Create a 3D Drillhole Map

3D maps provide a new perspective to traditional drillhole data. You can now view borehole traces and gridded data from different angles—in 3 dimensions, making it easier to spot the relationship between surface and sub-surface features.

Before you can start creating your 3D map you first must select the drillholes (DH-Plot|Select Holes) you want to view in your map.

The 3D map options are provided in an easy-to-use tab dialog, enabling quick access to all the settings from a single dialog. The dialog includes sensible defaults; enabling easy creation of your 3D map.

To Create a 3D Drillhole Map:

On the DH-Plot menu, select New 3D View.
- In the New 3D View dialog, specify a name for the new 3D view and click OK.
- In the 3D Viewer window, go to Add to 3D > Drillhole > Drillholes.
The Topography tab, on the Draw Holes to an Existing 3D View dialog is displayed by default.
Select the Hole Traces tab. This tab dialog includes the following drillhole trace parameters; the Colour of the Hole Trace, the Hole Labels including location, annotations, text size, colour and font, and Depth Ticks (annotations etc.) along the hole trace.
Select the Data tab. The Data and Plot Types are selected from drop-down lists, just as you would select data for your Plans or Sections to be plotted.
In Drillhole 3D two sets of data can be plotted down hole along the trace (Left side and Right side), at one time. When these data appear in the 3D Viewer, the point-of-view will always remain the same, no matter how the image is rotated, panned or zoomed.

In the Plotting Orientation section, you can choose to plot your data as Perpendicular to trace or Horizontal to the hole trace.
Plan oriented gridded data can be created from this tab. The three available gridding methods are Minimum curvature, Kriging and a TIN based technique. To define the gridded data parameters, click the Define button. The specified Gridding dialog will be displayed.
The Data channel (column) to be gridded is displayed. You can add a File name tag to the grid; this is useful when distinguishing between grids created using different gridding parameters. The Cell size can be left to the "intelligent" default, which is one quarter the average data separation based on a statistical average.
The Colour zone file can also be left to the default file, or your own zone file (*.itr, *.tbl, *.zon) can be selected.
The Location section of the tab enables you to specify the Relative Level (elevation of grid) and the Averaging Interval (data within this elevation interval will be used to create the grid. Note that the data values are averaged for this thickness).
The Multiple Grids section enables you to specify the Number of grids to create and at what Increment. (For example, 3 grids with a Relative Level of 225 and an Increment of 50 downwards, you will create grids at 225RL, 275RL and 325RL).
To specify additional gridding parameters, such as Log options etc., click the Advanced gridding options… button. The "Gridding" – Advanced Options dialog is displayed. For detailed technical information, click the Help button. When you are satisfied with your selections, click the OK button on the Advanced Options dialog.
The final parameter on the "Gridding" parameters dialog is Transparency. Using the slider you can control the level of transparency of the gridded data in the 3D view. Click the OK button on the "Gridding" dialog to return to the Draw Holes to an Existing 3D View dialog.

Select the Topography tab. If you have gridded topography data available you can check the Plot Topography option and using the Browse buttons, locate the Topography grid file and the Overlay grid on topography file.
To enable the Grid Clipping, check the appropriate box, and specify the Border size in ground units.
Select the Load/Save tab. This tab is used to save the drillhole data parameters to a file for either sharing with other users or so these particular settings can be used at a later date.
Click the OK button and the 3D Drillholes will be created and displayed in your 3D View.