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Vulcan Implicit Modelling Casestudy

This document discusses how implicit modelling and support analysis tools in Vulcan software can help geologists evaluate and compare mining projects. It allows generating potential grade-tonnage curves and assessing how additional drilling may impact projects.

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yacoo54
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212 views2 pages

Vulcan Implicit Modelling Casestudy

This document discusses how implicit modelling and support analysis tools in Vulcan software can help geologists evaluate and compare mining projects. It allows generating potential grade-tonnage curves and assessing how additional drilling may impact projects.

Uploaded by

yacoo54
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Consider a new exploration project.

Initial vertical drillholes have been followed


up with angled drilling. Now that new
data is available, what is the potential of
this project and did the drilling add value?
How does it compare against other
projects? Which project has the most
potential to warrant spending your limited
budget on?
COMBINING MAPTEK

VULCAN


IMPLICIT MODELLING AND CHANGE
OF SUPPORT TOOLS, GEOLOGISTS
CAN ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS,
AND THEY CAN DESCRIBE
PROJECTS IN A MEASURABLE WAY.
This is critical when including mine
planning and fnancial modelling concepts
into discussions.
An initial view of any project should start
with analysis using Vulcan standard tools:
> database validation;
> advanced statistics; and
> load drillholes as discs for displaying
grade and geology.
Once a basic understanding of
the project is obtained, the resource
geologist must then be able to provide:
> a potential mineralised tonnage; and
> a potential tonnage and grade above
an economic cutoff.
Implicit Modelling
Implicit modelling in Vulcan 9 allows
solids to be created rapidly, straight from
drillhole or composite data. Categorical
variables such as lithologies can be
modelled, as well as continuous variables
such as grades. Implicit modelling can
help to evaluate the potential range in the
mineralised tonnage.
Support Analysis
Vulcan support analysis tools allow
the geologist to map the change in the
grade-tonnage curve between different
drilling support to assess how much
of the potential mineralisation could be
economic.
As infll drilling is added, the shape of the
grade-tonnage curve changes. Change
of support maps this and allows the
resource geologist to identify the potential
grade-tonnage curve at the time of mining
(grade control drilling).
This is important when comparing
projects as it enables deposits to be
measured on a like for like basis to show
what could be expected at the time of
mining.
The realistic mining scenario lies
somewhere between the theoretical
grade-tonnage curves for the current
exploration drilling and the actual samples
themselves. The challenge is to determine
where that realy is, and how further
drilling will affect the project.
>
www.maptek.com >
CASE STUDY
IMPLICIT MODELLING AND SUPPORT
ANALYSIS
Implicit modelling combined with existing change of support analysis
tools helps resource geologists to evaluate deposits.
Adjusting the parameters in implicit modelling
allows the resource geologist to determine
end-member ranges for the size of the deposit
based on the data available.
The grade-tonnage curve output by
change of support represents change as
a proportion, not actual tonnes.
To report tonnage, the tonnes from
implicit modelling can be combined with
grade-tonnage curves from support
analysis. This results in a potential range
of size and grade for the deposit based
on the current information.
Two real world projects identifed situations
where:
> infll drilling would cost more than
the potential incremental value of
additional metal in the ground; and
> a large low grade project which
contained signifcant high grade ore
shoot potential had signifcant upside
as a high grade target.
Summary
This modelling process can all be done
easily in Vulcan. There is no need to import
and export data or run different programs.
Everything is saved in specifcation fles so it
is documented, repeatable and reliable.
By combining the right tools in Vulcan,
geologists can lift the lid on deposits to
get a better view of what is there, before
expensive drilling is undertaken.
Extract from paper presented at Maptek Users
Conference, Brisbane, 2013
2014, Maptek Pty Ltd - 0214-VULC IM
VULCAN

www.maptek.com
Support analysis outputs grade-tonnage
curves, with the cutoff grade on the
horizontal axis. The theoretical grade-
tonnage curve based on exploration
drilling can be graphed with a grade-
tonnage curve based on samples; these
are the two end members for selectivity.
This example reveals only a small range in
grade, with the grade only slightly above
cutoff. This indicates a marginal deposit
where the only upside is expected to come
from additional tonnes. To add value to
this project, the geologist needs to identify
opportunities for higher grade, not merely
more tonnes.
Vulcan Implicit Modelling
and Support Analysis
1. Value projects and assess their
potential.
2. Compare projects on an equal
basis.
3. Identify value-adding exploration
requirements, such as chasing
grade to improve project viability.
4. Measure the effectiveness and
value of exploration drilling
programs.
5. Audit estimates and run alternative
scenarios based on different
orientations of the orebody.
6. Generate theoretical grade-tonnage
curves to test the smoothing
applied in resource estimates.

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