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GEOMODEL — an expert system for modeling layered geological sequences applied to the assessment of coalfields
ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES:MODELLING AND NUMERICAL METHODS
966209 Numericko modeHranje diskontinuiranog stijenskog materijala u podrucju plastienosti (Numerical modemng of discontinuous rock mass in the plastic domain) B. Kovacevie-Zelie, D. Kovacic & S. Vujee, Rudarsko Geolosko Naftni Zbornik, 7, 1995, pp 45-52. The paper deals with the problem of discontinuous rock material modelling within the framework of theory of plasticity. The applicability of two models, i.e. MohrCoulomb's ideal plasticity and plastic anisotropy (ubiquitous joint model), is examined. Numerical analyses were performed with FLAC - finite difference code. The comparison of above mentioned constitutive models is made through the demonstrated mechanical behaviour in the direct shear test. (English summary)
Modelling and numerical methods 966210 What is an exploration model anyway? An analysis of the cognitive development and use of models in mineral exploration R. W. Henley & B. R. Berger, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 41-50. Deposit and exploration models are cognitive frameworks of information that provide support for decision making. Both comprise subsets from vast arrays of potentially relevant information, the selection of which is determined by the purpose of the model. In such models, the linkages that are introduced between each segment of information are genetic for deposit models and both genetic and conceptual for exploration models. Defined in this way as purposeful mental paradigms, models may be used with a far greater degree of flexibility and effectiveness in support of exploration than has commonly been the ease. (from Authors) 966211 The IUGS/UNESCO Deposit Modeling Program C. G. Cunningham, G. H. Allcott, A. T. Ovenshine & S. B. Green, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 1-5. The Deposit Modeling Program is designed to advance geoscientific knowledge and expertise in mineral deposit modeling for use in exploration and resource assessment. This program seeks to improve existing deposit models, develop new models where appropriate, identify tectono-stratigraphic domains favourable for specific mineral deposit types, and transfer deposit modehng technology and concepts to developing countries. Mineral deposit modeling workshops, symposia and conferences have been an integral part of the program and have been held in many countries since 1985. (from Authors) 966212 Problems and opportunities for mineral deposit models P. B. Barton Jr, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 7-13. Problems in relating models to the spatial and temporal variability of complex ore deposits must be met by linking simple models until the composite models represent entire mineralized systems. The tie between deposits and regional or global geology is important for resource identification, yet it is only weakly documented, particularly for epigenetic deposits. Even though deficiencies in the current models present difficult problems, those problems also offer outstanding opportunities for creative science. (from Author) 966213 Application of deposit models to exploration J. F. H. Thompson, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 51-67. Deposit models may be divided into empirical and genetic end members. The contribution of the two end members to an
267A
exploration program varies with the specific target or deposit type and the stage of exploration. Empirical models, including grade-tonnage data, form the basis for most exploration programs, but genetic models, if well understood, can explain and constrain the empirical data. The role of deposit models in exploration is demonstrated for five different deposit types. (from Author)
966214 Spatial mineral deposit models and the prediction of undiscovered mineral deposits J. D. Bliss & W. D. Menzie, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 693-706. Spatial mineral deposit models use mineral deposit density and discrete distributions to describe the pattern of mineral deposits within specific control areas. These models assist in the difficult task of estimating numbers of undiscovered mineral deposits in mineral resource assessments. Spatial mineral deposit models described here require classification of deposits by deposit type within an exhaustively explored area. Boundaries of the control areas need to be based on standard and generally applied geologic criteria. Spatial mineral deposit models consists of: 1) mineral deposit density, and 3) discrete distributions fitted to the pattern of mineral deposits. (Authors) 966215 The development and use of mineral deposit models in the United States Geological Survey D. P. Cox, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 15-19. Mineral deposit models that result from studies of large populations of similar deposits have had an increasingly important effect on the mineral resource program of the USGS. In the early 1970s, as attention turned to predicting the occurrence of mineral resources in undiscovered deposits, data were collected on the grade and tonnage of deposits by type. As the number of deposit models increases, each additional model must pass two tests: 1) the model must define a geologic environment of a deposit type, and conversely, must exclude a large portion of the Earth as not permissive for that type; and 2) if grade and tonnage data are available, the model must define a group of deposits that share common geologic features and fit a lognormal distribution