Reflection image beyond the known extent of the prospective zone provided by 3D virtual-source methodology

We apply a full-scale 3D seismic virtual-source survey (VSS) for the purpose of near-mine mineral exploration in the Kylylahti sulfide deposit, Finland. Based on the ambient-noise (AN) characterization including beamforming results, we created a 10-days subset of AN recordings that were dominated by multi-azimuth high-velocity arrivals. We use an illumination-diagnosis and location procedure to show that the AN recordings associated with the high apparent velocities are related to body-wave events. Next, we produce 994 virtual-source gathers by applying seismic-interferometry processing by crosscorrelating AN at all receivers resulting in a full 3D VSS. We apply standard 3D time-domain reflectiondata processing and imaging using the subset and the full AN data, and validate both results against a pre-existing detailed geological information and 3D active-source data processed in the same way as the passive data. The resulting post-stack migrated sections show agreement of reflections between the passive and active data and indicate that VSS provides images where the active-source data are not available. In particular, the previously unknown extent of the ore-bearing complex was captured exclusively by passive data, which added a new geological insight into the Kylylahti formation. The methodological approach developed can be used in other areas in mineral exploration context.