USING AGISOFT© METASHAPE SOFTWARE TO CREATE A 3D DIGITAL REPOSITORY OF ARKANSAS ECONOMIC MINERALS

Modern society relies on natural resources that come from the Earth, including fossil fuels, minerals, and rocks. The nature and distribution of these resources are related to the geologic history of an area. Arkansas has a rich and diverse geologic history, and as a result, a wealth of rock and mineral resources. These mineral resources are economically important as they are either the source of industrial materials or of chemicals used in industrial processes. Although many consider Arkansas to be an agricultural state, it has for years ranked twenty-fifth in the nation in mining and produces a significant number of minerals and products made directly from local mineral resources.

The Arkansas Geological Survey was established 138 years ago and has been collecting specimens of economic minerals since that time. Much of the information about the items contained in this collection can only be found on handwritten labels and in technical reports, neither of which provides easy accessibility for the general public. In connection with the Survey, we are creating a fully digitized 3D photographic collection of the economic rocks and minerals in the state of Arkansas that links the specimens with both locality and economic significance information. This project will be housed on the Arkansas Geological Survey website and allow any interested parties to easily access the information. In this poster, we will present information about our process using Agisoft© Metashape software, including some of the lessons learned and a summary of the benefits of these projects.