of grade and tonnage values. (from Author) 966216 PROSPECTOR H - an expert system for mineral deposit models R. B. McCammon, GeologicalAssociation of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 679-684. PROSPECTOR II, the successor to PROSPECTOR, was developed at the US Geological Survey. Currently, the knowledge base contains 86 deposit models and information on more than 140 mineral deposits. Within minutes, the geologist can enter the observed data for an area, select the types of deposit models to be evaluated, receive advice on those models that best match the observed data, and, for a particular model, find out which of the data can be explained, which of the data are unexplained, and which critical attributes of the model are not observed in the data. (Author) 966217 GEOMODEL - an expert system for modeling layered geological sequences applied to the assessment of coalfields J. D. Hughes, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 707-734. GEOMODEL is a geological computer modeling system that incorporates a variety of geological rules and conditions to assemble digital geological models of layered sequences. The system uses logical rules to manipulate multiple surfaces found in such sequences, thereby minimizing operator interaction during the modeling process and maximizing the integrity of the resulting digital models. In this sense, GEOMODEL, may be considered an expert system. Models
268A
ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES:MODELLING AND NUMERICAL METHODS
can be utilized to display the subsurface configuration of layers and rock bodies in interlayered host rocks and to quantify coal resources in geological, economic, technological and environmental terms. GEOMODEL interfaces with commercially available mapping systems and with several rnierocomputer- and UNIX-based packages. Through the National Coal Inventory of the Geological Survey of Canada, GEOMODEL has been used in the assessment of coalfields across Canada. (from Author) 966218 Development of grade and tonnage models for different deposit types D. A. Singer, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 21-30. Construction of grade and tonnage models involves several steps, the first of which is the identification of a group of wellexplored deposits that are believed to belong to the mineral deposit type being modeled. Data from each are compiled. The purpose of the plots and statistics is to determine if the data contain multiple populations or outliers. For example, for some deposit types such as placer gold, a correlation between tonnage and gold grade is due in part to the effects of the different mining methods that have been used. Analysis of the frequency distribution of tonnage for sediment-hosted gold deposits suggests that the present model underestimates the total tonnage of known deposits by a factor of two. (from Author) 966219 Developing a GIS for a complex site: US Borax Inc B. A. Hillman, Earth Observation Magazine, 4(10), 1995, pp 20-23. This paper discusses the development and capability of a GIS as a long term management technology for US Borax Inc. mining. Separate engineering, hydrological, hydrogeological and air quality projects were used as a basis to develop individual GIS coverages, and subsequently merged. In each project, limited data were available at the beginning of the project activity. Using the technology discussed, a cost effective program has been developed which has potential to be expanded for a wide variety of site planning as well as operations control and analysis. (after Author) 966220 Hard facts on software A. Bond, Ground Engineering, 28(8), 1995, pp 14-16. The use of computers for geotechnical design has become widespread over the past 10 years, to such an extent that significant structures are seldom constructed without the application of computer technology. Computer software allows more realistic analyses and more trial calculations than traditional hand methods, which generally leads to better designs. This issue looks at the widespread impact of computers in geotechnies, reviews available geotechnical design software and examines the factors affecting software's quality and validity. (from Author) 966221 Appfication of the STRATA3 visualization software to the investigation of landfill sites A. AI Masmoum & S. P. Bentley, in: Engineering geology of waste disposal, ed S.P. Bentley, (Geological Society of London; Engineering Geology Special Publication, 11), 1996, pp 99-102. STRATA3 is a PC-based computer program which provides a powerful means of storing and interrogating quantitative information on subsurface ground conditions. The input data may be any items of geological or geotechnical information that can be defined spatially; the program is at its most powerful when it is used to create three-dimensional models of subsurface environments. Two categories of data can be extracted from the models: qualitative data in the form of visual images and graphics and quantitative data in the form of precise measurements displayed in numeric form. The
practical applications of the STRATA3 program to civil engineering practice are described and two case studies are presented. (from Authors) 966222
