Originally posted by Coring Magazine

Why core data still matters

Drill core remains the primary dataset used to understand ore deposits. Geological interpretation, exploration targeting, and resource modeling all depend on the information extracted from core during the logging process.

Despite its importance, the workflow used to capture this information has changed little over decades. In most operations, drill core is laid out on logging tables where geologists visually interpret lithology, alteration, and structures before selecting samples for laboratory assays.

While effective, this process has limitations. Geological interpretation during logging relies heavily on visual observation, datasets are often fragmented across different systems, and laboratory assay turnaround times can delay interpretation by several weeks.

Technologies such as Scan by VERACIO are beginning to change this workflow by providing continuous geochemical and mineralogical datasets directly from drill core trays. These datasets allow geologists to incorporate quantitative measurements into the logging process rather than wait for laboratory results.

Limitations of traditional core logging

Traditional logging workflows rely on a combination of visual observations and discrete laboratory assays. While this approach has supported exploration for decades, it can limit the amount of information captured from each meter of drill core.

Visual core logging is inherently interpretive and relies heavily on the experience of the geologist completing the work. While experienced geologists can extract significant insight from drill core, visual observations alone may not always capture subtle geochemical or mineralogical variations.

Laboratory assays provide accurate geochemical data, but they are typically collected from selected sample intervals rather than continuously along the drill core. Subtle geochemical trends between samples may therefore not always be captured during early interpretation. In addition, the time required to receive assay results means that geological decisions during drilling campaigns are often made with incomplete datasets.

As exploration programs increasingly seek more consistent and higher-resolution datasets, technologies capable of generating continuous geochemical and mineralogical information directly from drill core are becoming more widely adopted.

Automated core scanning technologies provide a way to generate continuous geochemical and mineralogical datasets directly from drill core shortly after drilling. When integrated into the logging workflow, these datasets provide geologists with additional information while core is being logged.

How Scan by VERACIO captures core data

Scan by VERACIO captures multiple datasets from drill core trays in a single automated scanning pass. These include continuous X‑ray fluorescence (XRF) geochemistry, hyperspectral mineralogy, LiDAR‑derived core topography, and high‑resolution wet and dry photography.

Because these datasets are captured from the same spatial location along the drill core, geochemical, mineralogical and visual observations can be interpreted together rather than as separate datasets.

Continuous XRF scanning produces multi‑element geochemical data along the entire length of the core. Unlike laboratory assays, which analyze discrete samples, scanning produces a continuous elemental profile that can highlight geochemical trends and boundaries between geological units. As the scanning process is non‑destructive, the core remains intact for subsequent sampling and laboratory analysis.

Integrating scanning into the logging workflow

One of the main advantages of automated core scanning is that it can be integrated into existing logging workflows without significantly altering core handling practices.

Core arriving from the drill rig is placed in trays and prepared for logging as usual. Prior to, or alongside logging, trays are passed through the scanning system where geochemical, mineralogical, and imaging datasets are collected automatically. Importantly, the scanning process fits within existing core handling and logging practices, allowing datasets to be generated without disrupting standard logging workflows. The resulting datasets are available shortly after scanning, allowing geologists to review geochemical trends and mineralogical signatures during the logging process.

Scan by VERACIO in the field: Collaboration with Foran Mining

During exploration of the McIlvenna Bay and Tesla Cu-Zn-Au-Ag deposits in Saskatchewan, Foran Mining deployed Scan by VERACIO to generate continuous geochemical datasets from drill core.

The objective was to better understand how the two deposits are connected. While traditional logging and laboratory assays provided a solid foundation, higher-resolution data was needed to confidently correlate units across multiple drill holes.

Continuous XRF scanning produced multi-element geochemical profiles along the full length of the core, creating a consistent, high-density dataset. The combination with geological logging allowed geochemical signatures to be linked to specific rock units. The consistency of the data also enabled more repeatable interpretation. Large portions of the core could be grouped into defined units based on their geochemical signature, improving overall confidence across the dataset.

These datasets were then used to correlate units between drill holes and build a clearer picture of the geology. This helped explain previously observed inconsistencies and improved understanding of the system’s structure, including folding and repetition of units.

Importantly, the data made it possible to identify equivalent units between the McIlvenna Bay and Tesla deposits, even where the rocks looked similar, providing a more reliable basis for targeting and understanding mineralization across the system.

As a result, integrating continuous geochemical data with geological logging improved understanding of the relationship between the two deposits and supported identification of the Bridge Zone linking them.

Interpreting core with continuous data

Automated core scanning increases the density and consistency of geological datasets captured during logging. The value lies in how these datasets can be interpreted together. Because geochemical, mineralogical, and imaging datasets are captured from the same location along the drill core, elemental data, mineralogy, and visual observations can be evaluated as a single dataset. For geologists, this provides additional context during logging. Lithological boundaries, alteration zones, and geochemical trends can be assessed alongside mineralogical and structural observations.

Continuous datasets also provide a clearer representation of geochemical variation along the drill core compared with discrete laboratory samples. When combined with geological logging, these datasets can help refine stratigraphic correlations and improve understanding of mineralized systems.

Looking ahead

As these datasets grow over time, they also create opportunities to apply machine learning and AI. These tools may help geologists extract additional insights from core data, including early indications of geometallurgical and geotechnical characteristics.

In addition, larger datasets may allow for identification of subtle changes in mineralogy and geochemistry across drilling programs. In some cases, these signals may indicate drill holes that have narrowly missed the targeted ore type, providing valuable guidance for follow-up drilling.