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The GEL project establishes the first Slovenian laboratory for geoelectrical measurements, and strengthens applied research at GeoZS in areas such as environmental pollution, agriculture, hydrogeology, geohazards, and natural resource management. The project is co-financed by ARIS under the Development funding pillar, the research programmes “Groundwater and Geochemistry” and “Regional Geology”, and the research project “A holistic approach to the Earth surface processes driven by extreme weather events – ExtremEarth” (J7-60124). Using spectral induced polarization (SIP), the lab investigates the complex electrical properties of soils and rocks to link their electrical signatures to petrophysical, hydrogeological, and biogeochemical characteristics. To illustrate this, we have conducted a series of column experiments aimed at characterising complex dynamic systems such as agricultural soils and mine waste material through their complex electrical signatures or SIP response. Laboratory experiments provide detailed insights into dynamic systems, and support the calibration and interpretation of field-scale measurements. Initial results show that SIP can reveal nitrate retention in agricultural soils and detect metal-bearing minerals (Pb, Zn) in mine waste, emphasising its potential for applications in environmental and resource management.
Project phases
Phase I: Laboratory equipment and measuring instruments – completed
In this phase, the GEL project has equipped the laboratory with the most important glassware, chemicals, precision tools, and the SIP-COMPACT-S instrument for spectral induced polarization measurements. A customised measurement setup and Ag/AgCl electrodes were built to enable accurate multi-channel measurements of soil and rock properties. Additional equipment, including a peristaltic pump and a pH/conductivity metre, was purchased for the next phase of the project.
Phase II: Laboratory experiments – completed
In Phase II, the calibration tests were followed by two main experiments: 1-AG, which focused on the detection of nitrate retention in agricultural soils from Šempas, and 1-MW, which aimed at the identification of metallic particles (Pb-Zn) in the waste and sediments of the Mežica mine using spectral induced polarization (SIP). These experiments demonstrate the potential of the method to characterise dynamic soil and waste deposit systems, and underline the need for further laboratory-scale studies within GEL.
Selected bibliography
Placencia-Gómez, E., Gaberšek, M., Maineult, A., Bücker, M., Leroy, P., Gosar, M., Novak, A., Bizjak, N. Development of the geoelectrical laboratory of the Geological Survey of Slovenia. Part I: Complex electrical signatures of the Mežica Pb-Zn mine waste material and impacted stream sediments. Submitted to Geologija (in Revision).
Kessouri, P. et al. 2019: Induced polarization applied to biogeophysics: recent advances and future prospects. Near Surface Geophysics, 17/6: 595–621. https://doi.org/10.1002/nsg.12072
Maineult, A., Weller, A., Martin, T., Titov, K, Florsch, N. 2025. 3D impedance networks simulate complex resistivity of sand-pyrite-water mixtures. Geophysical Journal International, Volume 242, Issue 3, September 2025, ggaf269, https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaf269