Automated
Logging
Traditionally, core logging has relied on expert geologists and geotechnical engineers visually observing and manually recording rock characteristics. However, this approach can be subjective, influenced by individual experience, and often lacks scalability, repeatability and auditability.
As more quantitative data sets become available, the automation of geological logging is gaining momentum. Datarock supports this shift by helping companies streamline their logging processes through advanced data analytics and purpose-built software.
Datasets
Datarock develops automated and augmented logging solutions that leverage a wide range of commonly collected drillhole datasets, including:
- RGB core photography
- RGB chip photography
- Core scanner data (LIBS / XRF / Hyperspectral)
- Assay/geochemistry
- Televiewer (ATV & OTV)
- Downhole geophysics
Value
- Faster turnaround and efficiency reduces the time required for manual logging, allowing geologists to focus on higher-value interpretation and decision-making
- Auditability and traceability creates transparent, verifiable logs with full digital traceability—supporting compliance, training, and continuous improvement
- Improved consistency and objectivity removes subjectivity from logging by applying standardised, repeatable algorithms across all data
- Data-rich logging from multivariate inputs integrates complex datasets (e.g. core imagery, geochemistry, hyperspectral) to capture more detailed and nuanced geological information
Use cases
Automated geotech logging from core photos
Geotechnical information is typically logged by a mix of geotechnicians, geologists and geotechnical engineers, so prone to subjectivity and variability – leading to inconsistent data quality, limited auditability, and gaps in spatial coverage (particularly when logging is only performed on selected drill holes).
Datarock’s Core software addresses these challenges by automatically extracting geotechnical information from standard RGB core imagery. This approach delivers fast, consistent, and auditable data at scale, significantly improving coverage and reliability while reducing manual effort.
Applications
- Automate and improve efficiency and consistency of geotechnical logging in the core shed
- Rapidly generate geotechnical data from historical imagery archives
- Validate and assess existing geotechnical logs for quality and completeness
- Expand geotechnical data coverage from dedicated geotech holes to all holes in a deposit
Automated geology logging from core photos
Drill core photographs hold valuable geological information—such as colour, texture, and structural features—but are typically used only as visual records and interpreted manually by geologists. Their potential as quantitative data sources remains largely untapped.
Datarock Core software enables geologists to extract quantitative geological datasets directly from standard RGB imagery consistently, at scale using cost effective imagery that is already routinely collected at most core sheds.
Applications
- Automate and enhance core logging workflows in the core shed to improve efficiency and data quality
- Generate novel geological datasets not feasible to collect manually (e.g. high-resolution vein volume analysis)
- Generate data on historically collected imagery where the core is no longer available for traditional logging
Automated logging from chips photos
Logging drill chips is a time-consuming, manual process – typically involving rapid visual estimations of colour and lithology. Traditional logging produces outputs that can be inconsistent, subjective, and qualitative.
Datarock has developed advanced analytics workflows to process commonly collected RGB chips imagery, extracting valuable quantitative attributes including colour, texture, shape, and grain size distributions that can produce logging domains.
Applications
- Automate and enhance high-volume RC chip logging
- Characterise fragmented rock samples to support geological domaining and interpretation
Automated logging using downhole data
Modern mining operations are generating an increasingly diverse range of downhole datasets, captured more rapidly and at higher resolution than ever before. These data-rich sources offer a valuable opportunity to enhance—or even fully automate—traditional geological logging through advanced analytics.
Datarock enables this transformation with a standardised, production-ready logging workflow powered by our NEXUS analytics platform.
Applications
- Utilise core scanner data to generate near real-time geological logs in operational settings
- Develop data-driven domains for geology, geotechnical, geometallurgical, and processing models
- Predict key rock properties such as recovery, hardness and mineralogy to support operational decision-making
