Optimal Selection of Selective Mining Unit Size For Geostatistical Modeling
Optimal Selection of Selective Mining Unit Size For Geostatistical Modeling
Optimal Selection of Selective Mining Unit Size For Geostatistical Modeling
• Conventional Approach
• Proposed Method
• Example
• Sensitivities
• Practical Considerations
Conventional Approach
• Conventional definition:
– The smallest volume of material on which ore / waste classification is
determined
• Build models at SMU scale:
– Estimate the grades (Block kriging)
– Estimate the distribution (IK, MG, ...)
– Simulate the grades (SGS, SIS, ...)
• Predict production based on the model
• Use blastholes to calculate final tonnages and grade
Applying the SMU
• Estimation (Kriging,…)
– Calculates estimate and variance at SMU scale
– Data-configuration and search-dependent accounting for change of support
• Estimating a distribution (IK, MG, ...)
– Predict a point-scale distribution
– Scale up the distribution with analytical change of support model
– Provides distribution of possible values at SMU scale
• Simulation (SGS, SIS,…)
– Construct multiple realizations
– High resolution at data scale
– Block average to SMU size (accounts for change of support)
Applying the SMU
• Geological features:
– The smaller the SMU, the better the boundaries are defined
– Structures smaller than the SMU are lost
– Sub-blocks and grid refinement help for boundaries
– Our goal is to make block model resources/reserves match practice
Considerations
1m x 1m x 5m Blocks 5% Cut-off
Example - Conventional Method
Blasthole Data (10m spacing) Kriged Map (2m x 2m)
5x5 25x25
10x10 30x30
15x15 40x40
20x20 50x50
Example - Choosing an SMU
Tonnes of Ore Tonnes of Waste
To = T - Tw
2.43 MT 2.43 MT
Grade of Ore
7.35%
Example - Choosing an SMU
• 20m x 20m SMU:
– Tonnes are correct
– Grade is low, 7.22%
– 1.77% error in total metal tonnage (Grade * Tonnes)
• 6m x 6m SMU:
– Grade is correct
– Ore tonnage is low, 2.37 million tonnes
– 2.47% error in total metal tonnage
• 20m x 20m SMU has the least error
• Operationally grade may be more important
– 7.22% for 20m x 20m vs. 7.35% for 5m x 5m
Example-Sensitivities
Optimal SMU sizes based on different reference
ore and waste polygons
Diglim program output
8 different ore/waste polygons
Hand digitized polygons
Example-Sensitivities
Optimal SMU sizes for different cutoff grades
• Based on tonnage:
– SMU size is max at cutoff 5.0%
• Based on grade:
– SMU size is max at cutoff 5.0%