ORE BODY DESCRIPTION

Surface Mining
• Most potential ore bodies are explored using diamond core drilling.
• The small diameter core collected from each hole provides a continuous
‘line’ of geologic information.
• Each of the recovered core is studied in detail and the contained
information recorded. The process is called logging.
• Each line is subsequently subdivided into a series of segments representing
a particular rock type, structural feature, type of mineralization etc.
• Using the information, the mining geologist proceed to construct a 3
dimensional representation of mineralized body.
• The objective is to quantify as best possible, the size, shape and
distribution of the observable geologic features.
Mine Maps
▪ The fundamental documents in all stages of mine planning and designs are the
maps.
▪ A mine map is a detailed explanation of the features, dangers, and makeup of a
mine. Accurate mine mapping is incredibly important to worker safety, as
incorrect or outdated maps can lead to fatal accidents.
▪ Mine maps are usually created through the collaboration of engineers and
surveyors using visual readings and computer software to create the most
accurate picture of a mine..
▪ Maps are essential for the purpose of
- Collecting
- Outlining and
- Correlating a large portion of the data required for a surface
mining feasibility study.
▪ These maps are drawn to various scale. The scale is the ratio between the linear
distances on the map and the corresponding distances at the site.
▪ In the English system the scale relates inches to as measured on the map to feet
in the field.
▪ General rule is the greater the ratio, the smaller is the scale.
Fragment of mine map in scale 1:1000, saddle I, upper layer
▪ The selection of the most appropriate scale for any map depends upon:
1. The size of the area to be represented
2. The intended use of the map
▪ Mine planning for example should be done at a scale that keeps the whole pit on
one sheet and yet permits sufficient detail to be shown.
▪ For planning purpose the geologic features are replotted onto the smaller scale
map.
▪ The type of maps prepared and used depends upon the stage in the life of the
property. Example:
- Satellite maps
- Regional maps
- State maps
- Quadrangle map
Satellite World Map Within Dhammamedicine Info At Of Earth Live On Live
Satellite Map Of Earth
Regional map
US state map

Regional map
Quadrangle Topographic Math
For mine planning and design there are three map types of different scales.
1. General area map
2. General mine map
3. Detailed mine map
Study area a. General map; b. Location of main sites and regions mentioned in the
text. 300 mm isohyet (in red) marks the transition from the sub-humid
Mediterranean to semi-arid and arid climate zones.
The objective of general area map is to show many pertinent features:
▪ Geology ( extent of ore bodies, mineralized zones)
▪ Transportation routes ( highways, railroad, water routes)
▪ Property ownership and control
▪ Distance to market, processing or transfer points
▪ Available access
▪ Location of transmission lines for power supply
▪ Location of both present and future potential water supply/ reserve areas
▪ Areas suitable for tailings, slurry and refuse disposal in relation to mining and
processing.
As such it is considered to be a small scale map.
General area map of the San Juan Basin, NM. Base map adapted from Esri
▪ The general mine map is a map of medium scale.
▪ It covers a particular region within the general area map. Because the scale is
larger, greater detail may be examined. the type of things which might be shown
on such a map include:

✓ Processing plant location

✓ Pipelines
✓ Mine structures
✓ Location of the ore body
✓ Power lines
✓ Location of a few drill holes
✓ Water supply
✓ Dump/ tailing pond locations
✓ Access roads
✓ Property ownership and control
✓ Railroad lines
✓ Proposed timing of mine development
✓ Conveyor lines
General Mine map
▪ Detailed mine maps are those used for actual pit planning.
▪ The basic package consists of both plan maps and cross sections.
▪ Drill hole locations are laid out on the plan maps at a scale appropriate to the
requirements.
Detailed map of Río Tinto mining district.
Features of Mine Maps
The actual contents of the map depend on important features at the mine.

