Google Earth and Mining Maps
By Betty Gibbs

Most of us have probably seen Google Earth™ and have taken tours around the world looking at land and oceans.  You can fly anywhere to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, galaxies in outer space, and the depths of the ocean. If you find a place you want to return to you can set a Placemark - such as for your favorite hunting or vacation spots.  

 A free version of Google Earth™ is available for download from the Internet (http://www.google.com/earth/index.html). A professional version, Google Earth™ Pro, is also available for more in-depth use. It includes additional professional tools designed specifically for business users, such as a movie maker, 3D measurement, high resolution images for presentations, and more. The cost is $399.

Google Earth™ is being used by companies and service vendors to supply value-added products to the mining industry. Check out these interesting applications of Google Earth™.

• GoldMaps Online (www.goldmapsonline.com). Active and abandoned gold mining claims extracted from the US  Bureau of Land Management database are shown as a map in Google Earth™. The result is an accurate near real-time view of America's active gold deposits. You can see where the active gold mining claims are located then explore the surrounding areas for promising non-claimed locations. You can generate latitude longitude coordinates for those locations, record elevations, distances, grades, note roads and campsites, and get an excellent 3D satellite view of the terrain. The abandoned claims maps reveal activity from 1986 to present.
• Google Earth Hacks is a Web site that shows a wide variety of mining locations from around the world. 126 locations are included in the list. It is possible to download and use the files. Save in your Google Earth Placemarks so you can look at them any time.  http://www.gearthhacks.com/dlcatn53p3/Mines.htm (This site has lots of ads.)
• Mineral Maps of Australia.  This  is an Australian government site and you can download maps free of charge. Some of the maps include Copper Resources Map; Diamond Deposits, Kimberlite and Related Rocks; Gold Resources Map, Lead-Zinc Resources Map; Uranium Resources Map and more. (http://www.australianminesatlas.gov.au/mapping/downloads.jsp#earthkmz)
• Infomine. 3D 'Fly-In' aerial views of mines and properties are now available from the companies and properties database. Simply click on this link after you have installed the Google Earth application and you will 'fly' to the property location using Google's impressive 3D interface. The satellite image and 3D 'Fly-In' view is available for all properties with latitude and longitude information, approximately half of the 10,000 properties listed on InfoMine database. (http://www.infomine.com/companies-properties/3d_view_announcement.asp)
• World Mineral Resources. The Mineral Resources Data System was compiled by the USGS and describes metallic and nonmetallic mineral resources throughout the world. Included are deposit name, location, commodity, deposit description, geologic characteristics, production, reserves, resources, and references for each location. The dataset includes information on over 300,000 locations throughout the Earth. (http://www.gelib.com/world-mineral-resources.htm)
• Ontario Geological Survey. OGS Earth. The Ontario Geological Survey (OGS) has has employed the use of the Google Earth™ mapping service for viewing multi layered geological, mining and land and water data. (http://www.mndm.gov.on.ca/mines/ogs_earth_e.asp)

RockWorks and Making Maps with Google Earth™

Rockworks has several tools that can be used to generate output for plotting using Google Earth™, and then connects directly to plot on the 3D images.  Some of the uses include:

• Display borehole locations with symbols in Google Earth™. The Icon symbol currently displayed in the Location tab is used for each hole.  Borehole labels as well as other data can be displayed in the borehole description fields, such as lithology, stratigraphy, and water levels; the information can be accessed in Google Earth™ by double-clicking on the symbol.
• A Placemark Map tool reads a listing of locations, in longitude and latitude coordinates, and generates a Google Earth™ KMZ (Keyhole markup-language binary) file.  This type of map could be used to show locations of mines, prospects, vendors, etc. Information can be attached to the location such as types of minerals, address, mine data, contact person. You can also attach images such as pictures of the mine or equipment.
• Place polygons and polylines on a map and register to the surface. The lines can be “clamped” to the ground or can float above it. Polylines can be extruded so they look like a fence.
• Plot stratigraphic columns within Google Earth™ which shows the base of each stratigraphic column positioned at the ground surface (Google Earth™ does not allow for sub-surface displays). The usual RockWorks column display options can be used to show colors, variable widths, and other borehole features, then the program generates the information for placement on the Google Earth™ map. Fence diagrams can be displayed in the same way.
• If you have generated contour maps in RockWorks, they can be overlaid on a Google Earth™ map. The transparency options let you see the land (or ocean) beneath your map.

For more information about RockWorks, visit the RockWare Web site at: http://www.rockware.com.