The Field Surveying and Sampling Facilities are being utilized to survey gem deposits on-site and to collect rock and sediment samples for testing at other laboratories.
Power Auger
- Motorized soil‐sampling equipment powered by a small petrol engine (around 65 cc), using a helical screw (or hollow stem) bit to bore into soil and bring up intact samples.
- Sampling of soil for Sedimentological & geotechnical investigations, Standard Penetration Testing (SPT), Hollow‐stem augering for minimally disturbed soil cores etc.
Hand Auger
- A simple, portable, manual drilling tool, typically used for shallow soil sampling and other digging tasks.
- Consists of a handle, extendable rods, and a cutting head (auger) that is rotated to bore into the ground.
- No power required – perfect for off-grid fieldwork.
- Cost-effective compared to mechanical drills.
- Durable only to certain depths—usually up to 5 m; deeper or harder soils require mechanized rigs.
Geological Hammer
A fundamental field tool used for splitting and breaking rocks to reveal fresh surfaces, collect samples, and examine geological features.
Geological Compass
- Measure strike and dip of planar features (like bedding, faults, foliations).
- Assess plunge and trend of linear features (veins, lineations).
- Obtain bearings in remote terrain for mapping and navigation.
10X Magnifying Lens (Loupe)
- A compact, high-magnification device enclosed in a metal or plastic housing that protects the optics when folded in.
- Held close to the eye to examine fine details in gems, rocks, fossils, minerals.
Mineral Testing Toolkit
Consists of an acid bottle to check for carbonate rocks/carbonaceous sediments, a streak plate, a glass plate, a nail for hardness testing of minerals, and a hand magnet.
GPS Units
- Calculates its position (latitude, longitude, and altitude) by receiving signals from orbiting satellites.
- Typically needs signals from at least three satellites for 2D positioning, and four or more for full 3D positioning.
Walkie-talkie Units
- Portable, handheld two-way radio transceiver for short-range communication.
- Enables voice message transmission without relying on cellular networks.
- Operates on VHF (136-174 MHz) and UHF (400-470 MHz) frequencies.
- Selectable power outputs, often 4W or 5W.
Portable Geiger Counter
- Radiation detection: Beta, Gamma, and X-Ray.
- Sensitivity to Gamma Radiation: 0.1~1 MeV.
- Own Background: 0.2 Pulses/s.
- Working Voltage: 3.2-4.0V.
- LCD Display.
- Working power: 0.045W - 0.2W.
