Abstract:
The technological advancements in computing power in the last 30 years have enabled the practical
visualization of complex geological environments in three-dimensional (3D) space. 3D models and their
application in the mining industry are becoming increasingly important, for example, to identify future
exploration areas and targets, for mineral assessment and evaluation, and prediction and planning of
future drill-holes. However, acquiring borehole data is an expensive practice, with drilling programmes
costing mining companies up to billions of dollars each year. Tighter financial constraints on exploration
budgets result in more pressure being put on three-dimensional models to accurately identify future
target areas. This article aims to evaluate the potential drilling success of simulated greenfield and
brownfield exploration using a 3D geological model created of Leeuwpoort tin mine. These simulations
investigate the probability of intersecting a mineralized zone of economic interest and evaluate how the
probability is affected when the number of drill-holes and distance from a known intersection changes.
Furthermore, these simulations attempt to obtain an indication for the minimum number of drill-holes
required for a successful exploration campaign at the mine. The investigation also aims to establish
a first-pass attempt towards developing a ‘favoured procedure’ for identifying potential exploration
targets for tin deposits with geological and geochemical characteristics similar to Leeuwpoort. The
results for the ‘favoured procedure’ established are statistically tested using the ‘bootstrapping’ method.
By simulating various exploration scenarios, the study also emphasises the importance of predicting
successful drilling, which aids in budgeting for drilling programmes as the minimum number of drillholes
needed for a specific exploration project can be determined.
