Journal Techno, Vol. 9, No.1, 2023, pp.

011 - 016
ISSN. 2461-1484

RESOURCE ESTIMATION OF LATERITE NICKEL USING INVERSE DISTANCE

WEIGHTING METHOD CASE STUDY OF NORTH KONAWE DISTRICT,
SOUTHEAST SULAWESI PROVINCE

Sofiannur, Eddy Winarno, Nur Ali Amri*, Abdul Jalil

Jurusan Teknik Pertambangan UPN Veteran Yogyakarta
Prodi Magister Teknik Pertambangan UPN Veteran Yogyakarta
Corresponding author: *) [email protected]; [email protected],

Abstract
The mining industry's estimation of mineral resources is a stage that is carried out to
determine the quantity of a mineral. This study aimed to determine the selection of
laterite nickel resource estimation methods. The determination of the estimation
method is based on the value of the coefficient of variance and the geological
conditions of the mineral deposits. This research area is in Lasolo Kepulauan District,
North Konawe Regency at PT—x block south. Statistical analysis found that the
coefficient of variance in the limonite zone was 0.19, the saprolite area was 0.37, and
it was included in moderate geological geometry conditions. The estimation method
used in this research is the inverse distance weighting method. The estimation results
in the limonite zone are 3,398 tons with an average Ni content of 0% Ni, 448,037 tons
with a moderate Ni content of 1.32%, 588,256 tons with an average Ni content of
1.65%, and 14,912 tons with an average Ni content of 2.01%. In comparison, in the
saprolite zone, there are 174.46 3 tons with a middle grade of Ni of 0.84%, 408,896
tons with an average quality of Ni of 1.26%, 788,818 tons with moderate content of Ni
of 1.77%, 771,709 tons with a middle grade of Ni of 2.21%, 172,236 tons with an
average quality of Ni of 2.63%, and 5,215 tons with an average rate of Ni of 3.04 %.
Keywords: Resource Estimation, Nickel Laterite, coefficient of variance, IDW.

INTRODUCTION
Resource estimation is one of the final steps in mineral exploration, where a deposit
model will be created later (Gezley et al., 2014). As well as concluding the mineral
exploration stage, resource evaluation is also a stage in estimating reserves used to
compile an economic feasibility study (Mery & Marcotte, 2022). Based on this, the
results of the evaluation of resources should be close to the actual value.
Specific requirements such as "sediment character" and "geological
conditions" must be considered in estimating ore resources. In addition, a good
assessment is guided by objectively processed data. Estimating resources or
reserves that are representative and sufficiently detailed certainly requires a high
level of accuracy and a long processing time; with the existence of computer
technology at this time, it is beneficial to simplify the work in processing, classifying,
and interpreting data.

[11]
Resource Estimation Of Laterite Nickel Using Inverse Distance Weighting Method Case Study Of North
Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi Province
Sofiannur, Eddy Winarno, Nur Ali Amri, Abdul Jalil

RESEARCH LOCATION
Administratively PT. X is located in Marombo Village, Lasolo Islands District, North
Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province. The location of the study area is x:
419231 and y: 9628425 using the UTM Zone 51S coordinate projection system (WGS
1984 datum).

DATA SOURCE
In this study, the required data includes regional geological data in the form of
morphology and lithology data, as well as other supporting geological data such as
primary data and drill-hole data obtained from the exploration drilling results of PT.
X Site Marombo, South Block of Southeast Sulawesi, with a drilling spacing of 50 m
× 50 m at a depth of 100 meters.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Inverse distance weighting (IDW) is a linear combination interpolation method with
a weighted average of the surrounding data points. The use of the IDW method is to
calculate estimated nickel laterite resources. As for the data collected from literature
studies, primary data, and secondary data at the research location, then the primary
and secondary data are analyzed to be processed into a block model. Processing
includes data,
1. Collar is the coordinate data and elevation of the drill hole.
2. Assay is data from laboratory analysis of nickel content and others.
3. Lithology is data on the depth of nickel drill holes.
4. Survey is data on the total depth of the drill hole.
Mathematical solutions are widely used in the evaluation stages of mineral
deposits. Local geological conditions, mining methods, and others influence
calculation methods and techniques.
The IDW is a spatial interpolation method that uses spatial distance to
calculate the correlation, namely the calculation of distance weights. For an
unknown point P with position (x0, y0, z0), There is a known point around it. Assume
that every known point has a spatial coordinate (xi, yi, zi ) (i = 1, 2, …, n), Moreover,
the attribute value is Pi. The distance between each known point and an unknown
point is di(x, y, z). IDW is used to estimate the value of each unknown point.
The IDW interpolation function, as Zhan-Ning et al. (2021) is formulated as,

