Webinar Description:
The integration of geological, chemical, mineralogical, physical, and metallurgical properties into block models is becoming commonplace in mine planning. Traditionally, resource geologists are tasked with evaluating geological and chemical data for modeling, domaining, analyses, and estimation but a more interdisciplinary approach is required to provide useful models to aid in the prediction of milling, processing, and recovery for mine and cash flow optimization.
Fundamental data quality, representivity, repeatability, and risk assessment prove challenging when modeling geometallurgical variables. Quality control on physical, mineralogical, and metallurgical data is needed as data is commonly limited thus represent high weighting in model outputs. Domaining is key to estimation with traditional geological domains often insufficient for geometallurgical groupings due to complex alteration, weathering, and grade distributions in complex deposits. Additionally, the selection of appropriate estimation techniques and spatial continuity studies are required for useful models.
Similar principles must be applied to geometallurgical modeling as has traditionally been performed in grade block models along with a thorough understanding of the various disciplines involved, fundamental data inputs, operational requirements, and nuances of geostatistics is required. A team approach is recommended with subject matter experts across disciplines and the ability to tailor the unique challenges of geometallurgy with the appropriate understanding of interpolation to align outputs with the needs of the mine, mill, and operation as a whole.
