Geologic Services Group – Standard Operating Procedure 4/19/24

Geologic Services Group

PT Freeport Indonesia
PT MineServe International

STANDARD OPERATING Rock Chip Channel

PROCEDURE #SOP-GSG-EXPL-06
Sampling
FINAL DRAFT
1 Document Control

Procedure Name: Rock Chip Channel Sampling

Procedure Number: SOP-GSG-EXPL-05
Original Written By: Stephen Hughes
Date of Original: November 3, 2003
Revised By:
Date of last Revision:
Reason for revision

Clients: Exploration, Safety, Geologic Data Services

Procedure to be conducted
Exploration and Mining Geologists
by:

CONTENTS PAGE
1 Document Control 1
2 Approvals and Signatures 2
3 Objective 3
4 Hazards 3
5 Safety Concerns 3
6 Procedure 5
7 Definitions 8
8 References and Related Documentation 9
9 Appendices 9
10 SOP Sign-off 10

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2 Approval Signatures

Department Title Name Signature Date Reason for Revision

or Group
Executive Vice
Exploration Dave Potter
President
Geology-
Manager Wahyu Sunyoto
Operations
Geology Senior
Stephen Hughes
Exploration Geologist
Quality Specialist
Clyde Leys
Assurance Geologist
General
Safety Chris Christenson
Superintendent

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Objective

Collect a representative rock-chip channel sample (RC-CH) along mineralized outcrop to

yield quality assay and geological data over the exposed mineralized zone. Rock-chip
channel sampling:
Reveals the true potential of an area for containing a mineral deposit and enables geologists
to characterize the geological controls on the genesis and distribution of mineralization.
Provides valuable information about the location of the mineral deposit if collected within the
area of primary dispersion it will.
Enables you to determine the true width of the mineralized.
Trenching is always an alternative to drilling as a means of exploring
unconsolidated surficial materials. Trenching yields either large bulk
samples or channel samples from the walls of the trenches. Either
procedure, however, is more cumbersome and more time-consuming than
drilling.

Hazards (General)

Channel-Sampling along the base of a cliff, rock fall hazard.

Channel-Sampling along outcrop in a stream or along the river bank, drowning hazard
Channel-Sampling along outcrop covered by brush, leaves etc, snake or scorpion bite,
wild-bore attack, puncture (thorn-bearing plants)
Channel-Sampling with a Hammer, puncture wound, struck on the foot, hand, leg or arm
by the hammer
Cleaning the outcrop of interest, struck by a machete, flying rocks
Striking outcrop or float, hit in the eye or body by flying rock fragments
Collecting rock chips from outcrop, cut by sharp or pointed rock

Safety Concerns (Specific) As a geologist and team leader, you are responsible for deciding
whether or not it is safe to collect the RC-CH sample.

Check the top of the cliff for loose or hanging rock, if present, DO NOT collect the RC-CH
sample at that location (falling rock can kill). However, if deemed safe, assign someone to
“watch” the cliff face directly above the area where you start collecting the sample. Make
sure the “watcher” stands far enough back so that you can move fast in case of a rock fall.
Safety helmet, boots and safety glasses must be worn at all times, use gloves if you prefer.
Check the weather conditions upstream to ensure it is not raining (i.e. is the sky dark? can
you see rainfall?). If it is raining, do not go in the water, the sample can be collected at
another time (flash floods occur within minutes). If it is clear, check the depth of the water
(i.e. is it too deep) and the current (i.e. is it too strong). Prior to entering the stream, assign
someone to watch the speed of the current and the water level while you are collecting the
sample. You should attach a rope to your waist and the other end attached to a tree or griped
by a crewmember as an extra precautionary measure. Collect the channel sample as quickly
and as efficiently as possible.
One of the most dangerous snakes in Irian Jaya is the Death Adder. Some common places
where Death Adders and scorpions hide include: (1) in open space fractures, (2) under fallen
trees, (3) under leaves, (4) under loose or thick mounds of shrub and (5) on rock ledges of
waterfalls or cliffs. Never reach into open space fractures, always use a hammer. Avoid
crawling under fallen trees to reach an outcrop. If you have to remove leaves from the
outcrop surface, swish them away with a small stick. Never tear away shrubs by grabbing the
roots or lower stem. If loose trees and shrub are covering an outcrop, you should use a
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hammer or long stick to strip them off, DO NOT reach into the pile with your hands. Avoid
climbing cliff faces and waterfalls; snakes are known to curl up on open or shaded ledges. If
you see a pile of leaves near an outcrop, leave it. Wild bores tend to sleep under piles of
loose brush. Figure 1. Shows a typical Irian Jaya Death Adder.

