Ore Deposit Delineation: Variability between Interpreters and Modeling Implications
Paul Marchal and Guillaume Caumon and Pauline Collon and Patrick Ledru and Kelsey Mckee and Pat Taylor and J. Mercadier. ( 2025 )
in: 86th EAGE Annual Conference \& Exhibition, pages 1-5, European Association of Geoscientists \& Engineers
Abstract
Assessing uncertainties is a key step in the resource development process, from exploration campaigns to the implementation of mining and rehabilitation strategies. Uncertainties are linked to the partial sampling of the subsurface by data. The interpretation of these data by geologists is subject to a particular type of uncertainty: conceptual uncertainties. The impact of these uncertainties on resource evaluation is known, but under-identified. We propose here a case study comparing the interpretations of a synthetic cross-section of drillhole data. The idea is to have it interpreted by a set of interpreters (geologists or not, experts or not), to define metrics to quantitatively compare these interpretations, and to quantify conceptual uncertainties. In addition, we aim to identify the role and importance attributed by interpreters to different geological features, in order to suggest improvements to interpretation and modelling workflows. Results show that interpreters tends to draw highly parsimonious solutions, which can be detrimental for ressources estimations. Also, some interpreters provides very distinct interpretation from the rest of the group, which is essential to capture the range of uncertainties. Complex variable patterns, as non-Gaussian distributions, have also been observed.
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BibTeX Reference
@inproceedings{marchal:hal-05157053,
abstract = {Assessing uncertainties is a key step in the resource development process, from exploration campaigns to the implementation of mining and rehabilitation strategies. Uncertainties are linked to the partial sampling of the subsurface by data. The interpretation of these data by geologists is subject to a particular type of uncertainty: conceptual uncertainties. The impact of these uncertainties on resource evaluation is known, but under-identified. We propose here a case study comparing the interpretations of a synthetic cross-section of drillhole data. The idea is to have it interpreted by a set of interpreters (geologists or not, experts or not), to define metrics to quantitatively compare these interpretations, and to quantify conceptual uncertainties. In addition, we aim to identify the role and importance attributed by interpreters to different geological features, in order to suggest improvements to interpretation and modelling workflows. Results show that interpreters tends to draw highly parsimonious solutions, which can be detrimental for ressources estimations. Also, some interpreters provides very distinct interpretation from the rest of the group, which is essential to capture the range of uncertainties. Complex variable patterns, as non-Gaussian distributions, have also been observed.},
address = {Toulouse, France},
author = {Marchal, Paul and Caumon, Guillaume and Collon, Pauline and Ledru, Patrick and Mckee, Kelsey and Taylor, Pat and Mercadier, J.},
booktitle = {{86th EAGE Annual Conference \& Exhibition}},
doi = {10.3997/2214-4609.2025101143},
hal_id = {hal-05157053},
hal_version = {v1},
month = {June},
pages = {1-5},
publisher = {{European Association of Geoscientists \& Engineers}},
title = {{Ore Deposit Delineation: Variability between Interpreters and Modeling Implications}},
url = {https://hal.univ-lorraine.fr/hal-05157053},
volume = {2025},
year = {2025}
}