▪ Name and address of the mine

▪ The scale and orientation of the map
▪ The property or boundary lines of the mine
▪ The adit shafts, stops, drifts, tunnels, entries, rooms, crosscuts, and all
other excavations of the ore bed being mined
▪ All drill holes that penetrate the ore bed being mined
▪ Dip of the ore bed
▪ Any outcrop of the ore bed within the bounds of the property
▪ The elevations of tops and bottoms of shafts and slopes.
▪ The elevation of the floor at intervals of not more than two hundred feet
for:
✓ At least one entry of each working section and one intersection.
✓ Developments advancing toward or adjacent to property or boundary
lines or adjacent mines.
▪ Contour lines passing through whole number elevations of the ore bed
being mined.
▪ Entries and air courses with the direction of air flow indicated by arrows,
and location of fan controls.
▪ The location of all mine ventilation fans.
▪ Escapeways throughout all levels of the mine.
▪ The known underground workings in the same ore bed on the adjoining
properties within one thousand feet of such mine workings and projections.
▪ The location and elevation of any body of water dammed in the mine or held
back in any portion of the mine.
▪ The abandoned portion or portions of the aline. Mines above or below the
mine workings.
▪ The location of any streams or bodies of water on the surface.
▪ Either producing or abandoned oil and gas wells located within five hundred
feet of the mine.
▪ The location of all high pressure pipelines, high voltage power lines and
roads.
 ▪ The location of railroad tracks and public highways leading to the mine
and mine buildings of a permanent nature and showing identifying
names.
▪ Where the overburden is less than one hundred feet, any dwellings.
▪ Major underground travelways and haulageways and ore passes at the
mine.
▪ Major underground facilities including lunchrooms, refuge areas, mine
shafts, shops, storage facilities (explosives, fuel, supply), and locations
of underground telephones.

Source:Surface Mine Safety » AMIT 129: Lesson 8 Mine Maps, Emergency Evacuation,
Barricading
Compositing And Tonnage Factor Calculation

COMPOSITING
Compositing is a technique by which the assay data are combined to form
weighted average or composite grades representative of intervals longer their
own.
 Ore Zone Composite
The drill log shown in
figure contains a series
of ore length 𝑙𝑖 and
corresponding grades
𝑔𝑖 .
In this case the boundaries between ore and waste are assumed sharp. the
weighted average is found by first tabulating the individual lengths 𝑙𝑖 and
corresponding grades 𝑔𝑖 .
The products 𝑙𝑖 𝑔𝑖 are formed and summed ∑ 𝑙𝑖 𝑔𝑖 . This sum is then divided by
the sum of the lengths ∑ 𝑙𝑖 to yield the desired grade. This is written as :
∑ 𝑙𝑖 𝑔𝑖
The average grade: 𝑔ҧ =
∑ 𝑙𝑖
Bench Compositing
For large uniform deposits where the transition from ore to waste is gradual
(the cut off is economic rather than physical)
The compositing interval is the bench height and fixed elevations are
selected.
The method is often used
for resource modeling in open
pit today.
Figure shown a bench by
horizontal dashed line:
In this particular case the upper portion of the bench lies in ‘waste”.
The bench composite grade is:

∑ 𝒍𝒊 𝒈𝒊
ഥ=
𝒈
𝑯
Here H is bench height compositing with fixed interval and elevations makes it
very
Easy to present and analyze the results for a deposit containing a number of drill
holes.
Some of the reasons for and the benefits of compositing include:
1. Irregular length assay samples must be composited to provide
representative data for analysis.
2. Compositing incorporates dilution such as that from mining constant
height benches in an open pit mine.
3. Compositing reduces erratic variation due to very high or very low assay
values.
4. By compositing, the number of data, and hence the required
computational times are reduced.
 Question

1. It has been deicide that 40 ft high benches and a 5200 ft reference

elevation will be used. This means that bench crest elevations would be at
5200 ft, 5160 ft, 5120 ft etc. the upper 38 ft of hole C-22 would lie in
bench 1. the next 40 ft would be in bench 2 and the hole would terminate
in bench 3. using the procedure of zone compositing, determine the
composite grade at the hole location for bench 2.
2. If material running 0.3% and higher is understood to be ore, then the
ore zone extends from surface to a depth of 65 ft. Determine the zone
composite for 65 ft.
Tonnage factor

The tonnage factor provides the mechanism for the conversion from volume of
ore to weight of ore.
The conversion from volume V to weight W & vice versa is done in English
unit with the help of a tonnage factor TF (vol/wt)
V = TF* W

Home Work: Mathematical problem (Page 215)Reference book 1

Open Pit Mine Planning and Design, Two Volume Set, 2nd
Edition by William A. Hustrulid ,Mark Kuchta