Figure 1: Death Adder. Note the short fat body and triangular shaped head.

There are two ways to carry your Estwing hammer (1) in a small clip attached to the side of
your pants or (2) in your hand. If you walk with the hammer in your hand, you must be very
careful, especially if it is a new hammer. Grip the hammer by the handle just below the head
with the point facing down. Never swing the hammer back and forth; you might hit someone
behind you. If you fall, throw the hammer away from your body as you fall. NEVER hold
on to the hammer during a fall, you could puncture yourself. Example, in 1996 a geologist
working in Kalimantan drove the pointed end of his hammer through his left forearm and out
the other side. The man was crossing a fallen log and slipped, he started waving his arms
around to regain his balance, but ended up driving the hammer through his forearm instead.
This man did not die, but he had to wait several hours before he was evacuated (in intense
pain). Striking yourself on the hand with the hammer is a common injury among geologists
and geotechnicians. When you collect a RC-CH sample, do it safely.

Put on your helmet and safety glasses. Make sure the other crewmembers are at a safe
distance from you. Examine the outcrop for fractured areas, as these are areas of weakness.
Swing the hammer at half strength; DO NOT swing with all your might. Hit the rock at an
angle, left to right or right to left. Never swing the hammer in a pendulum motion (i.e.
straight forward and down). If it is a large outcrop, watch for falling rocks above
If you have to clean the area around an outcrop or the outcrop itself, do it safely. Swing the
machete from left to right, never swing the machete towards your body. Avoid using the
machete if possible, better to use a long sturdy stick to sweep away leaves, brush ect that is
covering the outcrop. If you clear the outcrop by hand, remember, grip shrubs from the top,
not by the roots. There might be a snake underneath.

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Always wear safety glasses and a helmet when collecting a rock chip. Rocks can fly up and
hit you in the head or in the eye. Even when using PPE you should shield your face with
your free hand (using a glove). NEVER use a second hammer as a chisel. Pieces of flying
steel can easily penetrate the skin. Example A geologist in Nova Scotia was using two
hammers to split a rock, one as a chisel. A piece of steel chipped off one of the hammers,
punctured two layers of his clothing and ended up halfway into his thigh.
After you break a rock, collect the sample with care. Use cotton or rubber gloves if available.
If not, grasp each fragment with the tips of your fingers; never grab rocks with a full grip,
fragments typically have sharp edges or points and can easily cut the skin (especially if it is
quartz).

6 Procedures A rock chip channel sample consists of small chips of rock collected over a
specified interval. Samples are collected systematically to provide a representative value
for each interval. Samples are typically collected in succession along a line laid out on a
bedrock exposure, perpendicular to the trend of the mineralization.

