The numerical simulation and imaging of seismic scattered wave applied to base metal exploration^*

Abstract

The seismic data collected during base metal exploration are often degraded by a variety of non-reflecting signals due to the heterogeneity of ore bodies and host rocks. It is then difficult to generate a high-quality seismic section when conventional reflection seismic processing algorithms are applied to the data. Two seismic records have been simulated from constructed typical ore geological models using the Kirchhoff integration principle. One geological model is the Tongling copper mine in eastern China, and another is the Gejiu (also known as Gegeo) tin mine in the Yunnan Province of south-western China. The simulated seismic data has then been processed using reflection seismic and seismic scatter imaging methods, respectively. The seismic scatter imaging method, which stacked all kinds of reflected/diffracted waves, seems more powerful to image the complexity of the subsurface.