Reprocessing of legacy seismic data for gold exploration: case study from Witwatersrand goldfields, South Africa

Summary Legacy data are defined as previously acquired data that are no longer in use. Their restoration requires substantial time and money, without the promise of yielding rewarding results. These legacy data sets are often accompanied by poorly preserved documentation, outdated coordinates, and are stored on old tech (e.g., tapes or printed versions/hard copies) that make the data hard to use. The new information acquired from the legacy data may profit future mine planning operations by finding new ore deposits, giving a superior estimation of the resources and information that will assist with sitting and sinking future shafts. In this study we present results from the reprocessed legacy seismic data from Witwatersrand goldfields (South Africa). The purpose of the study is to improve the imaging of the gold orebody known as the Ventersdorp Contact Reef (VCR), which is mined at the Kloof Gold Mine. The VCR occurs at an interface between the Ventersdorp Supergroup and Central Rand Group with contrasting densities and seismic velocities, which makes it a good target for the seismic methods.