3-D Integrated Geological Modeling for coalbed estimation in the Khe Cham I mine, Quang Ninh province: Techniques and Applications

Abstract

Despite the crisis period, coals are still an irreplaceable energy resource. However, it is a non-renewable resource, so in addition to expanding the search, the rational exploitation of the existing fields is a challenge for coalfield exploration and production. Incorporating large quantities of public geological data and proprietary lithological, structural, geochemical, geophysical, and diamond drill hole data is needed to produce robust 3D geological models. It shows how reliable 3D maps can be used as immersive instruments for mineral deposit discovery this paper. The evaluation of coal reserves has been done by 3D application on the Surfer and Rockwork software. The result of 70,145 thousand tons of coal for the V12 and V13-1 coalbeds of Khe Cham I mine is a relatively consistent result with previous calculations. Therefore, 3D analysis of the Khe Cham I mine shows a better visualization of the coal reserves and the spatial distribution of the geological formations in the site. Evaluating the correlation between the thickness and dip angle of the V12 and V13-1 coalbeds shows that the total mechanized coal reserves of the mine are mostly concentrated in the coalbeds of the dip angle below 180, accounting for 62.78÷82.17%, and coalbed thickness from 1.2÷3.5 m. Moreover, the application of 3D geological modeling for coalbeds in the Khe Cham I mine gives a rather intuitive and comprehensive view of the mine, helping geologists and miners better judge geological research and exploitation.