Category: QA/QC
Posts
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Core Logging QA/QC in Mineral Exploration
Best Practices for Producing Accurate, Consistent, and Defensible Geological Core Data Diamond drilling is one of the largest investments made during a mineral exploration program. Every metre of core recovered represents significant drilling costs and provides valuable geological information that may influence exploration strategy, resource estimation, mine planning, and investment decisions. Because of this, the…
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Borehole Data Governance for Transportation Projects
Ensuring Trusted, Secure, and Reusable Geotechnical Data Throughout the Infrastructure Lifecycle Modern transportation infrastructure projects generate an extraordinary volume of geotechnical information. Highway expansions, bridge replacements, rail corridors, airports, tunnels, ports, and rapid transit systems all depend on accurate borehole investigations to characterize subsurface conditions before construction begins. Over the lifetime of a transportation asset,…
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Geotechnical QA/QC for Infrastructure Projects
Best Practices for Delivering Reliable Subsurface Data for Roads, Bridges, Dams, Tunnels, Railways, and Major Civil Engineering Projects Every major infrastructure project begins below the surface. Before the first foundation is poured, bridge pier constructed, tunnel excavated, or highway embankment built, engineers must understand the ground conditions on which the entire project will depend. That…
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SPT and N-Value QA/QC Procedures
Best Practices for Ensuring Accurate Standard Penetration Test Data in Geotechnical Investigations The Standard Penetration Test (SPT) remains one of the most widely performed in-situ tests in geotechnical engineering. For more than a century, engineers have relied on SPT N-values to estimate soil density, relative strength, bearing capacity, liquefaction potential, settlement characteristics, and numerous other…
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Geological Data Quality and Resource Estimation
Why High-Quality Geological Data Is the Foundation of Reliable Mineral Resource Models Every mineral resource estimate begins with geological data. Drill holes, core logs, assays, geotechnical measurements, structural observations, density determinations, and survey information collectively define the size, shape, grade, and confidence of a mineral deposit. Sophisticated geological modelling software and advanced geostatistical techniques can…
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Recovery, RQD, SCR, and TCR Validation
Best Practices for Validating Rock Core Quality Measurements in Geological and Geotechnical Investigations Rock core logging is one of the most important activities performed during geotechnical investigations and mineral exploration drilling. The measurements collected from drill core—including Core Recovery, Rock Quality Designation (RQD), Solid Core Recovery (SCR), and Total Core Recovery (TCR)—provide essential information about…
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Preventing VOC Sampling Errors
Best Practices for Accurate Volatile Organic Compound Sampling in Environmental Investigations Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are among the most frequently analyzed contaminants during environmental site assessments, groundwater investigations, landfill monitoring, industrial compliance programs, and remediation projects. Because VOCs readily evaporate into the atmosphere, they are also among the easiest contaminants to lose during sampling, handling,…
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QA/QC for Groundwater Monitoring Wells
Best Practices for Ensuring Accurate, Reliable, and Defensible Groundwater Data Groundwater monitoring wells play a critical role in environmental investigations, contaminated site assessments, landfill monitoring, mining operations, industrial compliance programs, hydrogeological studies, and long-term groundwater resource management. Decisions involving public health, environmental protection, remediation strategies, regulatory compliance, and millions of dollars in project costs often…
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Should Approved Boreholes Be Editable?
One of the most common questions faced by organizations implementing borehole data management systems is whether approved borehole records should remain editable after they have completed the review and approval process. At first glance, allowing edits may seem practical. New information becomes available, errors are occasionally discovered, and project requirements evolve. However, unrestricted editing of…
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Preventing Data Loss During Borehole Data Migration
Best Practices for Moving Geological Data from Legacy Systems to Modern Databases Data migration is one of the most critical—and often riskiest—activities in geological and geotechnical data management. Organizations routinely migrate borehole records from legacy databases, spreadsheets, paper archives, proprietary software systems, and aging data repositories into modern geological database platforms. While the goal is…