GEOTECHNICAL STUDIES AND HYDROLOGY

Rock mechanics studies are done for essentially all new open pit base metal mines. The importance
of this work is greater for deep pits and where wall rocks are relatively incompetent, but there are
applications in all surface mining operations. RQD or other fracture density information should be
collected during an exploration drilling project as soon as the possibility appears that the prospect
might develop into a commercial ore body. Measurements usually made include point load testing,
specific gravity, and sometimes compression testing. These data are used to predict pit slopes,
powder factors, fragment size, and water flow and give some information which can be integrated
with metallurgical testing to determine overall grindability and power factors, etc. Geostatistical
analyses have been widely applied to mineral exploration in recent years, with the results ranging
from good to poor. The best results have been obtained in mine planning studies in large
homogeneous ore bodies lacking structural dislocations; the poorest results have been obtained in
studies intended to interpret the geology rather than the ore distribution in complex ore bodies. In
general it is never safe to depend on a geostatistical ore reserve calculation during the exploration
phase of a base metal project without carrying out a conventional ore reserve calculation based on
polygons or sections and utilizing all available geologic maps and sections. Geostatistical
techniques become increasingly useful as the overall shape and general grade distribution become
clear and repetitive three-dimensional grade calculations are needed rather than geologic
interpretations. Water flows into the mine and a water source for the plant and camp are important
problems which may be covered by the project geologist but which are usually given to a
consulting groundwater geologist or hydrologist. If water problems are suspected, pump tests may
be made on exploration drill holes, and water flow and static and drawdown water tables observed.
However, since the average exploration drill hole is not well suited to hydrologic observations,
except for measurement of static water table, groundwater information is usually collected from a
well field constructed for that purpose. A recent paper by Montgomery and Harshbarger (1985)
describes a very successful ground-water exploration project in the Andes range in Chile and Peru.