6.1 Decide on a standard sampling interval. This depends on the type of

mineralized outcrop you are sampling. If you are sampling across a vein system
(i.e. epithermal or sheeted) you should collect samples at 1m-intervals. This
sampling procedure is designed to provide the best representative sample and
minimize the nugget effect. If you are sampling across a porphyry or skarn
system you should collect samples at 3m-intervals.
6.2 Before collect the RC-CH sample you MUST REMOVE ALL JEWELRY. A
rock chip sample is easily contaminated if it comes in to contact with rings,
bracelets or chains (i.e. a RC collected by a geologist wearing a gold ring might
return strongly anomalous gold, regardless if the sample is mineralized or not).
Ensure that you and all your crewmembers remove all jewelry before going to
the field.
6.3 Determine the mineralization trend. Typically mineralization will occur along a
structure, vein set, breccia zone etc. Once you establish the trend of the
mineralization (see figure ?), this will enable you to decide on the channel
orientation (i.e. always perpendicular to the trend of the mineralization).
6.4 The outcrop should be fully exposed by hand trenching with a pick and shovel
where practical, then cleaned of oxide deposits and washed if water is available.
Once the mineralized outcrop has been cleaned and the mineralization trend
established, measure off and mark the sample intervals on the outcrop. You can
use small wooden stakes, metal tags or just flagging tape to do this. Using a
waterproof black marker, write down the sample number & sample interval
(e.g. 129547, 0 - 1m) on the small wooden stake, metal tag or flagging tape.
6.5 For each sample interval marked on outcrop, write down the sample number
and interval on a sample bag and place it on the outcrop where you intend to
collect the sample from (Figure ?). There are two sample number tags on the
top of your sample book. Tear off the top sample number tag and place it in the
sample bag.

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Figure ?: Labeled RC-CH sample bag

6.6 A Channel Sample is collected systematically to provide a representative value

for each interval. Samples are typically removed using a circular saw with a
diamond-studded blade from exposed bedrock. The sample is collected in
succession along the line laid out on a bedrock exposure, perpendicular to the
trend of the mineralization. The sample resembles drill core, however it is
rectangular in shape. REMEMBER, BE SYSTEMATIC, collect rock chips
regularly along chosen sample interval, even if the rock is not altered or
mineralized. Do not high grade the sample; you are trying to determine the
grade over a specific interval not a single point.
6.7 If a circular saw is not available or not practical, use the less accurate manual
method of chip channel sampling. First, mark/paint a line along the outcrop
where you want the sample collected from. Chip channel sampling involves
cutting/chipping a linear channel at uniform width and depth of several
centimeters along the line trace. Use the sharp end of an Estwing hammer or a
chisel to remove small pieces of rock in succession along a line laid out on a
bedrock exposure. It is wise to place plastic or large sacs at the base of the
outcrop to catch falling rock fragments. Chip channel sampling is not as
accurate as channel sampling, and results cannot be solely relied upon to
determine resource/reserve potential. REMEMBER, BE SYSTEMATIC, collect
rock chips regularly along chosen sample interval, even if the rock is not
altered or mineralized. Do not high grade the sample; you are trying to
determine the grade over a specific interval not a single point. The average
weight of a 1m channel sample is between 3-4kg.
6.8 Make sure you collect chips from FRESH outcrop, not WEATHERED or
OXIDIZED rock (Figure 3). Weathered and oxidized rock will yield lower
assays for Cu and Au. EXAMPLE The Voisey’s Bay Ni-Cu-Co deposit was
overlooked several times because geologists collected RC samples from
weathered and oxidized rock, which returned lowerNi-Cu values.
6.9 After collecting the RC-CH sample, you must collect a HS (hand specimen).
From each interval. Take out two zip-lock plastic bags and in block letters print
HS and the sample number on each bag (Figure 3). Tear off the second sample
number tag from the sample book and place the tag in the 1 st HS bag. Place
some representative chips of the sampled interval in the 1 st plastic bag. Seal this
bag, and then place it in the second plastic bag (for protection). If you are
sampling across a vein set, make sure you put chips of the different vein types
in the HS bag. The HS sample is for the Hand Sample collection, and is stored
in Timika.
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Figure 2: Typical gossan outcrop. Try to dig below the gossanous surface if possible.

Figure 3: Labeled HS sample bag

6.10 Filling in the Sample Book. This is very important, do not leave any of the
required fields blank. Chances are you will not be able to collect this data
again.
6.10.1 Client: Put the client for whom the sampling is being done. Most
often the client for PT MineServe is P.T. Freeport Indonesia
exploration (PTFI), but it may be any one of several other joint venture
partners (such as PT IEMC or PT NBM), or perhaps a non-exploration
department in Freeport such as Environmental.
6.10.2 Sampler: The sampler code is the official abbreviation for the person
who collected the sample. There is a list of sampler codes in the
company database, check if you are unsure of your assigned code. Do
not use a sampler code that is not in the database.
6.10.3 Prospect: State the name of the prospect or project for which the
sampling is being done (i.e. Fault Trace is FT).
6.10.4 Location: State the traverse code, number and meterage where the
sample was collected (e.g. SD 07/170m).
6.10.5 Easting, Northing & UTM: If the Easting and Northing are known
(i.e. from GPS), the fields labeled “E” and “N” and the UTM field may
be filled in.

