STRUCTURE INTERPRETATION FROM MAPPING AND DRILL HOLE DATA

by Jim Mathis

1 - 2 December 2008 Vancouver Canada

Course Presenters Schedule General information

Summary

This course is part of an EduMine blended learning program that integrates online learning with classroom sessions by industry specialists.

The goal of the course is to provide instruction in how to create major structure models from field collected discontinuity data.  Delegates will be provided training regarding the necessary data collection and reduction processes for typical bench, or face, mapping. Instruction will also be given as to how to characterize the orientation of fault zones from drill core.  Analysis of the face mapping, and drill hole information, will then be utilized to determine major structure locations and orientations.

The course is organized by Zostrich Geotechnical and EduMine, the Professional Development Division of InfoMine Inc. (Vancouver BC, Canada).

Background

The advent of powerful computer programs allowing 3D visualization of geologic structures properly oriented and located in real space has the potential to revolutionize structural interpretation.  First, the advent of digital photogrammetry allows a much greater area of a rock face to be accurately mapped, including the location and orientation of rock structures.  Second, proper interpretation of oriented drill core allows for interpretation of the location, and orientation, of geologic structure at depth.  By proper sorting of these features followed by representation of the structures in a 3D model, the location of structural zones can become immediately apparent. 

The resulting models are of import for any geotechnical endeavor requiring the location and orientation of such geologic structures.  While primarily utilized by the author for pit slope design, the models have applicability in a variety of fields.

Pre-Course e-Learning

Prior to the course, registered delegates are provided with an internet url, user name and password. This enables them to access online e-learning material from EduMine consisting of an introductory course titled Structure Interpretation from Mapping and Drill Hole Data, authored by James Mathis, this course provides delegates with important background material which increases their understanding and appreciation of the classroom course. Review of this material prior to the course, including completion of the interactive reviews, enables delegates to derive maximum benefit from the live sessions.

This course is part of a blended learning program, which integrates online learning with the dynamics of a classroom presentation by industry specialists.

To achieve maximum benefit you should complete the pre-course e-learning prior to attendance at the classroom component.

The interactive online reviews can be used to advantage to confirm that you have achieved the e-with important background material which increases their understanding and appreciation of the classroom course. Review of this material prior to the course, including completion of the interactive reviews, enables delegates to derive maximum benefit from the live sessions.

Z Fabric Software

In the workshop sessions use will be made of the program Z Fabric, a rock fabric and bench face evaluation program written by the course author. A license for use of Z Fabric will be made available to participants for the course duration and hence they will be expected to have their own laptop computers available.

The software allows for stereographic evaluation of discontinuities, set picking, spatial characteristic determination for individual discontinuity sets, and evaluation of these discontinuity sets.  This will be necessary to determine geologic structure orientations in zones of the oriented core.

Interpretation of the models will be conducted in Vulcan. 

Who Should Attend?

The course will be of interest to practitioners of the geologic arts, especially those that require detailed structural models for design purposes.  This may include geotechnical engineers, geologists, etc.