Block Model Concepts

MNL 480 – Advanced Underground Metal Mining

 Outline
2

Safety Share
Metal Prices
Block Model Concepts

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Safety Share
3

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Estimation of Resource
4

Estimate volume of resource based on limited known

data point
Area of influence method
Rectangular
Polygonal
Triangular method
Cross-sectional method
Longitudinal vertical section method
Block method

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Area of Influence Method
5

Useful for low dipping deposits

Procedure
Assign an area of influence around each sample point
Assign thickness at the sample point to the full block
Multiply the area of the block by the thickness at the sample
point to get volume of the block
Assign grade at the sample point to the full block
Calculate the total volume of the resource
Calculate the weighted average grade of the resource

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Area of influence method
6

Rectangular Polygonal

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Area of Influence Example
7

Hole Grade Area Grade

x Area
1 0.12 39.4 4.73
2 0.21 37.6 7.90
3 0.17 42.0 7.14
4 0.50 37.7 18.85
5 0.33 33.8 11.15
6 0.05 50.1 2.51
7 0.26 46.8 12.17
8 0.15 46.3 6.95
TOTAL 333.7 71.40
Average 0.21

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Triangular method
8

Used where grade and

thickness are widely
variable
Create triangles by
joining sampling points
Calculate area of each
triangle
Assign an average
grade/thickness to the
triangle based on values
at the vertices
MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19
 Drilling and geology
9

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Sectional Method
10

Draw vertical cross-

sections at intervals
Calculate area of each
cross-section
Use distance between
sections to calculate
volumes

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Cross-sectional method
11

Section 1 – 310 E Section 2 – 370 E

Total Volume = (244+328)/2 * (370-310)
Area – 328 sq. m Area – 244 sq. m
= 17,160 cu.m
Average grade – 3.2% Cu Average grade – 2.7% Cu
Average Grade = (328*3.2+244*2.7)/(328+244)
= 2.99% Cu

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

12
Block Model Concepts

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 3-D Block Model Concepts
13

What is a 3-D Block Model?

How is a 3-D Block Model created?
How is a 3-D Block Model used?

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 What is a 3-D Block Model?
14

A mathematical representation of an ore body or

mineral deposit
The model is populated with geologic and engineering
data
Rock types and/or other classification data
Grades and/or other qualitative data
SG and/or other quantitative data
The model can be visualized for analysis and
presentation purposes

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Block Model Visualization
15

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 How is a 3-D Block Model created?
16

Drill hole assay data is acquired and logged

Assay data is used to define rock type or other
classification parameters through interpretation and
coding using polygons and/or surfaces
Assay grades are composited to provide a consistent
statistical support
Composite data is interpolated to model blocks

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Drill Hole Data
17

Drill hole assay

data is acquired
and logged

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Interpretation
18

Assay data is used

to define rock
type or other
classification
parameters
through
interpretation and
coding using
polygons and/or
surfaces

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Compositing
19

Assay grades are

composited to provide a
basis of consistent
statistical support for
interpolation
Assays (left side) are
averaged over a
common interval to
calculate composite
values (right side)

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Validation
20

Statistical analysis is
used to validate
the compositing

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Interpolation
21

Interpolation (i.e.,
IDW or kriging) is
used to interpolate
grade to
unpopulated
blocks

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Updating the model
22

Model is updated with

new data as it is
available
Model is not ‘finished’
until the mine is closed

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 How is a 3-D Block Model used?
23

Define geologic resource

Define economic deposit limits
Design mine structures (e.g., pit extents, UG)
Plan mine sequence and scheduling
Compare with actual production (reconciliation)

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Define Geologic Resource
24

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Define Economic deposit limits
25

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Design Mine Structures
26

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Mine Sequencing and Scheduling
27

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Reconciliation
28

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19

 Summary
29

3-D Block Model is built using Drill hole and geologic data
Coding from interpreted polygons or surfaces
Interpolated using IDW, kriging, etc
3-D Block Model is used for many purposes
Economic analysis and design
Structural design – open pit, UG
Planning, sequencing and scheduling
Resource and reserves reports

MNL 480 - Advanced Underground Metal Mining and Design 11-May-19