Geological data management ed J. R. A. Giles, (Geological Society, London; Special Publication, 97), ISBN (hardback) 1 897799 34 X, price £55.00, 1995, 185 pp, index. The variety, form and volume of data available to geologists have increased significantly over the past few decades. It has become essential to use databases (either analogue or digital) to turn this avalanche of data into usable information. This book reviews the principle and practice of the creation, management and use of geological databases, from the point of view of geological database designers, managers and users. Following an introduction, there are 19 papers (abstracted separately) presented in three sections: database design; data management; and case studies. (after Publisher) 966223 Structuring soil and rock descriptions for storage in geotechnical databases D. G. Toll & A. J. Oliver, in: Geological data management, ed J.R.A. Giles, (Geological Society, London; Special Publication, 97), 1995, pp 65-71. The paper describes the development of a database for geotechnical information. The database is part of a knowledge-based (expert) system for the interpretation of geotechnical information. It has been implemented using the INGRES relational database management system. A particular feature, unique to the database structure developed, is the ability to store layer descriptions in a structured form. In other database systems these are simply stored as single text fields. A complex structure has been derived which can accommodate the full range of layer descriptions. The paper presents details of the database tables with examples of how the structured representation is used. (from Authors) 966224 Project databases: standards and security S. Henley, in: Geological data management, ed J.R.A. Giles, (Geological Society, London; Special Publication, 97), 1995, pp 97-101. For technical applications in the mining industry, large institutional data models are the exception rather than the norm. Much more common, given the distributed nature of the business, and the scattered locations of the specialists involved, is the personal or project database. Such a database is set up for a project (or part of a project), and is developed using a data model defined specifically for that project. At the end of the project, the database may be archived or it may be supplied to a central group for integration with a corporate database. If uncontrolled, such methods of database management can lead either to direct drastic loss of data or to incompatibilities in data recording standards. The use of common software standards and data dictionaries throughout an organization can reduce radically these dangers and can produce positive benefits not only in data recovery but in reusability of techniques. (Author) 966225 Elimination of blast hole 'cut-offs' in an opencast mine using software packages, laboratory tests and field experiments P. Pal Roy & B. B. Dhar, Coal International, 243(6), 1995, pp 233-237. This article shows how results of cluster analysis of joint-set orientations, geological structural information, scattering tests of relays, and fragmentation and vibration analyses were systematically incorporated, in order to establish an optimum blast design. The objective was to eliminate the frequent 'cut-off' of explosive-poured blast holes in an Indian opencast mine. The results were subsequently applied experi-
966209 Numericko modeHranje diskontinuiranog stijenskog materijala u podrucju plastienosti (Numerical modemng of discontinuous rock mass in the plastic domain) B. Kovacevie-Zelie, D. Kovacic & S. Vujee, Rudarsko Geolosko Naftni Zbornik, 7, 1995, pp 45-52. The paper deals with the problem of discontinuous rock material modelling within the framework of theory of plasticity. The applicability of two models, i.e. MohrCoulomb's ideal plasticity and plastic anisotropy (ubiquitous joint model), is examined. Numerical analyses were performed with FLAC - finite difference code. The comparison of above mentioned constitutive models is made through the demonstrated mechanical behaviour in the direct shear test. (English summary)
Modelling and numerical methods 966210 What is an exploration model anyway? An analysis of the cognitive development and use of models in mineral exploration R. W. Henley & B. R. Berger, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 41-50. Deposit and exploration models are cognitive frameworks of information that provide support for decision making. Both comprise subsets from vast arrays of potentially relevant information, the selection of which is determined by the purpose of the model. In such models, the linkages that are introduced between each segment of information are genetic for deposit models and both genetic and conceptual for exploration models. Defined in this way as purposeful mental paradigms, models may be used with a far greater degree of flexibility and effectiveness in support of exploration than has commonly been the ease. (from Authors) 966211 The IUGS/UNESCO Deposit Modeling Program C. G. Cunningham, G. H. Allcott, A. T. Ovenshine & S. B. Green, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 1-5. The Deposit Modeling Program is designed to advance geoscientific knowledge and expertise in mineral deposit modeling for use in exploration and resource assessment. This program seeks to improve existing deposit models, develop new models where appropriate, identify tectono-stratigraphic domains favourable for specific mineral deposit types, and transfer deposit modehng technology and concepts to developing countries. Mineral deposit modeling workshops, symposia and conferences have been an integral part of the program and have been held in many countries since 1985. (from Authors) 966212 Problems and opportunities for mineral deposit models P. B. Barton Jr, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 7-13. Problems in relating models to the spatial and temporal variability of complex ore deposits must be met by linking simple models until the composite models represent entire mineralized systems. The tie between deposits and regional or global geology is important for resource identification, yet it is only weakly documented, particularly for epigenetic deposits. Even though deficiencies in the current models present difficult problems, those problems also offer outstanding opportunities for creative science. (from Author) 966213 Application of deposit models to exploration J. F. H. Thompson, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 51-67. Deposit models may be divided into empirical and genetic end members. The contribution of the two end members to an
