DEVELOPMENT OF A METHOD FOR APPLYING CONTENT LIMITS TO CALCULATE THE RESERVES OF VEIN AND VEIN ZONES

Abstract

A method of application of parameters of conditions - limits of contents, for calculation of reserves of ore deposits represented by veins and veins zone, has been developed. When calculating the reserves of ore deposits from the parameters of the conditions, the limits of the contents: cut-off grade of the useful component in the edge probe (in the group of probes), minimal content of the useful component at the exploration intersection, minimal content of the useful component at the interval of the ore body, minimal industrial content of the useful component in the counting block are mainly used. The presented methodology takes into account the significance and features of content limits. The cut-off grade fixes the ore body by thickness, the minimum content of the useful component at the exploration intersection predetermines the quality samples at the intersection, the minimum content of the useful component in the interval of the ore body - quality samples in the interval, and the minimum industrial content of the useful component in the calculation block determines the classification of the reserves of the calculation block as balance or off- balance. Since the contours of the ore body in terms of thickness are determined by the cut- off grade, then when determining the industrial boundaries of the ore body, this limit should be applied first of all (on the plans for testing exploration horizons). Then the minimum content in the intersection is applied, then the minimum content in the interval.

Then, from the plans for testing, the contours of the ore bodies are transferred to their vertical projections, where the boundaries of the calculated blocks of balance or off-balance reserves are determined using the minimum industrial content. Simple cases of applying content limits were considered, whereas in reality these cases are much more complex and require individual approaches.

However, the developed methodology outlined the correct sequence of steps for applying content limits and the basic principles common to all cases.