half an hour before beginning the survey.

C) To begin the survey, place the probe away from any conductive material by lifting it vertically above your head so as to avoid ground effects. Initialize the reading unit by pressing rapidly on [ON]. YOU MUST HOLD THE PROBE IN THIS POSITION for about 2 sec. (until two consecutive beeps are heard).

D) After every 15 minutes of use, the instrument will signal by a repetitive beep that the instrument needs to be reinitialized. The reinitialization procedure is done in order to always achieve maximum efficiency. Repeat step C before continuing the survey.

E) To shut off the instrument, press and hold the [ON] key until OFF is shown on the display (about 5 sec.) then release it.

Note: if the instrument is not used for two hours, it will automatically turn itself off.

F) The instrument should be recharged every night from a 110-V socket or a 12-V battery. Full charge takes between 4 to 6 hours. When not in use for a long period, always keep the instrument on charge. The charger is to be connected to the same outlet as the cable of the probe.

G) [X] key: This key will neutralize the sound signal of the unit for a period of up to 5 minutes. The sound signal will return if you press this key again, if any other key is pressed or if the 5-minute period is over. NOTE: To indicate that the sound signal has been neutralized, a black rectangle will appear on the display at right.

H) The default alarm levels for the Beep Mat when you first turn it on are: LFR: 2 Hz, HFR: 4 Hz, MAG: 400 Hz and M.C. 99%. These default parameters should not be changed unless you are an experienced user. If you still need to change them, see section I below.

I) To change the value of any parameters, press on [LEVEL] until you see the value you want to change. Once there, press on the arrow keys to increase or decrease the value of each parameter.

NOTE: If at any time you become confused with those values, just turn the instrument off , then on again to reset all default values.

J) If the batteries are too weak, the reading unit will emit an alarm signal and will display the message « Low battery ». Shortly afterwards, the readings become meaningless. Change the batteries on the same day.

K) [MODE] key: This key is used to change the reinitialization time and to adjust the auto-recording time.

L) Arrow keys: These two keys allow you to adjust the display brightness.

Basic Beep Mat signal interpretation

L/H/FR is the Low frequency or High frequency response (relative conductivity) and increases near a conductor. This parameter will change automatically from LFR to HFR to get the higher response from the conductor.

MAG is the magnetic value and increases in presence magnetite.

Rt is the Ratio value. Rt is unaffected by the amount of conductive material present and qualifies the conductor (intrinsic conductivity) from 0% (poor conductor) to 100% (excellent conductor).

NOTE: The Rt is calculated only if no magnetite is present and HFR is at least 10 Hz. If magnetite is present, Rt=*** will appear on the display.

Beep Mat used with an ATV or snowmobile

Make sure that the probe is not next to any metal parts, such as the ATV, the snowmobile or, in some case, the sleigh. To do so, either put the probe in a sleigh made only of wood/plastic, or drag it behind as far as possible from the vehicle. Limit the speed of the vehicle to 20 km/h for such a survey.

In case of a Beep Mat breakdown

Connect the probe to the reading unit and initialize the Beep Mat far away from any conductive material (step C). If the display indicates NO HI FREQ (No High Frequency) or NO LO FREQ (No Low Frequency), replace the cable. If the unit is still not working, refer to section 3.9 of the Beep Mat Prospecting Manual

Do's

a) If you hear a "beep", first reinitialize the Beep Mat by holding it in the air so as to find out if it is caused by a real conductor or if the instrument has simply drifted. Then, after the conductor is confirmed, mark its location and walk around for a few minutes to get a feel of the surroundings.

b) Always dig to verify the cause of a "beep". Higher values will indicate that you are getting closer to a conductor, but only sampling and assaying will indicate true values. You may obtain very little sulfides, but a lot of gold!

c) Walk, walk, walk... up to 20 km per day so as to increase your chances of finding new conductors. In favourable areas of outcrops and/or till where mineralized boulders or outcrops are expected, one should expect to cover a square kilometre in 5 to 10 man-days.

