Development and preliminary results of a drilling core spectral imaging and cataloging system

Drill cores provide direct evidence for geological prospecting, and compiling drill core record information has been a vital tool in geological exploration. We design and fabricate a drill core spectral imaging system that covers a wavelength range of 400 to 2500 nm with a spectral resolution of 3 to 12 nm. A visible and near infrared and a shortwave infrared spectrometer are mounted together to cover the wavelength range. This paper describes the mechanical structure, light path structure, parameters, and software processing chain of the system. With the spectral imaging system and custom-design software, a mineral core sample is analyzed to validate system performance.