Prerequisite: None
Course status: Core
Credit Rating: 12 credits
Total hours spent: 120 hours [45 hours lectures, 15 hours tutorials, 30 hours assignments, 30 hours independent study]
Course Objective(s)
o To provide an understanding of the concepts of geological/geotechnical mapping including appropriate sampling procedures
o To introduce principles of resource estimation and report the resources compliant with international codes.
o To introduce mining and mineral exploitation processes and existing environmental and mining policies, laws and regulations.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
o Undertake mining geological investigation and interpretation of structures for geotechnical mapping.
o Explain the processes and procedures applicable in resource and reserve estimation.
o Apply mining standards requirements in interpreting and reporting relevant resource estimation in mining operations.
Course Structure
Mapping techniques, sampling, reserve and resource geology, drilling, mining.
Course Content
Mapping and sampling - New skills in underground geological and geotechnical mapping; theories of ore sampling, sampling methods / procedures; Reserve estimation – resources, reserves and ores; core logging procedures; ore loss/ore dilution; reconciliation, geometallurgy; mineral resource estimation; production grades control; reporting exploration results using JORC, SAMREC and NI 43-101 codes; deposit modelling and mine planning; softwares for drill data and modelling; and Mining methods and policy issues - mine planning; overview of mining and mineral exploitation; mining of unconsolidated deposits; open-pit mining and ore recovery; underground mining techniques; mining law and the environmental impact of mining.
Assessment
Coursework 40%, Final Examination 60%.
Key Textbooks:
1. Marjoribanks, R. (2010). Geological Methods in Mineral Exploration and Mining, Springer Netherlands.
2. Lacy, W. (2015). An Introduction to Geology and Hard Rock Mining. Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, Science and Technology Series.
3. Ebrahimi, A. (2013) The Importance of Dilution Factor for Open Pit Mining Projects. SRK Consulting, presented at World Mining Congress.
4. Minnitt, R.C.A., Rice, P.M., and Spangenberg, C., (2007). Understanding the components of the fundamental sampling error: a key to good sampling practice. The Journal of The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM), Vol. 107, August 2007.
5. Richard, A. and Sulemana, A., (2015).Ore Grade Reconciliation Techniques - A Review.(Journal of Geosciences and Geomatics, Vol. 3, No. 5, 116-121 p.
6. Isaaks, E. Barr, R.and Handayani, O. (2014). Modeling Blast Movement for Grade Control. Proceedings of 9th International Mining Geology Conference - AusIMM, 433-439p.
7. Isaaks, E. Treloar, I. and Elenbaas, T. (2014). Optimum Dig Lines for Open Pit Grade Control. Proceedings of 9th International Mining Geology Conference - AusIMM, 425-432p.