Current and future limits to automated 3D geological model construction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Jessell
Keyword(s):  
Structural Information ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Structural Data ◽  
Model Construction ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Cooperative Research ◽  
Geological Modelling ◽  
3D Geological Model ◽  
Secondary Information

<p>In geological settings characterised by folded and faulted strata, and where good field data exist, we have been able to automate a large part of the 3D modelling process directly from the raw geological database (maps, bedding orientations and drillhole data). The automation is based upon the deconstruction of the geological maps and databases into positional, gradient and spatial and temporal topology information, and the combination of deconstructed data into augmented inputs for 3D geological modelling systems, notably LoopStructural and GemPy.</p><p>When we try to apply this approach to more complex terranes, such as greenstone belts, we come across two types of problem:</p><ul><li>1) Insufficient structural data, since the more complexly deformed the geology, the more we need to rely on secondary structural information, such as fold axial traces and vergence to ‘solve’ the structures. Unfortunately these types of data are not always stored in national geological databases. One approach to overcoming this is to analyse the simpler (i.e. bedding) data to try and estimate the secondary information automatically.</li> </ul><p> </p><ul><li>2) The available information is unsuited to the logic of the modelling system. Most modern modelling platforms assume the knowledge of a chronostratigraphic hierarchy, however, especially in more complexly deformed regions, a lithostratigraphy may be all that is available. Again a pre-processing of the map and stratigraphic information may be possible to overcome this problem.</li> </ul><p>This presentation will highlight the progress that has been made, as well as the road-blocks to universal automated 3D geological model construction.</p><p> </p><p>We acknowledge the support of the MinEx CRC and the Loop: Enabling Stochastic 3D Geological Modelling (LP170100985) consortia. The work has been supported by the Mineral Exploration Cooperative Research Centre whose activities are funded by the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centre Programme. This is MinEx CRC Document 2020/xxx.</p><p> </p>

Regolith Science

2009 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Soil Science ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Cooperative Research ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Elemental Abundances ◽  
History Of ◽  
Sulfate Soils ◽  
Unpublished Information ◽  
Comprehensive Reference

This comprehensive reference on the fundamentals of regolith geoscience describes how regolith is developed from parental rocks and emphasises the importance of chemical, physical, water and biological processes in regolith formation. It provides details for mapping regolith landforms, as well as objective information on applications in mineral exploration and natural resource management. Regolith Science also provides a concise history of weathering through time in Australia. It includes previously unpublished information on elemental abundances in regolith materials along with detailed information on soil degradation processes such as acid sulfate soils. Written by experts in the field, Regolith Science summarises research carried out over a 13-year period within the Cooperative Research Centre for Landscape Environments and Mineral Exploration. This book will be a valuable resource for scientists and graduate/postgraduate students in geology, geography and soil science, professionals in the exploration industry and natural resources management. This paperback edition is a reprint of the original hardback published in October 2008.

A 3D Geological Model Construction Approach Based on Virtual Boreholes

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bingxian LIN ◽  
Liangchen ZHOU ◽  
Guonian LV
Keyword(s):  
Model Construction ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
3D Geological Model

MACHINE LEARNING METHODS FOR 3D GEOLOGICAL MODEL CONSTRUCTION

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Hillier ◽  
◽  
Florian Wellmann ◽  
Boyan Brodaric ◽  
Eric de Kemp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Model Construction ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Learning Methods ◽  
Machine Learning Methods ◽  
3D Geological Model

Experimental Investigation of Steel Coiled Tubes Performance Under Cyclic Bending

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Lagat ◽  
Reem Roufail ◽  
Vamegh Rasouli ◽  
Brian Evans ◽  
Soren Soe
Keyword(s):  
Bending Strength ◽  
Material Selection ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Hsla Steel ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Cooperative Research ◽  
Coiled Tube ◽  
Cyclic Bending ◽  
Coiled Tubing

Research is currently being undertaken in Australia to develop new drilling technologies for deep mineral exploration. The Deep Exploration Technologies Cooperative Research Centre (DET CRC) has carried out a comprehensive review of the available drilling technologies in the market. Following the study, coiled tube drilling technology has been suggested as a faster and cheaper method than conventional pipe drilling. This is primarily due to its smaller footprint relative to the standard rotary method, ease of unit mobility, less operating personnel, faster rate of penetration, and faster rig up and rig down times. The steel coiled tubing technology has traditionally been used in the petroleum industry. While there have been several attempts to evaluate the performance of coiled tubes in the oil and gas industry, limited or no attempts have been made to assess its performance in deep hard rock mineral exploration drilling. Therefore, DET CRC is in the process of re-designing the coiled tube rig approach to enable fast and efficient drilling of deep micro-holes in hard rocks. Cyclic bending of the coiled tubing past the yield strength point of the material leads to progressive weakening of the tube, which accordingly leads to rapid reduction of the tube service life [1]. Hence fatigue is an important parameter that needs to be considered in material selection for coiled tube and rig design. A bending machine was designed and manufactured to evaluate the fatigue bending strength of conventional HSLA steel tubes. The machine is capable of measuring and recording the bending/flattening resistant forces of the tubes along with the number of bend/flatten events. It can also measure the strain applied on the tube if needed. In this study, several HSLA steel grades and thicknesses of coiled tubes were tested for fatigue bending strength. Fatigued and non-fatigued tubes had their mechanical property alteration tested using tensile test methods. This paper presents the fatigue bending machine. The machine is designed to test most material types of coiled tubes. The paper also reports results of the cyclic bending experiments that were performed on selected grades and sizes of conventional HSLA steel coiled tubes. The paper complements and enhances the understanding of the performance of conventional coiled tube material under fatigue bending conditions.

