DigIT - Digitization and geomodeling for intelligent exploration technologies

Data integration and digitalisation are two major challenges for mineral exploration in Europe. Mining is a traditionally data-intensive industry with complex information flows: exploration and mining companies must continuously generate and process geological information from the subsurface. During mining, important new information is often unearthed and exposed on pit walls and underground mine faces. However, time constraints and current technology limits the amount of data that can be feasibly extracted from these valuable exposures before they are removed during the mining process.

DigIT aims to develop digital technologies to capture such geological information and data from historic mining quickly and precisely, and to make them usable for deposit-scale exploration. Digital mapping of mining areas, self-updating geological models, simulation of ore formation processes, and improved data standards enable better use of mining data and accurate prediction of exploration targets.

HIF research focus

• Development of new mapping workflows for hyperspectral imaging
• Use of machine learning methods to predict mechanical properties of the subsurface from hyperspectral data 
• Use of deep learning-based 3D modeling approaches to predict rock volumes

Overview