'Falcon' wins national science award

Dr Edwin van Leeuwen (BSc(Hons) 1977, PhD Sci 1981) has been awarded a 2002 Clunies Ross National Science and Technology Award for leading the team responsible for the most significant development in mineral exploration technology in 50 years, according to the awards committee.

The mineral technology team at BHP Billiton developed "Falcon", a practical airborne gravity system for mapping mineral and hydrocarbon deposits. He succeeded where at least six other international groups to date have tried and failed, and has provided BHP Billiton with intellectual property that will greatly benefit mineral and oil exploration for minerals and oil. The system is based on submarine navigation technology developed for the US Navy.

As leader of the Falcon team, Edwin coordinated researchers based in the US, Europe and Australia. In the end, the group delivered an airborne gravity gradiometer system which performed three times better than specification. The Falcon gravity system has already flown over 300,000line kilometres in North and South America, Australia and South Africa looking for iron ore, diamonds, iron oxide copper, gold and other base metals.

Development continues with a fully digital, helicopter mounted system already under construction. For more information, see http://cluniesross.org.au/cr2002/edwin_van_leeuwen.htm

April 2002