267A
exploration program varies with the specific target or deposit type and the stage of exploration. Empirical models, including grade-tonnage data, form the basis for most exploration programs, but genetic models, if well understood, can explain and constrain the empirical data. The role of deposit models in exploration is demonstrated for five different deposit types. (from Author)
966214 Spatial mineral deposit models and the prediction of undiscovered mineral deposits J. D. Bliss & W. D. Menzie, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 693-706. Spatial mineral deposit models use mineral deposit density and discrete distributions to describe the pattern of mineral deposits within specific control areas. These models assist in the difficult task of estimating numbers of undiscovered mineral deposits in mineral resource assessments. Spatial mineral deposit models described here require classification of deposits by deposit type within an exhaustively explored area. Boundaries of the control areas need to be based on standard and generally applied geologic criteria. Spatial mineral deposit models consists of: 1) mineral deposit density, and 3) discrete distributions fitted to the pattern of mineral deposits. (Authors) 966215 The development and use of mineral deposit models in the United States Geological Survey D. P. Cox, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 15-19. Mineral deposit models that result from studies of large populations of similar deposits have had an increasingly important effect on the mineral resource program of the USGS. In the early 1970s, as attention turned to predicting the occurrence of mineral resources in undiscovered deposits, data were collected on the grade and tonnage of deposits by type. As the number of deposit models increases, each additional model must pass two tests: 1) the model must define a geologic environment of a deposit type, and conversely, must exclude a large portion of the Earth as not permissive for that type; and 2) if grade and tonnage data are available, the model must define a group of deposits that share common geologic features and fit a lognormal distribution of grade and tonnage values. (from Author) 966216 PROSPECTOR H - an expert system for mineral deposit models R. B. McCammon, GeologicalAssociation of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 679-684. PROSPECTOR II, the successor to PROSPECTOR, was developed at the US Geological Survey. Currently, the knowledge base contains 86 deposit models and information on more than 140 mineral deposits. Within minutes, the geologist can enter the observed data for an area, select the types of deposit models to be evaluated, receive advice on those models that best match the observed data, and, for a particular model, find out which of the data can be explained, which of the data are unexplained, and which critical attributes of the model are not observed in the data. (Author) 966217 GEOMODEL - an expert system for modeling layered geological sequences applied to the assessment of coalfields J. D. Hughes, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 707-734. GEOMODEL is a geological computer modeling system that incorporates a variety of geological rules and conditions to assemble digital geological models of layered sequences. The system uses logical rules to manipulate multiple surfaces found in such sequences, thereby minimizing operator interaction during the modeling process and maximizing the integrity of the resulting digital models. In this sense, GEOMODEL, may be considered an expert system. Models
268A
ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES:MODELLING AND NUMERICAL METHODS
can be utilized to display the subsurface configuration of layers and rock bodies in interlayered host rocks and to quantify coal resources in geological, economic, technological and environmental terms. GEOMODEL interfaces with commercially available mapping systems and with several rnierocomputer- and UNIX-based packages. Through the National Coal Inventory of the Geological Survey of Canada, GEOMODEL has been used in the assessment of coalfields across Canada. (from Author) 966218 Development of grade and tonnage models for different deposit types D. A. Singer, Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 40, 1993(1995), pp 21-30. Construction of grade and tonnage models involves several steps, the first of which is the identification of a group of wellexplored deposits that are believed to belong to the mineral deposit type being modeled. Data from each are compiled. The purpose of the plots and statistics is to determine if the data contain multiple populations or outliers. For example, for some deposit types such as placer gold, a correlation between tonnage and gold grade is due in part to the effects of the different mining methods that have been used. Analysis of the frequency distribution of tonnage for sediment-hosted gold deposits suggests that the present model underestimates the total tonnage of known deposits by a factor of two. (from Author) 966219 Developing a GIS for a complex site: US Borax Inc B. A. Hillman, Earth