MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND GEOSCIENCES

MINING ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
HMINE 521: MINERAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
ASSIGNMENT

GROUP 5

NAME SURNAME REG NUMBER

COLERT M. ZHOU R1710794H

BRIAN MWONZORA R185035J

KUDAKWASHE MURENA R1848889R

SITHEMBINKOSI MOYO R185723G

OBEY GUMBO R183080V

NATASHA MAVHUNGA R172672N

EMELLY MAPURANGA R183354N

MICHEAL MASWAYA R162047J

TAKUDZWA BVEKE R172140R

TINASHE TAGARIRA R1812288P

TANAKA GWATIRISA R1810939A

SAMUEL BANDA R143645F

HAMILTON DUBE R1813178N

Question 1
(a) Break-even cut-off grade=
( )×

But;
Mining cost per tonne ore = mining cost per tonne material× (1+ stripping ratio)
= $1.47 × (1+1.5)
= $3.675

Metal price per tonne = metal price per tonne Cu+ by products per tonne Cu (gold and silver)
= $3203+ $930+ $413
= $4 546

Concentration cost per tonne ore= $5.17

SRM cost per tonne metal = $1137
Recovery = 88%

Therefore:
. .
Break-even cutoff grade =
( )× .
=0.002948411
Converting to percentage: breakeven cutoff grade = 0.295%

𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒓𝒆

(b) Marginal cutoff grade =
(𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝑹𝑴 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒍)×𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚

.
=
( )× .
= 0.001723379
Converting to percentage: marginal cutoff grade = 0.17%
Question 2

a) Using calculated cut off grade in 1(a)

b) Assuming a cut off grade of 0.50% Cu
Assuming an even feed to the concentration plant

Part a
–
(i) Overall stripping ratio =

Total tonnes material = 900

Total tonnes ore = 400

Overall stripping ratio=

= 1.25:1

(ii) Head grade = average grade of blocks above cutoff grade 0.29%
. . . . . . . .
=
= 0.70%

(iii) Daily production of:

 Ore = 25 200 tonnes

 Waste = daily production rate of ore × overall stripping ratio

= 25 200×1.25
= 31 500 tonnes

(iv) Annual production of copper metal = daily production of ore × head grade × working
days/year × recovery
.
= 25 200× ( ) × 300 × ( )
= 46569.6 tonnes

(v) Mine life =

Mineable ore reserves= all ore tonnages above or equal to the cutoff grade
= 50×8
= 400Mt
Annual ore production = daily ore production × working days per year
= 25 200×300
= 7.56Mt

Therefore:
Mine life =
.

= 52.91 years

(vi)Marginal stripping ratio =

But
Recoverable value per tonne ore = head grade × recovery × metal price
= (0.7/100) × (88/100) × 3203
= $19.73

Production cost/ tonne ore =mining cost/tonne ore+ concentrating cost/ tonne ore + SRM
cost/tonne ore

Mining cost /tonne ore= mining cost/ tonne material × (1+stripping ratio)
= 1.47 × (1+1.25)
= $3.3075

SRM costs per tonne = head grade × recovery × SRM costs/ tonne metal
= (0.7/100) × (88/100) × 1137
= $ 7.00392
Therefore,
Production cost/ tonne ore= $3.3075+ $5.17+ $7.00392
= $15.48

Stripping cost/tonne =$1.47

. .
Marginal stripping ratio =
.

= 2.89: 1
Part b

–
(i) Overall stripping ratio =

Total tonnes material = 900

Total tonnes ore = 300

Overall stripping ratio =

= 2:1

(ii) Head grade = average grade of blocks above or equal to cutoff grade 0.5%
. . . . . .
=
= 0.80%

(iii) Daily production of:

 Ore = 25 200 tonnes

 Waste = daily production rate of ore × overall stripping ratio

= 25 200×2
= 50 400 tonnes

(iv) Annual production of copper metal = daily production of ore × head grade × working
days/year × recovery
.
= 25 200× ( ) × 300 × ( )
= 53 222.4tonnes

(v) Mine life =

Mineable ore reserves= all ore tonnages above or equal to the cutoff grade
= 50×6
= 300Mt

Annual ore production = daily ore production × working days per year
 = 25 200×300
= 7.56Mt

Therefore:
Mine life =
.

= 39.68 years

(vi ) Marginal stripping ratio =

But
Recoverable value per tonne ore = head grade × recovery × metal price
= (0.8/100) × (88/100) × 3203
= $22.55

Production cost/ tonne ore =mining cost/tonne ore+ concentrating cost/ tonne ore + SRM
cost/tonne ore

Mining cost /tonne ore= mining cost/ tonne material × (1+stripping ratio)
= 1.47 × (1+2)
= $4.41

SRM costs per tonne = head grade × recovery × SRM costs/ tonne metal
= (0.8/100) × (88/100) × 1137
= $8.00448

Therefore,
Production cost/ tonne ore= $4.41+ $5.17+ $8.00448
= $17.58

Stripping cost/tonne =$1.47

. .
Marginal stripping ratio =
.

= 3.38: 1