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Center for Advanced Subsurface Earth Resource Models (CASERM)

The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the Center author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Center Overview

The Center for Advanced Subsurface Earth Resource Models (CASERM) seeks to transform the way geoscience data is used in the exploration and mining industry sector. Research at CASERM is focused on challenges in the development of 3D models for subsurface mineral resources, particularly as these models integrate diverse geoscience data to inform decision-making and minimize geological risk, beginning with locating and mining subsurface resources and continuing through mine closure and environmental remediation.

CASERM is a collaboration among industry, government agencies, and universities with the purpose of:

Developing fundamental knowledge that transforms the way geoscience data is used to locate and characterize subsurface earth resources and, thus, to enhance exploration success, decrease prospect development time, and reduce overall spending.
Disseminating this knowledge to CASERM members.
Addressing the critical industry need for trained and prepared employees by educating future researchers, engineers, and scientists.

Achieving this broad vision requires cross-disciplinary collaborations, including combining expertise in the traditional geoscience disciplines of mineralogy, geochemistry, petrology, economic geology, and geophysics with those in spatial statistics, inverse theory, numerical methods, computer science and high-performance computing, seismic imaging and inversion, tomographic imaging, and petrophysics.

Universities

Colorado School of Mines
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

View Center Website

Center Personnel

Dr. Thomas Monecke
Center Director
+1 303 273 3841
tmonecke@mines.edu

Dr. Erik Westman
VT Site Director
+1 540 231 7510

Dr. Elizabeth Holley
Mines Site Director
+1 303 273 3409
eholley@mymail.mines.edu

Dr. Mary Carr
Center Manager
+1 303 273 3107
mcarr@mines.edu

Research Focus

CASERM conducts research in these topic areas: Development of novel instrumentation, analysis, and interpretation methods for enhanced characterization of rock properties; integration, scaling, and inversion of geological, petrophysical, and geophysical data types of dissimilar spatial resolution and distribution to identify and characterize subsurface resources; development of machine learning methods to predict subsurface properties, quantify uncertainty, and de-risk decision-making; and development of graphical and exploratory data analysis solutions and visualization tools for 3D subsurface features.

Research focuses on:

Integrating sequential simulation methods with visual ensemble analytics for applications in the mining sector

Mineral resource exploration results in large quantities of spatially referenced, multi-variate data sets. This project implements recent advances in Bayesian Visual Analytics (BaVA) to discover common attributes (geochemistry or mineral abundance) among features of interest within these multi-variate data sets. The BaVA framework combines the computational efficiency of machine learning with human cognition and expertise to rapidly identify spatial and parametric relationships that may remain hidden in traditional univariate or bivariate geostatistical analyses. Through collaborative case study analyses with CASERM member-partners, this project introduces BaVA methods for data visualization and analysis in the mining sector.

Distal signatures and vectors of hydrothermal systems in carbonates

Many hydrothermal deposits can be hosted in carbonate-rich wall rocks, including porphyry deposits and skarns, or have carbonates in the surrounding stratigraphy. Beyond the orebodies or massive replacement bodies the hydrothermal footprint continues in the carbonates, by spent fluids and producing weak signals, particularly along faults. This research defines the distal signatures of mineralizing fluids in carbonates, including mineralogical and textural signatures, geochemical signals in whole rock, vein coatings and carbonate minerals, stable isotopes, and fluorescence and cathodoluminescence features of carbonate minerals.

Increasing the value of hyperspectral data

Knowledge of both deposit mineralogy and the physical and mechanical properties of rock units is critical at many stages of project development. This project aims to use hyperspectral core scanning data to determine the quantitative mineralogy of drill core and to predict rock physical and mechanical properties. This multiyear project will involve identifying diagnostic features in hyperspectral spectra to identify the mineralogy using traditional automated mineralogy data for assessment; and finding relationships between the mineralogy derived from hyperspectral core scanning and petrophysical properties. The quantitative mineralogical and rock physical data obtained could then be used to build a 3D block model informing the cost of mining.

Machine learning in resource modeling and mine planning

Machine learning (ML) has the potential to revolutionize mining by advancing the technology of lofting in resource modeling and estimation. This approach can tap into the capabilities of ML algorithms to integrate Big Data, uncover hidden relations, and make predictions. Improved accuracy in predicting orebody shapes and quantifying uncertainties translates into monetary value through increased reserves or avoiding wasted mining operation based on false predictions.

Seismic and radar high-resolution 3D mapping of fractures, geologic structure, and petrology beyond the mined volume

CASERM is developing high-resolution and cost-effective geophysical imaging methods that can be applied within the mine. Targets are mine safety and ground control on the daily to monthly scale; mine planning on the monthly to annual scale and longer-term mine expansion; and temporal monitoring of permeability pathways for groundwater flow, such as for hydrothermal energy, wastewater or carbon dioxide disposal, and in situ leach mining, a mining process used to recover minerals through boreholes drilled into a deposit.

