Geology 4.0: The final bow?Mark Burnett: Principal Geologist

The Four Industrial Revolutions

2https://www.nicva.org/sites/default/files/d7content/attachments-articles/the_impact_of_the_4th_industrial_revolution_on_jobs_and_the_sector.pdf

https://www.tinamoe.dk/2018/08/17/do-you-know-the-definition-of-the-4th-industrial-revolution/

Industrial Revolution Timespan Trigger Impact

First 1760 - 1840 Steam engine and railways Mechanical Production

Second Late 1800’s to early 1900’s

Electricity and the assembly line Mass Production

Third 1960’s to early 2000’s Semiconductors, computers, internet

Automation

Fourth Mid 2000’s onwards Internet of Things (IOT)4 D PrintingHyper connectivityVirtual Reality (VR)Artificial Intelligence (AI)Intelligence Augmentation (IA)

“Everything”

New core skills (From WEF)

3

2020 2015

Complex problem solving Complex problem solving

Critical thinking Coordinating with others

Creativity People management

People management Critical thinking

Coordinating with others Negotiation

Emotional intelligence Quality control

Judgement and decision making Service orientation

Service orientation Judgement and decision making

Negotiation Active listening

Cognitive flexibility Creativity

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-10-skills-you-need-to-thrive-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/

Impact on jobs

4https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Featured%20Insights/Future%20of%20Organizations/What%20the%20future%20of%20work%20will%20mean%20for%20jobs%20skills%20and%20wages/MGI-Jobs-Lost-Jobs-Gained-Report-December-6-2017.ashxhttps://www.replacedbyrobot.info/ranking

Mine Surveyors (100%) Telemarketers (99%) Geologists (63%) Mining Engineers (13%) Recreational Therapists (0.3%)

Vulnerable to automation Physical RepetitiveAgriculture

ManufacturingHousehold WorkMining

Years

% im

pact

Aspects that will impact geoscientists

5

Robotics

Virtual reality (VR)

Artificial intelligence (AI)

Intelligence augmentation (IA)

Cross-disciplinary sciences (systems thinking)

The Geologist that was

http://www.geologyin.com/2014/11/geological-field-equipment-and-safety.html6

Already adapting

7https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Portable-XRF-analysers-can-be-used-in-mineral-exploration-due-to-its-easy-and-fast_fig1_283641425https://www.maptek.com/forge/june_2014/eureka_enters_the_exploration_field.html

Drones: old news, new applications?

8Y. Vasuki et al. / Computers & Geosciences 69 (2014) 22–32

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

Interactive geologic maps

9https://www.geosociety.org/gsatoday/archive/20/4/figure/i1052-5173-20-4-4-f04.htmhttps://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/9653382.pdfhttps://macrostrat.org/map/#/z=8.8/x=28.0198/y=-26.0535/bedrock/lines/satellite/fossils/

Real-time 3D modelling

10https://www.geoexpro.com/articles/2019/05/artificial-intelligence-and-seismic-interpretationhttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/minescape-delivering-implicit-modeling-decades-william-wilkinson-jr-/

Real geology

11https://www.leapfrog3d.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/21603/Vale-Case-Study.pdf

Implicit modelling: real models?

12https://www.leapfrog3d.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/21603/Vale-Case-Study.pdf

Coiled tube drilling

13http://www.dmec.ca/getattachment/281a0d63-4fc0-49b7-a8d1-118525c366dc/Resources/Exploration-17/Geological-Logging-with-X-ray-Vision.aspx

Pros and cons

14

Known technology No coreContinuous drilling Chips recovered from a fluid

Increased rate of penetration Sample representativity

Safer (fewer people) Not designed for metal explorationLower environmental impact Cost-effective prospecting tool

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269932356_Coiled_tube_drilling_and_real-time_sensing-enabling_prospecting_drilling_in_the_21st_century/link/54bc3d180cf253b50e2d17cd/download

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264440912_Coiled_Tube_Turbodrilling_A_proposed_technology_to_optimise_drilling_deep_hard_rocks_for_mineral_exploration

Top-of-hole geochemistry

Uses diamond drillhole cuttings, i.e. chips.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) (DET Deep Exploration Technologies).

X-ray (Olympus).

Uses self-organizing maps.

15http://www.dmec.ca/DMEC/media/Workshops/Future%20of%20mineral%20exploration%20drilling/The-Future-of-Mineral-Exploration-Drilling-and-Sampling-(for-printing)-111017.pdf

Rich data sets in real time

16http://www.dmec.ca/getattachment/281a0d63-4fc0-49b7-a8d1-118525c366dc/Resources/Exploration-17/Geological-Logging-with-X-ray-Vision.aspxhttps://www.fei.com/uploadedFiles/FEISite/Pages/Products/Software/Models/Pergeos/Tutorials/Improving-Whole-Core-Characterization-with-Automated-Log-Generation-in-PerGeos.pdf

But what about my core?

Repetitive task (80% capture, 20% processing)

Inconsistencies between geologists

Relogging expensive and time consuming

17https://www.koregeosystems.com/the-spector-solution/

01Scan

02AI Segmentation

05Interpretation and integration

03AI Geology logging

04Logging and approval

Continual learning

Case study

18

Major company required all exploration core to be logged and validated in a very short space of time.

Historical inconsistencies in database .