d) As each "beep" may be a conductor, pay attention to all of them.

e) Always keep the instrument on the 110-V charge when not in use.

f) The Beep Mat can be used on properties where no lines have been cut. Simply focus your attention on outcrop areas where you should prospect in detail. Walk everywhere between lines.

g) If geophysical surveys have been done (airborne E.M., VLF, MaxMin, etc.), use the anomalies as targets to be checked. If a "beep" is heard, you should be able to check the conductor without having to drill it.

h) Be aware that up to 90% of the time, you may find only graphite, which is quite normal. Among the remaining 10% of sulfide-bearing conductors, you may obtain good values. That is where you should concentrate your energies: claiming, cutting grids, geophysical surveys, drilling, etc.

i) It helps to overlay glacial overburden maps to define where conductors occur in outcrop areas so as to pinpoint where you really want to spend time as overburden is shallow. They may represent 10 out of 100 conductors outlined.

j) You may use a GPS to locate yourself and what you have found so as to be able to come back later. It is easy to use, fast and inexpensive.

k) You can also use airphotos to localize yourself. It's great!

l) Recent airborne surveys have been very accurate because GPS was used during flights. Pay attention to each detail as it may save a lot of work in the field.

m) The Beep Mat can be used for boulder tracing, but it may take longer to find boulders than outcrops. However, some areas contain many boulders and you will learn to know which ones with experience.

n) Be aware that the richest spots will be found with the Beep Mat. Sample each conductor every 400 feet. Take 5-pound samples on each conductor and have them assayed. They may contain gold even when associated with graphite and pyrite.

o) If you use airborne survey maps, you may be able to check one or two conductors per day as compared to one conductor per week or one boulder per month if you go blind in the bush.

So help yourself with tools available from your resident geologist's office:

• overburden maps from the G.S.C. (Geological Survey of Canada)
• geology maps for outcrops
• airborne survey maps

p) Beep Mats can be used at different steps in exploration. For example:

Grass root: right at the beginning of exploration, use a Beep Mat to check a large number of existing airborne anomalies at a low cost. It is not necessary to cut grids and staking takes place only if good assays are obtained.

After VLF, MAG, MaxMin surveys: to check and sample most anomalies so as to keep funding to drill the right conductors, the ones with economic grade showings.

When trenching: to trench at the right spot and reduce costs. It will also allow you to drill and blast where needed without having to wash away everything to see what lies under. Anyways, a good showing may sometimes be hidden by sterile rock.

Before dropping claims: a last chance. You never know until you have given it a try.

Don'ts

a) Do not reinitialize the Beep Mat while it lies on the ground as it will always "beep" whenever it gets in the air.

b) Do not start your survey without pre-heating the probe for half an hour, otherwise, the Beep Mat will drift a lot and the alarm will signal a drift and not a conductor. To make sure it is a conductor, reinitialize the Beep Mat in the air and try it again on the conductor. If it does not "beep", it was a drift.

c) Do not walk on lines only. Get out there! Conductors or mines can be anywhere.

d) Do not avoid digging because it seems impossible, as in a swamp. You must at least dig with a crow-bar.

e) Do not carry 50 pounds of equipment on your back as well as a Beep Mat. This is a sure way to quit your job by the next day! Just carry a small shovel, water, lunch, bag for samples and a Beep Mat. Then walk, walk, walk and walk. A Beep Mat at rest will not detect anything.

f) Do not overextend yourself while you are still unfamiliar with the instrument, like looking for boulders in moraine! Convince yourself by finding new things in easy spots.

g) Do not think that the Beep Mat reacts to all sulfides - it does not. That is why there exists many geophysical instruments. The Beep Mat may react where other instruments do not, like on fine sulfide veinlets in poor sulfide ore bodies such as Silidor or New Pascalis in Quebec.

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