Mark Drabble – Principal Consultant
B.App.Sci. (Geology) University of Technology (Sydney), MAusIMM, MAIG
Mark is a geologist with more than 27 years’ experience in underground and open pit production, resource development, resource estimation, consulting and geological management at operational and corporate levels.
Specialising in the visualisation and 3D modelling of mineralised systems Mark has interpreted mine scale geological models of many metalliferous mineral deposits utilising grade control and exploration data to realise greater value from the available information.
Mark has commodity experience in gold, nickel, manganese, chromite, copper, lead and zinc, and is proficient in the use of Leapfrog Geo and Surpac software for resource modelling. Mark’s skills are based on the application of practical geology to understand, interpret and underpin the modelling of mineralised systems. The rapid compilation and 3D visualisation of diverse data sets has identified risks and opportunities for clients in due diligence studies, exploration assessments and production optimisations. Mark applies his experience in the mining of complex mineral deposits to produce pragmatic and collaborative outcomes with clients.
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Leapfrog Geo 3D Geological Modelling training course:
Mark offers a practical 2-day Leapfrog Geo 3D Geological Modelling course as in-house/on-site training to companies – in this way the training is customised to suit the mine sites particular requirements and allows the attendees to work on their own data – so that they are working while learning!
This course is based around learning techniques in Leapfrog and Surpac, to deconstruct data-sets allowing visualisation and analysis of the key spatial relationships of geological elements. These techniques allow for incorporation of structure, alteration, multi element and mapping information by the geologist in order to derive associations and mineralisation controls. These can be selected, coded and stored, and used to automatically update models with new information.
How often have you wished you could use more of the information that is logged, but then not applied to the Mineral Resource modelling? This course will show you how to do this.
Using Leapfrog Geo 3D modelling software, the course will teach techniques to interpret interactive 3D geological models. The course structure is flexible so as to give you the opportunity to bring your own data along to work on.
The course is designed for geologists involved in exploration, mining, resource estimation and target generation. The attendees experience level can be from graduate up to ten years. You will need a reasonable knowledge of geology and familiarity with mineralisation styles and some exposure to Leapfrog Geo software would be beneficial, however this is not critical.
Course Outline
- Introduction – flow of tasks, key concepts
- Fundamental Leapfrog skills – loading and displaying information
- Deconstructing data at various scales – using exploration AND grade control information
- Visualisation – how best to approach 3D views to highlight contrast and correlation
- Domaining and data selection – grouping, selection and effective coding
- Structural information – visualising and applying
- Alteration, mapping, GIS information – how to add these into the process
- Geological modelling techniques in Leapfrog for simple and complex deposits
- Interpolants – strengths and weaknesses
- Editing skills – getting it to look geological!
- Output lessons to get your models into other software
The course attendees will:
- Acquire intermediate level skills in Leapfrog Geo 3D
- Learn to deconstruct information in datasets and display elements in a way that allows their review or incorporation into the interpretation of models
- Test for associations between mineralisation and geological controls
- Import and visualise structural information
- Add mapping information to Leapfrog models
- Dynamically interpret information in a 3D environment using graphical tools
- Set up projects for automatic update with new information
- Gain insights into how to get Leapfrog to produce what is in your mind’s eye
- Validate models – are they geologically plausible?
- Discuss how this process will support the interpretation of continuity within the mineralised system