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6.10.6 Date: Fill in the date the sample was collected. Use the international
format, Day/Month/Year. (Do NOT use the United States format
where the month is indicated before the day.) As an example, July 23,
2001 should be entered as 23/07/01.
6.10.7 Type: Indicate sample type, RC-CH. And mark down the interval i.e.
FROM = 0 TO = 1
6.10.8 Dominant Lithology: Place a check in the box beside the rock code
that matches the sample you collected (e.g. carbonate if your rock is
limestone).
6.10.9 Outcrop Formation Code: Put the formation code for the bedrock
where the sample is collected. Use a standard code that corresponds
both to the geologic map of the area and the database (i.e. Waripi
Formation is Tw).
6.10.10 Unusual Lithologies: If any unusual rocks such as bauxite,
labradorite, orbicular granite, etc. are found in outcrop or float at the
sample site, indicate them in this space.
6.10.11 Detailed description: Describe the physical characteristics of
the rock sample collected. Start out with the rock type (diorite,
sandstone etc), then describe the color (light gray-green etc) & texture
(fine-medium grained, porphyritic etc), next describe the alteration or
mineralization if present (i.e. chlorite altered with 3-5% disseminated
pyrite grains). If the sample is being collected from a structure you
should record what the structure is (fault, fracture etc) the strike and
dip (120/76), the width (2m), what the infill is, if any (gouge – clay),
brecciated or not and any other features worth mentioning. If the
sample is brecciated, you should note the type of breccia (crackle
breccia), clast:matrix ratio (60:40), type of clasts and whatever other
distinguishing features are noted. REMEMBER; quantify as many
characteristics of the sample as possible, especially the alteration or
mineralization. DO NOT use abbreviations. Print clearly in block
letters rather than writing. If there is not enough space, use the back of
the facing page in the sample book.
6.10.12 Ox , Not Ox Field: YOU MUST tick one of these boxes.
If the sample is oxidized check the “Ox” box; otherwise check the
“Not Ox” box. Oxidation occurs as yellow, orange, red or black FeOx
stain on fracture faces or on the surface of the rock.
6.10.13 Alteration: Check the box of the alteration type that best
describes the alteration seen in the rock. If the sample is unaltered,
check the “no alteration” box .
6.10.14 Mineralization: Indicate the percentage of pyrite, chalcopyrite,
magnetite or galena in the spaces provided. Other minerals may be
indicated in the blank spaces provided; use the mineral abbreviations
provided in the back of the sample book. If the sample is not
mineralized, check the “no mineralization” box.
7 Definitions
7.1 Grab Sample - Usually a sample of rock taken more or less
indiscriminately at any place that looks interesting to a geologist. These are
frequently high-graded samples that contain the best possible mineralization.
No average grade, width of mineralization or economic significance can be
attributed to grab samples.

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7.2 Chip Sample - A rock sample collected by chipping fragments from

outcrop with the intention of determining an average grade for mineralization in
that outcrop. A chip sample can be taken in a continuous line across an outcrop
or bedrock exposure, or at uniformly distributed intervals. If collected properly,
chip samples can be used to provide meaningful economic information.

8 References and related documentation

Title Author(s)

9 Appendices

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10 SOP Sign-off sheet

Geologic Services Group

PT Freeport Indonesia
PT MineServe International

STANDARD OPERATING Rock Chip Channel

PROCEDURE #
GSG-SOP-EXPL-05 Sampling

The undersigned acknowledge that the person who will carry out the procedure, the
Responsible Party, has familiarized himself with this SOP and is competent to carry it out in
a diligent, professional and safe manner.

Responsible Party Title Signature ID# Date

Supervisor Title Signature ID# Date

QA Title Signature ID# Date

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