A methodology to construct training images for vein-type deposits

Abstract

Fracture models of vein formation can produce realistic training images (TIs) for use in multiple-point geostatistics. Vein formation is modeled by applying flow simulation to a fracture model to mimic the flow of an ore-bearing fluid through fractured rock. TIs are generated by assuming that veins form in areas of high flow where there would be preferential deposition of the mineral of interest. We propose a methodology to simulate mineralized veins by constructing a fracture model within the deposit, modeling the permeability and simulating the flow of ore-bearing fluids. The veins are defined by considering the areas of high flow. The methodology is implemented with a fracture model of the Whiteshell area in Manitoba. To assess the reasonableness of the TIs, comparisons are made to geological models of gold deposits in Quebec and Nova Scotia that display similar geometric characteristics such as braiding, thickening and thinning. A FORTRAN program TIGEN, based on GSLIB program formats is included and can be used to generate TIs from fracture models.