Image Data Processing

An image data processing method comprising:

• registering 3D image data and spatially localized 2D planar surface image data of at least partially overlapping regions of a sample material by coordinate alignment of the 2D image data with a corresponding slice of the 3D image data and mapping pixel values of said 2D image data to populate the corresponding voxels of said slice;
• and
• processing said registered image data by propagating said populated voxels throughout the 3D image data by direct correlation of respective voxel values to obtain integrated image data providing a quantitative estimate of spatial distribution of a mineralogy property of the sample material not available from said 3D image data and said 2D image data alone.

(canceled)

5-6. (canceled)

14-16. (canceled)

An image data processing apparatus comprising:

• a memory storing 3D image data spatially localized 2D planar surface image data of at least partially overlapping regions of a sample material;
• and
• a processing circuit configured to register said 3D image data and said 2D surface image data by coordinate alignment of the 2D image data with a corresponding slice of the 3D image data by mapping pixel values of said 2D image data to populate the corresponding voxels of said slice, and process said registered image data by propagating said populated voxels throughout the 3D image data by direct correlation of respective voxel values to obtain integrated image data providing a quantitative estimate of spatial distribution of a mineralogy property of the sample material not available from said 3D image data and said 2D image data alone.

(canceled)

20-21. (canceled)

30-33. (canceled)

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to:

• register 3D image data and spatially localized 2D planar surface image data of at least partially overlapping regions of a sample material by coordinate alignment of the 2D image data with a corresponding slice of the 3D image data by mapping pixel values of said 2D image data to populate the corresponding voxels of said slice;
• and
• process said registered image data by propagating said populated voxels throughout the 3D image data by direct correlation of respective voxel values to obtain integrated image data providing a quantitative estimate of spatial distribution of a mineralogy property of the sample material not available from said 3D image data and said 2D image data alone.

35-38. (canceled)