Apparently complex geology.

Automated core scan + machine learning algorithm.

https://www.fei.com/uploadedFiles/FEISite/Pages/Products/Software/Models/Pergeos/Tutorials/Improving-Whole-Core-Characterization-with-Automated-Log-Generation-in-PerGeos.pdf

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/74b7/f180e7f941fd8a1786dec07e9a52cbbdf3ad.pdf

Case study All core logged on time and under-budget.

Average logging rate of 1,000 m/day (one machine).

Included first-pass geotechnical and structural logging.

Machine classified lithology 91% accurate.

Consistent, electronic database available for analysis and modelling.

19https://www.fei.com/uploadedFiles/FEISite/Pages/Products/Software/Models/Pergeos/Tutorials/Improving-Whole-Core-Characterization-with-Automated-Log-Generation-in-PerGeos.pdf

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/74b7/f180e7f941fd8a1786dec07e9a52cbbdf3ad.pdf

The Machine

20https://www.koregeosystems.com/https://disruptmining.com/

Big data

21https://www.ibm.com/news/ca/en/2018/11/26/i702101t77169m61.htmlhttps://www.3blmedia.com/News/Goldcorp-and-IBM-Watson-Gaining-New-Exploration-Insights-Through-Artificial-Intelligence

Big data—case study

22https://www.herox.com/crowdsourcing-news/408-history-of-challenges-the-goldcorp-challengehttps://www.redlakemuseum.com/innovation.html#

The challenge

23

In March 2000, Goldcorp Inc. invited contestants from all over the world to submit exploration proposals for its Red Lake Mine Property.

The contest was named “The Challenge”.

Each proposal had to be: concise, identify specific targets, be supported by appropriate geological reasoning, and be submitted by e-mail in the English language.

Proposals could be submitted by individuals or by teams.

Geological information about the Property was available by CD-Rom and supplemented with additional information on the web site (http://www.goldcorpchallenge.com/ challenge.homepagesatic.html).

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289720730_The_Challenge_Goldcorp_Inc_Gold_exploration_via_Internet_Application_of_the_gold_shear-zone_model_to_the_Red_Lake_property_Ontario_Canada

The results

24

More than 110 sites were identified.

Half of these were previously unknown to the company.

Of these new targets, more than 80 % yielded significant gold reserves.

The then CEO, was of the opinion that process cut two to three years off the company’s exploration timeline.

The estimated value of the targets was estimated at being worth than USD6 billion in value.

The prize money was only a little over half-a-million dollars. https://www.ideaconnection.com/open-innovation-success/Open-Innovation-Goldcorp-Challenge-00031.html

The new tools – in summary

Automated drill rigs. Real-time monitoring. Real-time downhole geophysics . Real-time sample analysis and systems. Hyperspectral analysis. Big data integration and analysis.

25http://sea-implicit-modelling.azurewebsites.net/future-of-modelling/the-future-of-geological-modelling

Education and training

26https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10217998859339555&set=g.242181875831448&type=1&theater&ifg=1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tswaing_crater

The field in the classroom

27https://www.geoexpro.com/articles/2019/03/virtual-reality-geology-field-trips

Virtual outcrop mapping

28http://gigapan.com/galleries/10310/gigapans/123221

Virtual outcrop mapping

29http://gigapan.com/galleries/10310/gigapans/123221

Analogue underground mapping

30Source: Clinton Birch

Virtually underground

31https://www.mining-technology.com/features/featurereality-check-augmented-and-virtual-technology-in-the-mining-industry-4913055/

Full immersion deposit modeling

32https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/0c5a/85d0ccfa0058071eea770a087d4a94823393.pdf

The next step?

33https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Dynamics#/media/File:Atlas_from_boston_dynamics.jpghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_rover#/media/File:Curiosity_at_Work_on_Mars_(Artist's_Concept).jpg

Unmanned unattended mineral exploration drilling and sample return system

34https://patents.google.com/patent/US20140190746A1/en

Dave Lowell’s 9 rules

Ore is rock which can be mined at a profit.

Mines are found in the field, not the office.

Mines are found by drilling holes.

Exploration is a cost-benefit business.

High-tech devices and geophysical surveys are very rarely of value in mine discovery.

35https://www.mining.com/nine-rules-for-exploration-success-from-the-worlds-best-mine-finder/https://www.segweb.org/pdf/views/2014/04/SEG-Newsletter-Views-Siegfried-Muessig.pdf

Dave Lowell’s 9 rules

It is important to have a good understanding of the target you are looking for, including understanding some mining engineering, metallurgy, mine finance, and mineral economics.

Mineral exploration has a very low probability of success.

Finding mines is a high-risk business. Plan your own exploration project.

36https://www.mining.com/nine-rules-for-exploration-success-from-the-worlds-best-mine-finder/https://www.segweb.org/pdf/views/2014/04/SEG-Newsletter-Views-Siegfried-Muessig.pdf

What does it mean for me? Geological understanding will always be the most

important skill in building valid geological models.

Implicit modelling will provide maximum benefit from the flood of real-time geoscience data.

Geoscientists must develop multi-discipline skill sets.

Understand the requirements of all downstream customers of resource models.

37http://sea-implicit-modelling.azurewebsites.net/future-of-modelling/the-future-of-geological-modelling

www.amcconsultants.com

Thank you