Awards

1822146

Phase I IUCRC at Colorado School of Mines: Center to Advance the Science of Exploration to Reclamation in Mining (CASERM)

Mining is intrinsic to modern society's transition to a sustainable existence. Meeting the global demand for earth resources represents a grand challenge. The Industry-University Cooperative Research Center for Advanced Subsurface Earth Resource Models is a collaborative effort between Colorado School of Mines, Virginia Tech, and industry partners. The Center's activities will transform the way geoscience data are used in the exploration and mining industry sector, beginning with the mineral exploration stage and continuing through mine closure and environmental remediation. Research activities of the Center will fundamentally change the way global exploration and mining of natural resources is done, replacing industry experience- and empiricism-based decisions with innovative science and technology-based solutions that inform decision making, increase the chances of exploration success, and reduce financial risk. The goals of the Center will promote socio-economic prosperity and help to reduce the environmental impact of mining. Workforce development is an essential component of the Center activities and will include graduate and undergraduate students, and industry employee participation in research activities and training opportunities. The Center will strengthen and promote cross-disciplinary discoveries in geophysics, geochemistry, mineralogy, computational science and statistics. Knowledge transfer to the geothermal industry sector will form one of the Center's key activities. The Center for Advanced Subsurface Earth Resource Models is focused on advancing the exploration/mining industry sector through a cooperative partnership conducting pre-competitive research and workforce development programs that benefit industry, academia, and society. The purpose and long-term vision of this Center is directed toward challenges in developing 3-D geologic models for mineral deposits, integrating diverse geoscience data, to inform decision making and minimize geological risk, beginning with locating and mining subsurface earth resources and continuing through mine closure and environmental remediation. Four research thrusts are envisioned: (1) development of geophysical and geochemical instrumentation, analysis, and interpretation methods for enhanced characterization of rock properties; (2) integration, scaling, and inversion of diverse geological, petrophysical, and geophysical data types of dissimilar spatial resolution and distribution to identify and characterize earth resources; (3) development of information methodologies for reducing risk associated with decision making; and (4) computational imaging and development of graphical and exploratory data analysis solutions and visualization tools. Achieving this broad vision requires interdisciplinary collaborations: Mines' expertise in economic geology, geochemistry, mineralogy, petrophysics, high performance computing, and applied mathematics, including geo-statistics, spatial statistics, inversion, and numerical methods, and strong traditional ties to mineral resource industry sectors will promote Center success. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

1822108

Phase I IUCRC at Virginia Tech: Center for Advanced Subsurface Earth Resource Models (CASERM)

Mining is intrinsic to modern society's transition to a sustainable existence. Meeting the global demand for earth resources represents a grand challenge. The Industry-University Cooperative Research Center for Advanced Subsurface Earth Resource Models is a collaborative effort between Virginia Tech, Colorado School of Mines, and industry partners. The Center's activities will transform the way geoscience data are used in the exploration and mining industry sector, beginning with the mineral exploration stage and continuing through mine closure and environmental remediation. Research activities of the Center will fundamentally change the way global exploration and mining of natural resources is done, replacing industry experience- and empiricism-based decisions with innovative science and technology-based solutions that inform decision making, increase the chances of exploration success, and reduce financial risk. The goals of the Center will promote socio-economic prosperity and help to reduce the environmental impact of mining. Workforce development is an essential component of the Center activities and will include graduate and undergraduate students, and industry employee participation in research activities and training opportunities. The Center will strengthen and promote cross-disciplinary discoveries in geophysics, geochemistry, mineralogy, computational science and statistics. Knowledge transfer to the geothermal industry sector will form one of the Center?s key activities. The Center for Advanced Subsurface Earth Resource Models is focused on advancing the exploration/mining industry sector through the establishment of a cooperative partnership that conducts pre-competitive research and workforce development of benefit to industry, academia, and society. The purpose and long-term vision of this Center is directed toward research challenges in the development of 3-D subsurface geologic models for mineral deposits, integrating diverse geoscience data, to inform decision making and minimize geological risk. Four research thrusts are envisioned: (1) development of geophysical and geochemical instrumentation, analysis and interpretation methods for enhanced characterization of rock properties; (2) integration, scaling, and inversion of diverse geological, petrophysical, and geophysical data of dissimilar spatial resolution and distribution to identify and characterize subsurface earth resources; (3) development of information methodologies for reducing risk associated with decision making; and (4) computational imaging and development of graphical and exploratory data analysis solutions and visualization tools. Achieving this broad vision requires collaborations from a broad range of disciplines. Virginia Tech's broad expertise in computational methods, high performance computing, mining engineering, fluids, seismic acquisition, imaging and inversion, tomographic imaging, and petrophysics combined with industry experience will allow for further mining-related advancements. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >