Interactive deposit modelling

As the world transitions rapidly to data processing and workflow automation, properly validated data is recognised as key to unlocking the real benefits.

Maptek Eureka helps geologists obtain a more complete picture of their deposits. New information is being constantly received, and needs to be reconciled with historical data to create a coherent model that is the best possible representation of factual data.

Eureka’s intuitive mode of operation increases the efficiency of viewing, understanding, editing and modelling of all available data, and Maptek continues to add capability without sacrificing usability.

Eureka facilitates visual validation, providing a quick and easy way to spot data discrepancies or geological anomalies. Models can be tested and problems addressed in a streamlined iterative process.

Enhanced Lithology Targeter rapidly models multiple rock types – a major leap in functionality for automating borehole logging. This tool expands on its predecessor, which modelled a single rock type at a time. Now, as logs are built rock type by rock type, users can combine multiple targeting runs that can be quickly accumulated to produce a final logging report.

New viewing options provide an additional column of labelled intervals displayed adjacent to the drillhole trace, instantly doubling the information available to geologists for correlation and editing.

A new Thin Vein Modelling tool allows automated and/or interactive data picks to be modelled into valid vein solids, solving the challenges of thin vein-style deposits with varying orientations and sporadic correlation.

Traditional implicit modelling is unable to model such thin horizons, and stratigraphic modelling cannot handle the orientations of steep or vertically dipping veins.

The new tool combines the power of implicit modelling to deal with orientations and overturns, with the stratigraphic approach of modelling hanging wall and footwall surfaces to make a single solid.

Thin Vein Modelling allows interactive creation and editing of closed, valid vein solids directly from drillhole intercepts, CAD data or both.

Solids are immediately available for use in downstream block model creation or volumetric analysis.

Block Model viewing introduces two new modes. Synchronised dynamic sectional slicing operates across multiple windows and juxtaposition viewing uses a dynamic slider to compare two datasets in the same window.

The development roadmap will bring workflow improvements to further automate the process, and improved visualisation of results for geological analysis. Ultimately, machine learning will be applied to achieve faster modelling and interpretation, auditability and repeatability.

Thin Vein Modelling will handle minimum vein thickness limits and more complex structural capabilities such as splitting and faulting.

Eureka demonstrates Maptek’s commitment to helping geologists stay at the forefront of geological interpretation and modelling without sacrificing simplicity and usability.

Key Points
  • Efficient data reconciliation and validation is a key part of automating the processing and modelling of geological data. Aided by new ‘tile and tie’ sectional view.
  • Enhanced capabilities to view and automatically create Block Models from 3D Seismic data.
  • Enhanced lithology targeting tools handle multiple rock types and accumulate runs quickly for final reporting.
  • Metalliferous geologists can now take thin vein-style deposits with varying orientations and sporadic correlation and output valid vein solids.