3D Mapping Field Trip in Uppsala

In October 2021, a field excursion to the quarry at the east of Uppsala was held. This excursion was part of the newly developed SINReM course ‘Applied 3D geological mapping and modelling’, offered at Uppsala University. This course is proposed to the SINReM students following the Georesource exploration major as an elective but it is also integrated in the Tectonic course and accessible to all students fulfilling the entry-requirement. The joint excursion was led by Professors Steffi Burchardt and Pauline Jeanneret from the Department of Earth Sciences at Uppsala University.

The course introduces state-of-the art geological mapping and modelling methods that are currently used by for instance the mining and building industry. These methods include data acquisition with UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles, i.e. drones), digital outcrop construction, construction of 3D geological maps, and data analysis and modelling. Besides collecting images using drones, the students also acquired ground data, through field observation, measurement of various geological structures and the collection of hand specimens of the outcrop. At the end of this course, the students will explore the possibilities of these methods by working on example projects using the collected data for example. In correlation with the SINReM programme, this course particularly aims to prepare the students to make advanced use of the technology and apply it within the field of mineral exploration to solve industrial challenges in mapping and modelling complex ore bodies.

Overall, the field trip was a success and we wish the students an informative and enjoyable course!