Contribution of the quantitative interpretation of gamma-ray logs to the study of limestone exploitation, a case-study at Maizeret, Belgium

Economic considerations constrain quarrymen in Wallonia to consider more profit-earning exploitation of limestone deposits and (or) to diversify their products. Gamma-ray logs contain information about the geology, structure and quality of deposits. Quantitative interpretation of the logs is necessary in order to provide a reasonably good image of reality. The method proposed here consists in removing the effects of different parameters influencing the measurements (analog ratemeter, statistical noise, etc.) and in deconvolving the data in the frequency domain by the analytical impulse response function of the system.

An example demonstrates that mathematical processing increases the lithologic and stratigraphic definition of the logs (bed boundaries, bed thicknesses) and offers a satisfactory characterization of the rocks along boreholes. Some of the quarrymen's questions can be answered from this analysis.