∑𝑛𝑖=1
𝑃𝑖 (1)
𝑑𝑖 (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧)𝑚
P= ⁄ 1
∑𝑛𝑖=1
𝑑𝑖 (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧)𝑚
while 𝑝 → +∞ Chebyshev distance and,
𝑑𝑖 = lim (|𝑥0 − 𝑥𝑖 |𝑝 + |𝑦0 − 𝑦𝑖 |𝑝 + |𝑧0 − 𝑧𝑖 |𝑝 )1/𝑝 (2)
𝑛→∞

[12]
Journal Techno, Vol. 9, No.1, 2023, pp. 011 - 016
ISSN. 2461-1484

If the distance increases, the weight becomes smaller (Shepard, 1968), and p is
a multiplier that shows the weight decreases when the distance increases.

RESEARCH RESULT
Fundamental statistical analysis was carried out to see the data distribution in each
domain, including the distribution of levels, average levels, variance, standard
deviation, and coefficient of variance (CV). The domains include,

a. Limonite Zone
From the results of fundamental statistical analysis in the limonite zone, it is known
that the average Ni content is 1.5%, the Variance value is 0.088, the standard
deviation is 0.29, and the coefficient of variance is 0.19.

Total
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Figure 1. Histogram of Ni limonite zone

Fundamental statistical analysis was made for Ni element samples in each
mineralization domain, where fundamental analysis was carried out to determine
the average value of nickel content based on drill data, variance (homogeneity of
content) coefficient of variance and distribution of data. Figure 1 shows the
histogram of limonite zone. The distribution of nickel for limonite zone appears to
be relatively normal.

b. Saprolite Zone
Likewise, the distribution of nickel in saprolite zone also appears to be relatively
normal. From the results of fundamental statistical analysis in the saprolite zone, it
is known that the average Ni content is 1.7%, the variance value is 0.43, the standard
deviation is 0.65, and the coefficient of variance is 0.37.

[13]
Resource Estimation Of Laterite Nickel Using Inverse Distance Weighting Method Case Study Of North
Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi Province
Sofiannur, Eddy Winarno, Nur Ali Amri, Abdul Jalil

100
90 Total
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0-0.159

0.954-1.113

2.226-2.385
0.159-0.318
0.318-0.477
0.477-0.636
0.636-0.795
0.795-0.954

1.113-1.272
1.272-1.431
1.431-1.59
1.59-1.749
1.749-1.908
1.908-2.067
2.067-2.226

2.385-2.544
2.544-2.703
2.703-2.862
2.862-3.021
3.021-3.18
3.18-3.339
3.339-3.498
3.975-4.134
Figure 2. Histogram of Ni in the saprolite zone

Estimation is carried out by block size (12×12×1), then estimation in the limonite
and saprolite zones. The result is,
a. Estimation results in the limonite zone
The estimation results in the limonite zone contained 3,398 tons of Ni with an
average grade of 0% Ni, 448,037 tons of Ni with an average grade of 1.32%, 588,256
tons of Ni with an average grade of 1.65 and 14,912 tons of Ni with an average grade
of - an average of 2.01%.
The area of each content zone can be seen in Figure 3 below.

