Software:GOCAD Mining Suite

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GOCAD Mining Suite
GOCAD Mining Suite 3D model
Geological in GOCAD Mining Suite 18
Original author(s)GOCAD Research Consortium
Developer(s)Emerson Paradigm Holding LLC
Mira GEoscience Limited
Initial release1999; 25 years ago (1999)
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows 10 or 8.1 (Professional or Enterprise edition)
Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise x64 edition
Platformx64
Typegeologic modelling
LicenseProprietary
Websitemirageoscience.com

GOCAD Mining Suite (or simply GOCAD) is integrated, quantitative, multidisciplinary 3D geological modelling software for the mining industry.

History

It was first released in September 1999 under the name Mira Links by Mira Geoscience Limited. The GOCAD platform originated from the GOCAD Research Consortium, started in 1989 at the École Nationale Superieure de Geologie (ENSG) in Nancy, France.[1]. GOCAD was commercialized and became the leading commercial product of Earth Decision Sciences, acquired by Paradigm Geophysical in 2006. Paradigm was acquired by Emerson in 2017.

Product

GOCAD Mining Suite is an extension of SKUA-GOCAD™-- Emerson Paradigm Holding LLC. The software is written in C++. It provides its own command language (GOCAD CLI) which integrates with both TCL and JavaScript, making it possible for the end users to write and execute custom scripts within the application. Several algorithms are optimized for multi-processors and GPU. Versions of GOCAD Mining Suite are licensed as a standalone product or network modularized software. Licences can be node-locked, floating from a licence server, or attached to a dongle.

The software offers geological interpretation and validation for the creation of models that match geological concepts and honour all available data. It uses two technologies from Paradigm B.V., for creating and editing 3D geological models: Discrete Smooth Interpolation (DSI)[2],[3] and UVT Transform® [4]

Features

From data import to exploration drillhole design, geoscientists can manage their project from one central software application, providing a Common Earth Model[5] consistent with geodata[6]. It has a workflow-based interface for geologic characterization[7]. It has a 3D-GIS query environment, visualization, and a focus on data organization for investigative modelling [8],[9],[10]. It enables geologic modelling (wireframe), block modelling, and property modelling. It provides connections to geologically constrained geophysical modelling and inversion[11], [12], multi-disciplinary 3D exploration targeting[13], exploratory and geochemical data analysis, and geotechnical hazard assessment and monitoring.

File Formats

Interacts with several mining software and other general exchange formats.

Import:

General

ASCII Files Points (Column File, Fixed Format Column File, Free Format Column File), DDH ASCII Drillhole (Colar, Survey, Geology, Logs)
AutoCAD DXF File

GIS software

ESRI grid and SHP File
MapInfo Files and Raster File

Scientific modelling

Datamine Binary File, Block Model, String/Perimeter, Wireframe (Surface) and Binary Point/String File
Gemcom ASCII Polyline File and Triangle File, and BT2 File
MINEX
Surpac String and Surface/Wireframe

Geophysical modelling

Crone PEM File
EmaxAIR XYZ Output
ER Mapper Grid
Geosoft Binary Grid, GDB File, GXF File (ASCII), Polygon File and XYZ File
Maxwell Plates PTE and PTS File
SEG-Y 2D as Voxet and Surface
UBC DCIP 2D SGrid from Mesh File and Property from Model File, and Grid from Mesh File and Grid Property from Model File
VPmg or VPem Model File to 3D Grid Object

Geochemical software

ioGAS File

Geotechnical modelling

Datamine Binary File, Block Model, String/Perimeter, Wireframe (Surface) and Binary Point/String File
Gemcom ASCII Polyline File and Triangle File, and BT2 File
Surpac String and Surface/Wireframe

SKUA-GOCAD™--Paradigm®

Image Files – World File, GeoTIFF, ArcInfo, ASCII Grid
Isatis 2D/3D Grids, Variables in SGrids, Line, PointsSet and Surface
LAS Drillhole Path and Log
SEG-Y 2D as Seismic Line and 3D as Voxet

Databases

acQuire Selection Manager
ODBC Database Drillholes

Connections

IMDEX’s ioGAS

Formats support for export are:

2D Section to DXF
ASCII Column File and Drillhole
AutoCAD DXF File
Datamine ASCII Block Model, Binary Block Model, Binary Curve, Binary Points Data, Binary Wireframe and ASCII Wireframe
ER Mapper Grid (.ers)
Gemcom ASCII Polyline File and ASCII Triangle File (TRI)
Geoscience ANALYST (.geoH5 part of the HDF5 format)
Geosoft Seequent Extract XYZ File from Grid, Grid and XYZ File
Located BMP
Mapinfo Atomic Object and Curve
Maxwell TEM from Atomic Object
PDF3D
Surpac String

References

  1. J. L. Mallet, P. Jacquemin, and N. Cheimanoff (1989). GOCAD project: Geometric modeling of complex geological surfaces, SEG Expanded Abstracts 8, 126, doi:10.1190/1.1889515
  2. Mallet, J.-L. (1989). Discrete Smooth Interpolation, ACM Trans. On Graphics (TOG) 8(2):121-144. [1]
  3. Mallet, J.-L. (1989). Discrete smooth interpolation in geometric modelling. Computer-Aided Design 24(4):178-191. [2]
  4. Mallet, J.-L. (2014. Elements of mathematical sedimentary geology: The GeoChron model. EAGE Publications
  5. McGaughey, J. (2006). The Common Earth Model: A Revolution in Mineral Exploration Data Integration, GIS for the Earth Sciences. Geological Association of Canada Special Publication 44:567-576. [3]
  6. McGaughey, WJ (2019). Data-driven geotechnical hazard assessment: practice and pitfalls. Proceedings of the First International Conference on Mining Geomechanical Risk, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 219-232. [4]
  7. Schetselaar, E., Pehrsson, S., Devine, C., Lafrance, B., White, D., Malinowski, M. (2016) 3-D Geologic Modeling in the Flin Flon Mining District, Trans-Hudson Orogen, Canada: Evidence for Polyphase Imbrication of the Flin Flon-777-Callinan Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Ore System. Economic Geology 111 (4):877–901. [5]
  8. Pears, G., Reid, J., Chalke, T. (2017) Advances in Geologically Constrained Modelling and Inversion Strategies to Drive Integrated Interpretation in Mineral Exploration. Proceedings of Exploration 17: Sixth Decennial International Conference on Mineral Exploration 221–238. [6]
  9. Kyne, R., Torremans, K., Güven, J., Doyle, R., Walsh, J (2018) 3-D Modeling of the Lisheen and Silvermines Deposits, County Tipperary, Ireland: Insights into Structural Controls on the Formation of Irish Zn-Pb Deposits. Economic Geology 114 (1):93–116. [7]
  10. Jébrak, M., Montel, J. (2017) Educating the Resource Geologist of the Future: Between Observation and Imagination. Elements 13 (5):331–336. [8]
  11. Fullagar, P.K., Pears, G.A., McMonnies, B. (2008) Constrained inversion of geologic surfaces— pushing the boundaries. The Leading Edge 27:98-105.[9]
  12. Brown, T. Cripple Creek, and Keith Martin (2014) Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mine, geology and geophysics. SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts p:5163-5165.[10]
  13. Royer, J.J, Mejia, P., Caumon, G., Collon, P. (2015). 3D and 4D Geomodelling Applied to Mineral Resources Exploration—An Introduction.3D, 4D Predictive Modelling of Major Mineral Belts in Europe – Mineral Resource Reviews book series 73-89. [11]