Assignment of Mine Planning Laboratory

Due date: Monday, April 22nd by 5:15 PM

Goal: Learn steps in resource estimation using a Fe deposit.
Deliverables:
Short report with the following sections: Summary. Introduction (brief statement of the problem
and contents). Data Analysis (brief comments on data; solid modeling; compositing; data
statistics). Variography (experimental and model variograms). Estimation (brief). Grade, tonnage
and metal curves.
You also have to submit all generated results with raw files when you will be submitting your
report.
Software to be used: Surpac and SGEMS
Specifications: Please ensure that any data characteristic pertinent to the orebody modelling and
reserve estimation is discussed and any parameter selected is justified.
Data set: The Fe borehole database supplied to you consists of 77 boreholes. Each group will
randomly eliminate 10 boreholes from the original database and used the 67 boreholes for
solving their problems. Please ensure that you are using the unique database for solving your
problem.
Problems
The goal of this part of the lab is to familiarise the lab participants with the basics for data analysis,
using data from a Fe deposit. The results from this part of the lab will provide the results needed for
the Data Analysis part of the assignment.
The specific outcomes needed for the assignment are as follows.
1. Create the database in surpac using your data set and determine the following
a) The size of the rectangular area containing all the drill holes.
b) The number of drill holes and samples (results should be obtained from surpac)
c) Ranges and means of %Fe data
d) Built a color legend for the drill holes. Comment on what you see. What is the
approximate dip of the mineralized zone?
2. Calculate the bench composites for 2.5, 5 and 10 m benches using drill holes/composite over
benches. Look at the statistics for these composites. What would you expect to see? What is keeping
constant with composite size? What is increasing and decreasing?

3. Create Solid model using your loaded database. Create a colored legend for the drillholes based
on where geology code is 3, 4, or 5. This shows the drillholes or parts of drillholes within the
mineralised envelope. We need to create a solid encompassing this mineralised envelope and filter
our 5m bench composites with the solid model. To built the solid model, digitise several strings while
in section view and link them together, creating a solid.
4. Calculation and plots of the Fe histogram and cumulative histograms with the corresponding
summary statistics for 2.5, 5 and 10 m benches compositing
5. Show the histograms from composites of different lengths and explain why the differences and
similarities (in brief).
6. Plots of the experimental variograms along the three directions of anisotropy. Discussion (and
plots as appropriate) explaining how the three principal directions of anisotropy were identified.
Mention Any possible geological interpretations linking the variogram to deposit type geology.
7. Show the plots of the three-dimensional variogram model fitted.
8. Show the variogram model and the related parameters on a table.
9. Calculate the down hole variogram for Fe to find the nugget effect. When determining the nugget
effect, look at the number of pairs for each point.
10. Please determine the anisotropy ellipsoid
11. Generate a block model within the 3-D block model and block model within the solid using
blocks of size 50x50x10 m3
12. Explain all parameters selected for the orebody model and estimation including block sizes,
neighbourhoods and number of samples, block discretisation for block kriging.
13. Generate a cross section showing your block model (both estimated Fe and estimation variance).
Indicate briefly what the estimation variance shows.
14. Do statistics (histograms) on the estimated values of the orebody model and compare to the data
statistics.
15. Plot and discuss grade, tonnage, curves of your estimated deposit.
16. Compare the grade tonnage curve of your deposit using blocks of size 50x50x10 m3 and of size
25x25x5 m3. Please comments on these results.