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Results of Hyperspectral Scans of Drill Cores Are Available – Suggestions for New Sites Are Welcome

The Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) has conducted hyperspectral scanning of drill cores since 2018. The results obtained from the scanning will become part of the digital drill core archive. One part of the scanning work has now been completed, and the results are available. The scanning will continue this year, and suggestions for new scanning sites are welcome.

Hyperspectral imaging provides a fast research method that takes place non-destructively and without contact to support traditional drill core logging. However, analytical information and geological background knowledge are usually needed to assist the interpretation of hyperspectral drill core data. The importance of geological insights throughout the process cannot be emphasized enough.

In 2021–2022, GTK scanned more than 80 km of samples from GTK’s drill core archives. These scanned samples represent different deposit types and geological settings across Finland.  Data from the scanned drill cores have been added to the Mineral Deposits and Exploration map service  under the name “Hyperspectral drill core image data”.

The map of Finland from Minerals Deposits and Exploration service
The map shows the areas from where we have hyperspectral drill core data available. More information in MDaE service.

Suggest new scanning sites to be included

The last major scanning campaign for now will take place during 2023. In accordance with GTK’s strategy, the primary areas to be imaged are the environments where battery minerals can be found. This year, operators in the field will still have an opportunity to suggest important and interesting sites to include in the scanning. A prerequisite is that GTK already has drill cores from the sites of interest in the national drill core archives.

Submit your proposal either for battery mineral deposits or other key sites for scanning by August 18, 2023. GTK will select the drill cores for scanning from these proposals.

Hyperspectral scanning is carried out through GTK’s self-funded Mineral Systems and Materials Characterisation Methods (MinMatKa) project.

What is hyperspectral scanning or imaging?

The method is based on the use of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation to identify materials and their properties. Different materials reflect and emit radiation in different ways, which allows their properties to be identified based on spectral forms. The spectrometers of modern drill core scanning systems collect data at visible, near-infrared (400–1,000 nm), short-wave infrared (1,000–2,500 nm) and long-wave infrared (8,000–12,000 nm) wavelengths.

In geological research, hyperspectral technology is used to identify the mineralogy and mineral chemistry of drill cores, making it a particularly useful method to support drill core logging. In the best case, the technology makes it possible to identify almost all commonly occurring minerals in the measurement data.

More information

Published hyperspectral data 
The geodata team of GTK at geodata@gtk.fi provides information on the pricing and access to existing hyperspectral drill core data.

Suggestions and more information about this year’s hyperspectral scanning 
Panu Lintinen, Geologist
Geological Survey of Finland
panu.lintinen@gtk.fi

Instructions to view drill core data
The existing hyperspectral drill core data are shown at the Minerals Deposits and Exploration map service

The photo shows the layers that should be selected when checking the hyperspectral drill core image data in MDaE service. 1. Exploration layers 2. Bedrock drilling 3. Hyperspectral drill core image data.
In order to see the available hyperspectral drill core image data locations, select above shown layers.