Updates to Previous Versions

Leapfrog Geo 4.0

New features and enhancements in Leapfrog Geo version 4.0 are:

Structural Surface

The structural surface is a new method for building geologic contact surfaces within a geological model. As well as standard surface input data, structural surfaces can use non-contacting structural data to influence and guide the overall geometry. Bedding data from pit face-mapping, downhole measurements and surface mapping can be combined together with drilling lithology contact data and surface contact mapping.

To learn more, see the Structural Surfaces topic.

Form Interpolants

Structural form interpolants combine bedding or foliation orientation data from pit face-mapping, downhole measurements and surface mapping to interpolate and visualise the form of the rock fabric of a region. Form interpolants may be visualised as isosurfaces or evaluated onto surfaces, points and block models. Isosurfaces of form interpolants may be dynamically applied to structural trends to control the anisotropy of grade models.

To learn more, see the Form Interpolants topic.

Stereonets

Leapfrog Geo now includes an interactive stereonet tool, providing the capability to interpret complex structural data sets through stereographic projection. Stereonets can be saved as part of a Leapfrog Geo project for quick recall, supporting any combination of mapped, downhole or declustered structural data.

Several built-in visualisation options such as contouring and statistics provide the means to discover hidden trends, relationships and geological structures. An interactive selection and categorisation workflow makes it easy to classify distinct populations of measurements. The selected regions and colourings are simultaneously linked with the 3D scene for a wider perspective. Stereonet plots can be exported in PDF format.

To learn more, see the Stereonets topic.

New Polyline

This powerful new drawing tool supersedes the previous straight-segment and 2D-curved line types. The new polyline is a unified editing and interpretation tool, supporting full 3D drawing modes for curved and straight lines, as well as single points. The new tool has options to control the pitch of surfaces by adjusting a line’s ribbon orientation, or adding points with normals. Simple 2D lines can be drawn on the slice plane, and 3D curves can be drawn on any in-scene objects, such as topographic surfaces and drillhole contacts.

The new drawing tool is available anywhere linework is able to be drawn in a project. Also new to this version are refreshed custom line editors for GIS lines, vein boundaries and direct surface edits. New import and export formats mean the new polyline is natively compatible with Leapfrog Mining as well as supporting smooth drag-and-drop transfer into Leapfrog projects.

To learn more, see Drawing in the Scene.

Decluster Structural Data

Leapfrog Geo now easily handles large, complex structural datasets with the help of a powerful declustering tool. Any planar structural dataset may be thinned to manageable sizes using the new declustering tool, which retains representative samples across the dataset based on range and angle tolerance parameters.

To learn more, see Declustering Planar Structural Data in the Structural Data topic.

Linked Surfaces

Any existing surface can now be used as an input to another model within the same project. Complex geology often requires complex modelling solutions, making it necessary to build a key surface in one model, then include it in another. Take a dike-swarm for example; when it post-dates a fault, dynamically linked surfaces mean an unfaulted model can be created for the complex dykes then combined with the faulted geology to produce a cohesive model that honours the geological history.

Lineations

Measured linear structural features can now be imported and visualised. View, select, and categorise lineations in both the stereonet plot and the 3D scene. Use these to guide your interpretations with a better understanding of the regional deformation.

To learn more, see Importing Lineations in the Structural Data topic.

Category Selection for Structural Data

The familiar brush-selection tool is now available for both planar and linear structural data. This facilitates a simple and powerful workflow of quickly categorising data to aid interpretation or guide downstream modelling. The category selection tool can be used to quickly ignore a large selection of measurements, especially when combined with the ability to evaluate models on structural data.

To learn more, see Assigning Structural Data to Categories in the Structural Data topic.

Evaluations on Structural Data

Geological models or grade interpolants can now be evaluated on planar and linear structural data, allowing them to be visually filtered by volumes of geological models. Interpolant evaluations enable a workflow to identify the orientations that are associated with high grade mineralisation.

Set Elevation on Structural Data

Structural data can now be projected vertically onto any surface, such as your topography. Sometimes when surface mapping structural data, the elevation measurements are inaccurate or inconsistent, but now this workflow provides a way to repair it.

To learn more, see Setting Elevation for Structural Data in the Structural Data topic.

Dip Colouring for Meshes

All surfaces and meshes can be coloured by the dip-angle of the triangle faces. This allows you to easily identify steeply dipping areas or flat spots.

Block Model Index Filter

New index filters create a rapid way of visualising 3D slices and sub-units in block models. Index filters support modes and are available for blocked, sub-blocked and geophysical models.