Observation Magazine, 4(10), 1995, pp 20-23. This paper discusses the development and capability of a GIS as a long term management technology for US Borax Inc. mining. Separate engineering, hydrological, hydrogeological and air quality projects were used as a basis to develop individual GIS coverages, and subsequently merged. In each project, limited data were available at the beginning of the project activity. Using the technology discussed, a cost effective program has been developed which has potential to be expanded for a wide variety of site planning as well as operations control and analysis. (after Author) 966220 Hard facts on software A. Bond, Ground Engineering, 28(8), 1995, pp 14-16. The use of computers for geotechnical design has become widespread over the past 10 years, to such an extent that significant structures are seldom constructed without the application of computer technology. Computer software allows more realistic analyses and more trial calculations than traditional hand methods, which generally leads to better designs. This issue looks at the widespread impact of computers in geotechnies, reviews available geotechnical design software and examines the factors affecting software's quality and validity. (from Author) 966221 Appfication of the STRATA3 visualization software to the investigation of landfill sites A. AI Masmoum & S. P. Bentley, in: Engineering geology of waste disposal, ed S.P. Bentley, (Geological Society of London; Engineering Geology Special Publication, 11), 1996, pp 99-102. STRATA3 is a PC-based computer program which provides a powerful means of storing and interrogating quantitative information on subsurface ground conditions. The input data may be any items of geological or geotechnical information that can be defined spatially; the program is at its most powerful when it is used to create three-dimensional models of subsurface environments. Two categories of data can be extracted from the models: qualitative data in the form of visual images and graphics and quantitative data in the form of precise measurements displayed in numeric form. The
practical applications of the STRATA3 program to civil engineering practice are described and two case studies are presented. (from Authors) 966222
Geological data management ed J. R. A. Giles, (Geological Society, London; Special Publication, 97), ISBN (hardback) 1 897799 34 X, price £55.00, 1995, 185 pp, index. The variety, form and volume of data available to geologists have increased significantly over the past few decades. It has become essential to use databases (either analogue or digital) to turn this avalanche of data into usable information. This book reviews the principle and practice of the creation, management and use of geological databases, from the point of view of geological database designers, managers and users. Following an introduction, there are 19 papers (abstracted separately) presented in three sections: database design; data management; and case studies. (after Publisher) 966223 Structuring soil and rock descriptions for storage in geotechnical databases D. G. Toll & A. J. Oliver, in: Geological data management, ed J.R.A. Giles, (Geological Society, London; Special Publication, 97), 1995, pp 65-71. The paper describes the development of a database for geotechnical information. The database is part of a knowledge-based (expert) system for the interpretation of geotechnical information. It has been implemented using the INGRES relational database management system. A particular feature, unique to the database structure developed, is the ability to store layer descriptions in a structured form. In other database systems these are simply stored as single text fields. A complex structure has been derived which can accommodate the full range of layer descriptions. The paper presents details of the database tables with examples of how the structured representation is used. (from Authors) 966224 Project databases: standards and security S. Henley, in: Geological data management, ed J.R.A. Giles, (Geological Society, London; Special Publication, 97), 1995, pp 97-101. For technical applications in the mining industry, large institutional data models are the exception rather than the norm. Much more common, given the distributed nature of the business, and the scattered locations of the specialists involved, is the personal or project database. Such a database is set up for a project (or part of a project), and is developed using a data model defined specifically for that project. At the end of the project, the database may be archived or it may be supplied to a central group for integration with a corporate database. If uncontrolled, such methods of database management can lead either to direct drastic loss of data or to incompatibilities in data recording standards. The use of common software standards and data dictionaries throughout an organization can reduce radically these dangers and can produce positive benefits not only in data recovery but in reusability of techniques. (Author) 966225 Elimination of blast hole 'cut-offs' in an opencast mine using software packages, laboratory tests and field experiments P. Pal Roy & B. B. Dhar, Coal International, 243(6), 1995, pp 233-237. This article shows how results of cluster analysis of joint-set orientations, geological structural information, scattering tests of relays, and fragmentation and vibration analyses were systematically incorporated, in order to establish an optimum blast design. The objective was to eliminate the frequent 'cut-off' of explosive-poured blast holes in an Indian opencast mine. The results were subsequently applied experi-