Modelling and Mineral Resource Assessment

Recommended Prerequisites

General knowledge of geology, mathematics (specially statistics) and general use of software.

Teaching Methods

The discipline will be characterized by the presentation of several common problems in geosciences and discussion of methods of resolution using various usual programs in the market (eg Surfer and RockWorks). Students will use computers to implement models and solve exercises that will be proposed to them.The concepts of classification of geological resources will be presented in lectures and students will be motivated to discuss the different classifications in order to understand why models like McKelvey's have fallen into disuse because they do not guarantee reliable information.

Learning Outcomes

1. To understand the development of conceptual models of geological systems, delimitation of the model geometry and the initial and boundary conditions.

2. To be able to solve common geology problems using some of the programs available in the market (eg Surfer, RockWorks, among others).

3. To understand the concepts of resources / reserves in accordance with the recommendations of CRIRSCO and the United Nations classification. Understanding the concept of cut-off grade.

4. To be able to calculate resources / reserves by conventional methods and using geostatistics.

5. To understand comercial contracts for buying/selling ores. To understand the concept of Net Smelter Return and Mine Netback.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

a) Conceptual Models in Geosciences; b) Geological data representation using Surfer and RockWorks; c) Modeling of log data. practical application; d) General concepts on evaluation of geological resources; e) Calculation of resources / reserves; Reporting resources/reserves - the CRIRSCO's recommendations and the United Nations classification scheme; Concept of Net Smelter Return and Mine Netback; Commodity prices; Life span of a mine; Valuation of mineral resources; f) Geostatistics applied to geological resources assessment; g) Practical applications using data from the area of each course edition.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Exam: 40.0%
Resolution Problems: 60.0%

Bibliography

Arndt, N., Ganino, C., 2012, Metals and Society: an Introduction to Economic Geology, Springer, 155 p.

Wellmer, F.W., Dalheimer, M., Wagner, M., 2008, Economic Evaluations in Exploration, 2ª Ed. Springer, 250 p.

Sinclair, A.J. e Blackwell, G.H., 2002, Applied Mineral Inventory Estimation. University Press, Cambridge.

Davis, J.C., 2003, Statistics and Data Analysis in Geology, 3rd Edition, Wiley, 656 p.

Legislação Regional sobre Recursos Geológicos;

Manuais do software usado.