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Edge position detection and depth estimation from gravity data with application to mineral exploration

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A Correction to this article was published on 19 March 2019

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Abstract

A method is applied to residual gravity data taken from the Ortaklar mine, Turkey to delineate the edge position and to estimate the depth of a buried ore body. The horizontal gradient magnitude (HGM) and tilt angle map (TAM) techniques are applied to the first vertical derivative (FVD) of the residual gravity data. The maxima contours of the HGM data and the zero contours of the TAM correspond to the edges of the ore body. The half distance between ± 45° (± 0.785 rad) TAM contours is used to determine the depths of the body. The obtained results are then compared against the depths retrieved from the Grav2dc inversion program, which inverted two profiles taken across the maximum response of the gravity anomaly map. The depths of the ore body estimated by the two methods are found in good agreement as reveal from drilling information.

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  • 19 March 2019

    The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in the Methodology section.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Prof. Dr. Bülent ORUÇ from Kocaeli University due to his contributions and valuable suggestions. I also would like to address my thanks to Rasim Taylan KARA for precious support.

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  1. Department of Geophysical Engineering, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080, Trabzon, Turkey

    Ali Elmas

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  1. Ali Elmas
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Correspondence to Ali Elmas.

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Elmas, A. Edge position detection and depth estimation from gravity data with application to mineral exploration. Carbonates Evaporites 34, 189–196 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-018-0480-8

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