UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY,

PESHAWAR

GEOSTATISTICAL ORE RESERVE ESTIMATION

(LAB 1)
(COURSE CODE MinE_311L)

NAME: MUGHEERA AYAZ

REG.NO: 20PWMIN0871

SUBMITTED TO
DR. KHAN MUHAMMAD

DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING,

PESHAWAR
 INTRODUCTION /OVERVIEW OF MINERAL
RESOURCE ESTIMATION
1.1 OBJECTIVES:
 To plan the mineral resource estimation plan.
 To comprehensive the sequential order of the steps involved.
 To understand why each of the step is taken before the other right
in the order or the sequence.
1.2 INSTRUMENTS/SOFTWARES:
 Internet for description and figures
 Net pro mine
 Vulcan
 Data mine

1.3 RESOURCE ESTIMATION:

It is an estimation which is used
to determine and define the ore tonnage and grade of a geological
deposit, from the developed block model.

1.4 STEPS INVOLVE IN MINERAL RESOURCE

ESTIMATION:
Steps that involve in mineral resource
estimation are given below.
 SURVEYING:
Surveying is defined as a technique of determining
relative position of points on, above or below the surface of the
earth by measuring the horizontal distances between them and by
preparing a map or plan to suitable scale. Surveying involves the
taking of XYZ coordinates. After we get the XYZ coordinates, we
will be able to get a contour map and it will be easier to get a 3D

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 3D contour surface
Contour surface which is made from the contour lines (which
actually show the elevation) called the wire framing.
When we are done with the surveying then as the result of
surveying we get the information of the drill holes, collar location
and sample collection points. Following is the figure of
instruments used in the surveying.

 CONTOUR MAP AND TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP:

The contour maps are similar to the topographical maps. A contour
map is a type of topographic map on which the shape of the surface is
shown by contour lines. Whereas the topographical map describes the
features of overall surface of the earth.

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 GEOLOGICAL SURVEYING:
It involves the investigation of the geology under the surface which is
under observation in order to produce a geological model and a map.
It involves the study of the properties of the surface of the earth by
means of the principles of physics.

 SAMPLING:
It is a process in which we collect specimen from different portions of
rocks in order to assist with decision making, whether for exploration,
resource estimation, grade control, or plant design and balances.

 CORE LOGGING:
It is the systematic recording and measuring of as much information
as possible to determine the rock type, mineralogy etc.
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 SAMPLE REDUCTION:
Sample reduction means to reduce the volume of the sample initially
collected as this much amount of the sample is not possible to send
ahead for further processes like geochemical analysis etc. so, the
reduction of the sample is done in the following steps.

1) Initial splits (10 to 15 kg)

2) Crushing (1 to 2 kg)
3) Splitting
4) Grinding
5) Splitting for analysis
 GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS :
Geochemical analysis is the
process by which the grades of the sample are found by measuring
different elements, compounds or the elemental ratio by following
methods.
 X Ray Diffraction:
x ray diffraction is mainly used in the
geochemical analysis for the identification of the unknown crystalline
structures. Actually XRD gives us the molecular composition of the
given sample. XRD uses the sample for analysis undergone through
the non-destructive method for the analysis.

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 XRF:
XRF or the x ray fluorescence provides with the elemental
composition. This also includes the non-destructive method for the
analysis of the sample.

 GEOLOGICAL MODELLING:
Boundaries of mineralization
inside the earth surface are determined by the geological modeling.
Different cross section values of the geologic model are obtained in
geological modeling. By showing the mineralized zone inside the
earth by the geological model, a certain geologic cutoff grade is
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 established as well. A geological model can be obtained by various
software’s as described earlier when the data files are taken into them
as input. Usually a geological model is in the form of 3D model
which is formed by the contour lines which are joined together by the
triangles. After that combining these triangles gives the 3D geological
surface.

 CUT-OFF GRADE:
The minimum grade of ore which can be
extracted economically is called cut-off grade. Material above this
grade will be ore and below will be waste.
 COMPOSITING:
Compositing is the combining of raw samples
from variety of supports in such a way that as to produce combination
of such samples in order to produce a sample of approximately
uniform support. The purpose of compositing is to produce a
combined sample of uniform support. It is the conversion of all
samples into equal support. It is procedure by which the adjacent
samples from the bore holes are combined so that the values of the
longer bore holes down the earth should be known. Then the grade of
each sample is calculated on the basis of weighted average of the
original grades of the samples.

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 Whereas the combining of the samples can be either in lab or in the
field. Hence the compositing must be done in the way that it should
take the samples from every interval in order to avoid the favoritism
so that the final sample obtained composited should be representative
of the concentration in the whole area.

 EXPLORATORY DATA ANALYSIS:

After the completion of
the compositing the exploratory data analysis is done which is the
global estimation, local estimation grade tonnage curve and the linear
combination as well.
• Linear estimation: linear estimation is the method of prediction
by using the surrounding data sample values.
• Global estimation: In global estimation, the average grade and the
tonnage of a very large deposit volume are estimated which represent
the justification of a long term production planning.
• Local estimation: It involves the estimation of the grades foe each
block. It is commonly used for short term and medium range
production rate.
• Grade tonnage curve: grade tonnage curve is the one which we
obtain when tonnage of the ores are plotted against the cutoff grade.

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 When the cutoff grade increases, the tonnage will decrease of the ore
body but the average grade of the tonnage increase.
 ESTIMATION:
After the exploratory data analysis the
quantification or the estimation is done. To assess whether a mineral
can be extracted or mined out at some profit and legally, the quantity
and the quality or the percent of that mineral as provided by the ore
reserve estimate. This whole process is involved around the
estimation of the grade and tonnage of the deposit and also the legal
and technical factors for mining the deposit are also involved here.
 RESOURCE CATEGORIZATION AND REPORTING THE
RESOURCE:
When done with the estimation too, the
categorization of the resource for each block is found. Reporting the
resource is done by means of grade tonnage curve and also the bench
by bench grade tonnage curve in which the tonnage will increase but
the average grade of ore will increase as the cutoff grade is increased.
 GRADE TONNAGE CURVE:
A grade tonnage curve is a curve that plots tonnage
of ore against the cutoff grade. As the cutoff grade increase the
tonnage become decrease and average grade of that tonnage become
increase.

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 RESULT:
In this lab we studied about the sequential process for the mineral
resource estimation.
 REFERENCE:
1. Google search
2. lectures

THANK YOU

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