Geophysical forward modelling with GECCO tools for heterogeneous lithological associations - the closed Mullikkorame and Outokumpu sulphide mines in Finland as case studies

Eeva-Liisa Laine and Hilding Linden and Ilkka Suppala and Jan Westerholm. ( 2019 )
in: 2019 Ring Meeting, ASGA

Abstract

A central task in mine site evaluations and 3D mineral potential studies is to collect data on multiple spatial scales and then use inverse methods to infer the location and extent of economically interesting mineral deposits. Data sets comprise, for example, airborne and ground geophysical data, drill hole data, geological maps and cross sections, drill core logs, and geochemical data. Directly observed geological information is often sparse (e.g. drill holes) and subsurface geology has to be inferred through interpretation and inversion of measured geophysical data. Project GECCO combines expertise in high performance computing and geomodelling, and aims to develop tools for faster geological modelling in a powerful computing environment. This presentation demonstrates the GECCO work ow and tools using two closed mining sites in Finland - Mullikkorame and Outokumpu mines. Geological structures and lithological heterogeneity was modeled by combining 3D modelling with geostatistical simulations constrained by drill core data. High performance computing using GPU for simulation and visualization make it possible to make gravity and magnetic forward modelling in real time. The suggested approach gives a possibility to validate the different 3D geological models and, in future, analyze uncertainties associated with geological 3D models spaced on sparse data sets.

Download / Links

BibTeX Reference

@inproceedings{RM2019,
 abstract = { A central task in mine site evaluations and 3D mineral potential studies is to collect data on multiple spatial scales and then use inverse methods to infer the location and extent of economically interesting mineral deposits. Data sets comprise, for example, airborne and ground geophysical data, drill hole data, geological maps and cross sections, drill core logs, and geochemical data. Directly observed geological information is often sparse (e.g. drill holes) and subsurface geology has to be inferred through interpretation and inversion of measured geophysical data. Project GECCO combines expertise in high performance computing and geomodelling, and aims to develop tools for faster geological modelling in a powerful computing environment. This presentation demonstrates the GECCO work ow and tools using two closed mining sites in Finland - Mullikkorame and Outokumpu mines. Geological structures and lithological heterogeneity was modeled by combining 3D modelling with geostatistical simulations constrained by drill core data. High performance computing using GPU for simulation and visualization make it possible to make gravity and magnetic forward modelling in real time. The suggested approach gives a possibility to validate the different 3D geological models and, in future, analyze uncertainties associated with geological 3D models spaced on sparse data sets. },
 author = { Laine, Eeva-Liisa AND Linden, Hilding AND Suppala, Ilkka AND Westerholm, Jan },
 booktitle = { 2019 Ring Meeting },
 publisher = { ASGA },
 title = { Geophysical forward modelling with GECCO tools for heterogeneous lithological associations - the closed Mullikkorame and Outokumpu sulphide mines in Finland as case studies },
 year = { 2019 }
}