Silver Reef

The Silver Reef Museum in Leeds, Utah is on the National Registers of Historic Buildings. Silver Reef was a mining boomtown in the late 1800s with the discovery of silver in sandstone. The area is now a Wild West Ghost Town located in a stunning geologic setting. The silver mine has long since been deactivated and closed to the public but serves as a main feature of the museum as to the history of the town.

Since the actual mine is inaccessible to the public, the museum wanted to see if 3D technology could be employed to bring a virtual version of the mine to the museum. Direct Dimensions was engaged to 3D laser scan the entire underground silver mine and ultimately create a 3D virtual tour of the inside of the mine.

Following mine safety protocols, our team used a FARO Focus scanner to capture a 3D scan of the entirety of the mine’s tunnels and shafts. Once we returned home, these scans were aligned and processed to create a high-quality 3D mesh of the mine interior, including all the rocks, walls, timbers, and even equipment that was still left in the mine. Once we had the final mesh model, we worked closely with the mine educators to create a high-quality video animation showing the progression through the mine with many of the important features of the mine explained in detail (see video below). We also created a high-quality 3D print that the museum educators use daily to explain the mine to visitors.