Characterization of drilling-related noise and curvelet-based evaluation of seismic-interferometric reflections for imaging of iron-bearing formations in Pilbara, Western Australia

Here we analyse ambient noise (AN) data generated during drilling of exploration boreholes and recorded using a dense array deployed over one of the numerous shallow iron-ore mineralization targets in the Pilbara region (Western Australia). Drilling and drilling-related operations were reoccurring in a sequence as described by the drillers’...

Body-wave passive seismic interferometry revisited: mining exploration using the body waves of local microearthquakes

As the global need for mineral resources is constantly rising and the exploitable concentrations of these resources tend to become increasingly complex to explore and exploit, the mining industry is in a constant quest for innovative and cost‐effective exploration solutions. In this context, and in the framework of the Smart Exploration action,...

Locating scatterers while drilling using seismic noise due to tunnel boring machine

Unexpected geological structures can cause safety and economic risks during underground excavation. Therefore, predicting possible geological threats while drilling a tunnel is important for operational safety and for preventing expensive standstills. Subsurface information for tunneling is provided by exploratory wells and by surface...

Seismic exploration?scale velocities and structure from ambient seismic noise (>1?Hz)

The successful surface waves retrieval in solid?Earth seismology using long?time correlations and subsequent tomographic images of the crust have sparked interest in extraction of subsurface information from noise in the exploration seismology. Subsurface information in exploration seismology is usually derived from body?wave reflections >?1?Hz,...

High-resolution lithospheric imaging with seismic interferometry

In recent years, there has been an increase in the deployment of relatively dense arrays of seismic stations. The availability of spatially densely sampled global and regional seismic data has stimulated the adoption of industry-style imaging algorithms applied to converted- and scattered-wave energy from distant earthquakes, leading to...

Global-scale seismic interferometry: Theory and numerical examples

Progress in the imaging of the mantle and core is partially limited by the sparse distribution of natural sources; the earthquake hypocenters are mainly along the active lithospheric plate boundaries. This problem can be approached with seismic interferometry. In recent years, there has been considerable progress in the development of seismic...