Coordinating spatial data

Maptek Eureka™ provides drillhole and seismic tools within an integrated platform for viewing and modelling exploration data. Eureka 1.1 will allow users to easily convert spatial data to any coordinate system or grid representation.

This is beneficial when the spatial data for an exploration project is in different coordinate systems.

Spatial objects in Maptek Eureka™ are initialised by the user to a coordinate system. Predefined grid coordinate systems include:

• Australian Map Grid (based on the Australian Geographic Datum 1966) - AMG66
• Map Grid of Australia (based on the Geographic Datum of Australia 1994) - MGA94
• State Plane Coordinate System (based on North American Datums 1927 and 1983 - the local grid for each US state)
• More than 4000 different grids defined by the EPSG geodetic parameter dataset

Users can also define their own grid systems by specifying a datum - a reference ellipsoid and a transformation back to WGS84 - and a projection system.

• Twenty different projection systems are available, including:
• Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)
• Universal Polar Stereographic (UPS)
• Mercator
• Lambert Conformal Conic
• Polyconic
• Stereographic

Objects in one coordinate system can be transformed into any other coordinate system.

• Convert latitudes and longitudes to any UTM zone - e.g. UTM Zone 54 South
• Convert drillhole collars between different UTM zones - e.g. when project data spans multiple zones
• Convert old survey data e.g. from AMG66 to the more recent MGA94 grid
• Convert GIS data - e.g. data from SPCS Colorado Central Zone 502, NAD27 to UTM Zone 13 North

A calculator tool allows users to check coordinate conversions and pick a point on a UTM grid to display latitude and longitude.

A geographic graticule can be created to provide a reference grid to help with the conversion.

Converting data is simple with Eureka. The user assigns an initial coordinate system to the objects, which can be transferred to other objects to ensure all of the data in the focus area is georeferenced correctly. The data can then be transformed to any other grid projection.

Setting the coordinate system to a local projection minimises distortion when the area of interest lies on the boundaries of standard UTM zones.

Eureka 1.1 is scheduled for release at the end of 2013. New functionality includes implicit modelling and interactive drillhole editing.