oa 3D VSP: A mine of information for mining exploration

The 3DVSP technique becomes more popular with the emergence of multilevel 3 component borehole tools.

The value of the information derived from VSP is not always well understood.

In this paper we will present a case history of a joint surface and borehole seismic acquisition, with the goal to de-risk a shaft sinking location on a platinum mine.

TD was about 650 m and the VSP tool was 110 m long. On surface a dense grid of receivers and vibrator source points were laid out in a 1.2 km radius circle centred on the well head. A12 level 3C VSP digital tool was lowered in the borehole, in three successive depth positions.

The surface 3D cube was processed and interpreted independently from the 3D VSP data. On a near target reflector, the surface data structural interpretation showed mainly a clear E/W fault, and additional sub-seismic lineaments of differing azimuths, difficult to identify in terms of fault. The 3D VSP image limited to a short radius around the borehole confirmed the fault/dyke nature of these lineaments, separating monocline compartments.

As a consequence, the surface data was carefully re- interpreted and on the second structural images derived from two surface seismic reflectors and the near surface fault footprint from 3DVSP residual statics, a series of subtle faults were clearly assessed. Last, the few faults intersecting the borehole can be clearly recognized on the logs and the borehole radar logs.

This case study demonstrates the added value of a joint interpretation of surface and borehole data in a decision making process for shaft sinking.