As part of the FEM 2025 short course Geophysics Applied to Targeting, participants had the opportunity to dive deep into innovative data tools used in mineral exploration. A highlight of the first pre-course day, Monday the 27th of October, was the DroneSOM Special Session, showcasing geophysical data modelling tools are beneficial in exploration.
Geophysical techniques provide mineral exploration tools for identifying and delineating prospective targets. Therefore, the DroneSOM project offered the 2025 FEM conference (Fennoscandian Exploration and Mining) participants a chance to learn about the advanced tools used for geophysical data modelling. The result was a half a day DroneSOM Special Session, held as a part of the Geophysics Applied to Targeting pre-course by FEM.
Figure 1. Markku Pirttijärvi introducing fundamentals of geophysics
The session offered a practical and interactive program. It began with an introduction to geophysical fundamentals, followed by demonstrations and hands-on exercises. Participants explored magnetic field modeling using Magbods and Fourpot, and electromagnetic modeling with Lempo3D, led by Radai’s Chief Geophysicist Markku Pirttijärvi. Magbods and Fourpot are free software developed by Pirttijärvi and can be found here.
Figure 2. Samppa Koivu giving a hands-on exercise in GisSOM
In the second part of the session, the focus shifted to predictive mineral modeling and SOM-based approaches using GisSOM and advangeo® 3D. Andreas Knobloch, Managing Director of Beak Consultans GmbH, introduced the session participants with the fundamentals of predictive mineral modelling (MPM) and SOM, meaning self-organizing maps. After that Samppa Koivu, Spatial Data Planner of the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), gave a hands-on exercise in GisSOM, a software tool developed by GTK for applying self-organizing maps (SOM) and related clustering techniques to multivariate datasets, particularly in geoscience and mineral exploration contexts. Read more about GisSOM here.
Advangeo® 3D on the other hand is a specialized software developed by Beak Consultants GmbH for 3D geological modeling and mineral predictive mapping. It is widely used in mineral exploration projects to integrate multiple data sources and create spatial models that help identify prospective areas.
Discussions centered on how machine learning can enhance targeting accuracy. Participants were particularly interested in real-world applications and integration of these new methods into existing workflows.
Figure 3. DroneSOM team in FEM 2025
The DroneSOM project continues to refine its tools toward commercialization until the end of the year. The solutions developed in the project—such as 3D inversion techniques and SOM-driven analysis—promise significant benefits for the mineral exploration industry. From 2026 onwards, Radai will offer the DroneSOM service package, which will help to cover what’s beneath the surface accurately, cost-effectively and safely.