Figure 3 Grade zones in the limonite layer

Table 1 Tonnage and grade in the limonite zone

Rate Intervals Volume Tonase Average Rate
0,0 – 0,5 2.266 3398 0
0,5 - 1,0 0 0 0
1,0 - 1,5 298.691 448.037 1,32
1,5 - 2,0 392.168 588.252 1,65
2,0 - 2,5 9.941 14.912 2,01
Total 703.066 1.054.599

[14]
Journal Techno, Vol. 9, No.1, 2023, pp. 011 - 016
ISSN. 2461-1484

b. Estimation results in the saprolite zone

As in Table 2, the estimation results in the saprolite zone contained 1,547,560 m3
volume in saprolite zoe, or 2,321,337 tons of Ni. The area of each content zone can
be seen in Figure 4.

Table 2 tonnage and grade in the saprolite zone

Ni Rate Volume Tonase Average Rate
0,0 - 0,5 0 0 0
0,5 - 1,0 116,309 174,463 0.84
1,0 - 1,5 272,598 408,896 1.26
1,5 - 2,0 525,879 788,818 1.77
2,0 - 2,5 514,473 771,709 2.21
2,5 - 3,0 114,824 172,236 2.63
3,0 - 3,5 3,477 5,215 3.04
Total 1,547,560 2,321,337

Figure 4 content zones in the saprolite layer

CONCLUSION
Fundamental statistical analysis on the saprolite zone found that the average Ni
content was 1.7%, the variance value was 0.43, the standard deviation was 0.65, and
the coefficient of variance was 0.37. The estimation results in the limonite zone
contain 3,398 tons of Ni with an average grade of 0% Ni, 448,037 tons of Ni with an
average grade of 1.32%, 588,256 tons of Ni with an average grade of 1.65% and
14,912 tons of Ni with an average grade - an average of 2.01 while in the saprolite
zone, there are 174,463 tons of Ni with an average grade of 0.84%, 408,896 tons of
ni with an average grade of 1.26%, 788,818 tons of ni with an average grade of
1.77%, 771,709 tons of Ni with an average grade of 2.21%, 172,236 tonnes with an
average grade of 2.63, and 5,215 tonnes with an average grade of 3.04%

[15]
Resource Estimation Of Laterite Nickel Using Inverse Distance Weighting Method Case Study Of North
Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi Province
Sofiannur, Eddy Winarno, Nur Ali Amri, Abdul Jalil

REFERENCES
Bargawa, W. S. 2021. Seri Geostatistik Ordinary Kriging. Yogyakarta
Gazley, M. F, Fisher, L. A and Edwards, A. C. 2014. Mineral resource and ore reserve
estimation – the AusIMM guide to good practice (2 ed). The Australasian
Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Mery, N and Marcotte, D. 2022. Assessment of Recoverable Resource Uncertainty in
Multivariate Deposits Through a Simple Machine Learning Technique
Trained Using Geostatistical Simulations. Natural Resources Research, 31 (2),
767-783. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-022-10028-9.
Notosiswoyo, S. 2000. Teknik Eksplorasi. Jurusan Teknik Pertambangan Fakultas
Ilmu Kebumian dan Teknologi Mineral ITB. Bandung.
Shepard, D. 1968. A two-dimensional interpolation function for irregularly-spaced
data. Proceedings of the 1968 ACM National Conference. pp. 517–
524. doi:10.1145/800186.810616.
Chen, Y., Jiang, X, Wang, Y, Zhuang, D. 2018. Spatial characteristics of heavy metal
pollution and the potential ecological risk of a typical mining area: A case
study in China. Process Safety and Environmental Protection Journal, 113:
204–219.
Zhan-Ning, L., Xiao-Yan, Y., Li-Feng, J., Yuan-Sheng, W., Yu-Chen, S., & Hai-Dong, M.
(2021). The influence of distance weight on the inverse distance weighted
method for ore-grade estimation. Scientific Reports (Nature Publisher
Group), 11(1) doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82227-y.

[16]