Hyperspectral imaging for the characterization of athabasca oil sands drill core

Accurately logging oil sands core is a challenging process because sedimentary and biogenic features are difficult to see in bitumen-saturated strata. A suite of oil sands core was scanned using the SisuROCK hyperspectral imaging system. Analysis of the spectral imagery revealed that in the shortwave infrared we can “see through” thin bitumen at the surface and readily identify structures and fabrics that are not visible to the unaided eye. In the spectral data, we identify broad spectral classes that correlate to lithofacies, which are then used to create rudimentary lithological maps. Greyscale ore-grade maps are also created using an existing spectral model for the determination of bitumen content. Developing an automated method for the removal of man-made materials from the hyperspectral imagery, based on a spectral library developed during this study, remains a research preoccupation. Future work will investigate the discrimination of individual clay minerals, particularly swelling vs. non-swelling.