New Drillhole Evaluations

When evaluating (backflagging) geological models onto drillholes, you can now choose to evaluate the faulted output volumes or fault blocks. This allows additional numeric compositing workflows where you can composite within each separate domain in a geological model.

To learn more, see the Back-flagging Drillhole Data topic.

Sort Tables by ‘Ignored’ Flag

Tables in Leapfrog Geo (points, drilling, structural etc.) may now be re-ordered by rows that have been ignored. This enables a quick way to find all ignored rows and make batch changes.

Show Mesh Border

You can now show the border for all imported or extracted meshes which are not closed volumes. This helps to diagnose problematic meshes by identifying any areas where the mesh is open.

Copy Polyline

Individual polylines can now be copied within the project. Being able to easily copy polylines provides a rapid workflow for testing multiple interpretations.

More Inputs for Structural Trends

Structural trends can now be derived directly from planar structural data. You can also apply any mesh in the project, allowing you to dynamically link your mineralisation structural trend to your fault and contact surfaces.

New Volume Generation Options

New volume generation modes for geological models provide the flexibility to control the way the implicit modeller creates volumes from contact surfaces and faults. The three modes for volume generation make it possible to balance triangle alignment with processing performance.

To learn more, see Volume Generation Options in the Editing a Geological Model topic.

Moving Plane Handles

The moving plane tool can now be moved either in the direction of the axes or relative to the current camera view.

Curved Fence Sections

Fence sections now support curves generated by the new polyline tool. This can be useful for generating sections that follow a decline tunnel as it curves underground, for example.

Textured .OBJ Meshes

Wavefront Obj format is an open format geometry format widely supported by 3D graphics applications. Leapfrog Geo now supports importing OBJ meshes with textures, which broadens Leapfrog’s ability to import mine scan meshes like pit faces, stopes and tunnels.

To learn more, see Meshes with Textures in the Importing a Mesh topic.

Drillhole Correlation Improvements

Numeric columns from both points and intervals can now be displayed as bars, lines or points in the 2D drillhole correlation tool. This allows for consistent numeric display standards regardless of the data type.

To learn more, see the Drillhole Correlation Tool topic.

Leapfrog Geo 3.1

Create Guide Points

Guide points can now be created from any category data in the project and added to surfaces. Category data that can be used to create guide points includes downhole category data, LAS points, category data on imported points and interval midpoints. See Creating Guide Points for more information.

Import LAS Points

LAS 1.2 and 2 drillhole logs can now be imported into Leapfrog Geo. This import workflow can handle multiple LAS files and will convert them into a single drillhole points table. Imported LAS files can be viewed in 3D as a single object, and columns of data common across all LAS files can easily be used as input into an RBF interpolant. Query filters are automatically created on import for each of the original LAS files, making it easy to see each of the individual files. See Importing LAS Points Down Drillholes for more information.

LAS files are ideal data to view in the drillhole correlation tool.

Categorise Points and Collars in the Scene

It is now possible to sort points and collars into categories. This works in a similar manner to the interval selection tool: The points are added to the scene and then manually selected and assigned to categories. See Categorising Points for more information.

Batch Importing and Reloading GIS Data

Imported ESRI Geodatabases and MapInfo batch files are now added to the project tree as part of a parent object. This makes it clear whether individual GIS objects came in on their own or as part of an import from a Geodatabase or MapInfo batch import. These GIS collections can also be reloaded.

Extended Multicore Processing

In 2014, Leapfrog introduced the ability to use up to 4 cores when processing. Leapfrog Geo 3.1 increases this capability to 8 cores. Those with high end computers with 8-core processors can now access all of their computer’s power to significantly reduce processing times when tackling complex modelling problems.

Leapfrog Geo 3.0

Drillhole Correlation Tool

The new drillhole correlation tool is a ‘Leapfrog take’ on a very common workflow across many deposit-styles. Quickly select and view drillholes and other required data. Rearrange drillholes and data columns, and zoom and scroll with intuitive controls. Save and share templates and styles across projects.

To learn more, see the Drillhole Correlation Tool help topic.

Interpretation Tables

Being able to view and compare data is only half the story. Leapfrog Geo 3.0 introduces a new way of working with drillhole data: the interpretation table. Open a table and move the start and end of intervals, re-assign intervals and create brand new intervals. Rapidly compare previous logging to other measurements (assays, geochemistry and geophysics) and re-interpret.

To learn more, see Interpretation Tables in the Drillhole Correlation Tool help topic.

Offset Mesh in Geological Models

The new Offset Surface Tool is useful for modelling stratigraphic deposits where surfaces share a common deformation history and have a similar overall shape. Define and constrain the reference mesh from a particularly well-drilled area and, therefore, constrained unit. Alternatively, define the reference mesh using any other input option such as polylines, structural data and structural trends. Constrain the thickness of the volumes with minimum/maximum offset or a fixed offset distance.