scholarly journals New regional stratigraphic insights from a 3D geological model of the Nasia sub-basin, Ghana, developed for hydrogeological purposes and based on reprocessed B-field data originally collected for mineral exploration

Solid Earth ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 349-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elikplim Abla Dzikunoo ◽  
Giulio Vignoli ◽  
Flemming Jørgensen ◽  
Sandow Mark Yidana ◽  
Bruce Banoeng-Yakubo
Keyword(s):  
Field Data ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Geological Mapping ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Electromagnetic Data ◽  
3D Geological Model ◽  
Geophysical Surveys ◽  
Airborne Electromagnetic

Abstract. Reprocessing of regional-scale airborne electromagnetic data is used to build a 3D geological model of the Nasia sub-basin, northern Ghana. The resulting 3D geological model consistently integrates all the prior pieces of information brought by electromagnetic data, lithologic logs, ground-based geophysical surveys, and geological knowledge of the terrain. The geo-modeling process is aimed at defining the lithostratigraphy of the area, chiefly to improve the stratigraphic definition of the area, and for hydrogeological purposes. The airborne electromagnetic measurements, consisting of GEOTEM B-field data, were originally collected for mineral exploration purposes. Thus, those B-field data had to be (re)processed and properly inverted as the original survey and data handling were designed for the detection of potential mineral targets and not for detailed geological mapping. These new geophysical inversion results, compared with the original conductivity–depth images, provided a significantly different picture of the subsurface. The new geophysical model led to new interpretations of the geological settings and to the construction of a comprehensive 3D geo-model of the basin. In this respect, the evidence of a hitherto unexposed system of paleovalleys could be inferred from the airborne data. The stratigraphic position of these paleovalleys suggests a distinctly different glaciation history from the known Marinoan events, commonly associated with the Kodjari formation of the Voltaian sedimentary basin. Indeed, the presence of the paleovalleys within the Panabako may be correlated with mountain glaciation within the Sturtian age, though no unequivocal glaciogenic strata have yet been identified. Pre-Marinoan glaciation is recorded in rocks of the Wassangara group of the Taoudéni Basin. The combination of the Marinoan and, possibly, Sturtian glaciation episodes, both of the Cryogenian period, can be an indication of a Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth. Hence, the occurrence of those geological features not only has important socioeconomic consequences – as the paleovalleys can act as reservoirs for groundwater – but also from a scientific point of view, they could be extremely relevant as their presence would require a revision of the present stratigraphy of the area.

scholarly journals New regional stratigraphic insights from a 3D geological model of the Nasia Sub-basin, Ghana, developed for hydrogeological purposes and based on reprocessed B-field data, originally collected for mineral exploration

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elikplim Abla Dzikunoo ◽  
Giulio Vignoli ◽  
Flemming Jørgensen ◽  
Sandow Mark Yidana ◽  
Bruce Banoeng-Yakubo
Keyword(s):  
Field Data ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Geological Mapping ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Electromagnetic Data ◽  
3D Geological Model ◽  
Geophysical Surveys ◽  
Airborne Electromagnetic

Abstract. Re-processing of regional-scale airborne electromagnetic data is used in building a 3D geological model of the Nasia Sub-Basin, Northern Ghana. The resulting 3D geological model consistently integrates all the pieces of information brought by the electromagnetic data, lithologic logs, ground-based geophysical surveys and the prior geological knowledge of the terrain based on previous research. The geo-modelling process is aimed at defining the lithostratigraphy of the area, chiefly to improve the stratigraphic definition of the area as well as for hydrogeological purposes. The airborne electromagnetic measurements, consisting of GEOTEM B-field data, were originally collected for mineral exploration purposes. Thus, those B-field data had to be (re)processed and properly inverted as the original survey and data handling were designed for the detection of potential mineral targets and not for detailed geological mapping. These new geophysical inversion results, compared with the original Conductivity Depth Images, provided a significantly different picture of the subsurface. The new geophysical model led to new interpretations of the geological settings and to the construction of a comprehensive 3D geomodel of the basin. In this respect, the evidences of a hitherto unexposed paleovalley could be inferred from the airborne data. The stratigraphic position of these paleovalleys suggests a distinctly different glaciation history from the Marinoan events, commonly associated with the Kodjari formation of the Voltaian sedimentary basin. Indeed, their presence may be correlated to mountain glaciation within the Sturtian period though no unequivocal glaciogenic strata have yet been identified. This pre-Marinoan glaciation is recorded in rocks of the Wassangara group of the Taoudeni basin. The combination of the Marinoan and, possibly, Sturtian glaciation episodes, both of the Cryogenian period, can be an indication of a Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth. Hence, the occurrence of those geological features, do not only have an important socio-economic consequences – as the paleovalleys can act as reservoirs for groundwater – but, also from a scientific point of view, could be extremely relevant – as their presence would require a revision of the present stratigraphy of the area.

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