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Giant leap in 3D modelling

03 Nov 2008

By Lydia Brisbout (article published in Gold and Minerals Gazette, November 2008)

Building on previous success, Version 2 of the Leapfrog™ 3D geological modelling software is able to model detailed lithological information, providing valuable insight into grade distribution, the geometries of rock types and their spatial relationships.

Unlike other software which requires extensive hand digitisation of data, Leapfrog is based on a unique 3D interpolation program which is able to create a full, interlocking 3D lithology model directly from drill hole codes, while preserving the cross cutting relationship between the various lithologies.

This not only saves a great deal of time, but also enables the easy addition of new drilling data to update the model.

Additionally, multiple models can be created from the same data, reducing risk by testing different ideas about the deposit.

Dr Jun Cowan, the conceptual founder of Leapfrog, worked with Christchurch-based Zaparo Ltd to develop the program.

Dr Cowan, now the director of Prestologic, the official sales agent and training provider for the program, says the software meets an important gap in the market, and has been well received by a number of leading mining companies.

"My clients do not have the time to hand digitize on screen to generate a 3D geological models from their drill hole data," he explained.

"But building 3D models is essential for resource estimation as well as for the exploration process.

"With Leapfrog you have full control over what happens to the model: all models are in keeping with what the drill holes say at the position of the drill hole, but what happens in between is entirely up to the geologist's interpretation.

"So you can develop multiple models quickly, and you can reduce your risk by trying out multiple hypotheses, whereas with other products it takes so long just to build one model that you can get locked in because of the limitations of the technology.

"So Leapfrog allows geologists to be very flexible in the way they think."

A further benefit is that Leapfrog is easy to learn, with the basic training course only taking one day, while advanced training can take up to 2-3 days.

Once basic competency has been established, it only takes a few hours to create a preliminary 3D model of an ore body.

An example of the impressive capabilities of the software is its use to model the lithologies of Newmont Australia Ltd's and AngloGold Ashanti Australia Ltd's Boddington gold mine in Western Australia.

Together, these companies have several licences of Leapfrog, in both Australia and New Zealand.

Drilling data for the Boddington project consisted of 5,928 holes for a total of 1,079,785 metres of drilling, or over 1,000 kilometres of drill hole data.

Trying to integrate this volume of data using a traditional modelling program would be very time consuming if not impossible.

However, using Leapfrog, a full 3D interlocking model of the mine has been created, using minimal digitization.

From this first-of-its-kind model, the joint venture partners can examine the finer details of the gold and copper occurrence in relation to lithological distribution, and so refine their brown field exploration.

Other Leapfrog software users include Consolidated Minerals Ltd, Oz Minerals Ltd, Sino Gold Mining Ltd, BHP Billiton Ltd , Equinox Minerals Ltd, Australian Bulk Minerals Ltd, Straits Resources Ltd, Norilsk Nickel Australia Pty Ltd, Newcrest Mining Ltd, Harmony Gold Mining Company and Ivanhoe Australia Ltd to name a few.