To learn more, see the Offset Surfaces help topic.

Stratigraphic Sequence Improvements

Reduce the number of polyline edits needed. Constrain stratigraphic sequence surfaces using drillhole intervals and contact points.

To learn more about using stratigraphic sequences, see the help topic.

Leapfrog Geo - ioGAS Link Improvements

Leapfrog Geo 3.0 builds on the popular ioGAS link. Key changes make it easier to bring your geochemical interpretations back into Leapfrog.

  • Data can be sent across the link with interval information (‘from’ and ‘to’).
  • The link now supports importing intervals from ioGAS when ‘from’ and ‘to’ information is present.
  • Query filters can be applied to the data that is sent over the link, making it easier to work with just a subset of data.
  • A new Majority Composite enables compositing lithology intervals onto assay interval lengths.

To learn more, see the Geochemical Data help topic.

UBC Grids

Import UBC geophysical grids for evaluation of geological and interpolant models. Export and evaluate in UBC format. Enable the visualisation of geophysical models alongside drilling and models. Use the workflow to make constrained inversions directly from Leapfrog geological models.

To learn more, see the UBC Grids help topic.

Colour Gradients

Enhance data visualisation with colour gradient import and export. Import colour gradients from various GIS or geophysics packages (.tbl, .clr & .lut).

To learn more, see Colour Gradients in the Colourmaps and Colour Gradients help topic.

Cross Section Layouts
  • Display assay data as bar and line graphs in section layouts.
  • Evaluate block models on cross sections and add to section layouts. Includes sub-blocked, MODFLOW, FEFLOW and UBC models.
  • Display sections in the 3D scene.
  • Export section layouts as GeoTIFFs.

To learn more, see the Section Layouts help topic.

Subfolders

Create subfolders to sort and file objects in projects.

To learn more, see Subfolders in The Project Tree.

Improved Project Tree Controls

Display lines in the project tree to better show relationships. In the Settings window, click on User Interface and enable Show Tree Lines.

More options enable rapid opening or closing of folders. Collapse the entire project by right-clicking on the top of the project tree and selecting Collapse All. Hotkeys for opening and closing folders include:

  • Ctrl + shift + left arrow collapses all folders.
  • Right arrow expands a collapsed folder or object but keeps child objects collapsed.
  • Shift + right arrow expands a collapsed folder or object and child objects.
  • Left arrow collapses an expanded folder or object but keeps child objects expanded.
  • Shift + left arrow collapses an expanded folder or object and child objects.

Hotkeys work with more than one object selected.

GIS Visibility in the Project Tree

A copy of all GIS data is created on import and projected on the topography. This projected copy is now visible in the project tree underneath the topography object.

Improved Tabbed Interface

In order to improve the way large dialogs interact with the scene view, there are new options in the project Settings window. You can choose whether tabbed dialogs open to the main window, a separate window or where the last tab was moved to. This improvement has been applied to drillhole tables, section layouts, image georeferencing, movie editing and image rendering.

Exact Mesh Clipping

Switch on exact clipping for meshes, removing tags that overhang the clipping mesh.

For more information, see:

Add Contour Polylines to Indicator Interpolants

Adjust indicator interpolants using contour polylines, similar to how contour polylines are used with RBF interpolants. Instead of selecting a specific value, use 0 (outside), 1 (inside) or the isosurface value.

To learn more, see Adding a Contour Polyline in the Indicator RBF Interpolants help topic.

Reload GIS Data

Reload GIS data to reflect changes during the project life-cycle. Automatically re-run and update dependant surfaces and models.

To learn more, see the Reloading GIS Data help topic.

Set Background Lithology

Set one of the lithologies as the background lithology for geological models and fault blocks. This is an alternative to using the “Unknown” lithology and is useful for faulted models.

Set Elevation of Points

Project onto a surface and overwrite the elevation/z value for points. Set the elevation of points that don’t project onto the surface.

To learn more, see the Setting Elevation for Points help topic.

GIS Line from Mesh Intersections

Create a new GIS line from two intersecting meshes. Use this for visualisation or as an input into Leapfrog models.

To learn more, see Creating a New GIS Line from Intersecting Meshes in the Creating a New GIS Line help topic.

Fast Copy for Geological Models

Rapidly copy the geological model for easier scenario testing.

Add Interval Mid-points to Surfaces

Use extracted mid-points in the Points folder as inputs for surfaces.

Unshare Polylines

Create a local copy of any polyline when it is no longer correct or useful to share the same polyline.

To learn more, see Unsharing a Polyline in The Project Tree.