Abstract

BIRCH, C.. Geological mapping and modelling training in the University of the Witwatersrand Mine Tunnel, South Africa. J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall. [online]. 2018, vol.118, n.8, pp.809-814. ISSN 2411-9717.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2411-9717/2018/v118n8a3.

A simulated mine tunnel, stope, lamp room, and refuge chamber have been built in the basement of the School of Mining Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). Mock-ups are widely used in the mining industry to conduct training in a safe controlled environment. This tunnel has been utilized for the past four years as part of the Advanced Mineral Resource Management Geological Modelling module. Students are required to map geological features depicted in the tunnel and link these to the information from a provided borehole database. This borehole database needs to be validated before the students create a 3D geological model that represents Bushveld Complex Critical Zone stratigraphy. Leapfrog Geo provides the software used for this assignment and they present two days of practical training in the creation of geological models to the students. Students have been very positive about the learning experience and the majority of them have produced acceptable geological models. This combination of geological mapping in a simulated mine environment and the creation of a 3D geological model appears to be unique to Wits.

Keywords : geological modelling; mock-up; geological mapping; Leapfrog Geo; training; education.

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