Nick,

The stair-step version of the 3D solid (block diagram) was generated directly from topo contours digitized from USGS topo maps at an interval of 40 feet. In essence, it is a virtual version of the way we used to build topo models: by cutting out pieces of styrofoam and stacking them up.

The polygon meshes were created by importing topo contour lines from AutoCad into SketchUp and using the sandbox tool to create the mesh. As long as the imported contours are clean (no open points, no missing lines, etc) SketchUp creates a pretty nice mesh.

I want to create solids that represent the alteration envelopes around quartz-pyrite veins. To do this properly I need to combine two polygon meshes created from structure contours derived from DDH core data for both the hanging wall and the footwall of the alteration zone. By creating different solids representing each of the alteration types (quartz, sericite, chlorite, etc) I could then create other solids that represent the intersection shapes of those alteration zones.

All of this is part of creating an interactive block-diagram using SketchUp. By using solid objects it is possible to quickly create a section plane at any desired orientation: level maps, cross-sections, or inclined cross-sections. Also, SketchUp has an easy to use section command that allows you to progessively cut a section through the model and export that as a video.

(I know you are more an oil guy, but have you ever worked with any of the mining specific CAD programs like MineDat, Vulcan, or GemCon?)