Geological Modelling, Resource Estimate and Mine Planning for Andrade Mine
Andrade Iron Mine is an operating open pit located near the town of Bela Vista de Minas, Minas Gerais State. Geologically, it is situated in the northeast part of the Iron Quadrangle (QF), one of the most important iron provinces of Brazil. Andrade Mine has been mined since 1944.
In 2018 SRK completed the estimation of a new mineral resource model for the Andrade Mine. SRK was tasked with the preparation of an independent technical report in compliance with NI 43-101 and Form 43-101F1 guidelines. Mine planning studies, including pit optimization and design, have also been developed by SRK.
For the complex geological model, SRK used the indicator kriging method to attribute the lithological units to the block model. This method consists of transforming the set of lithological data (samples and vertical sections) into indicator variables, respecting the basic procedures of ordinary kriging. This method calculates the probability of each variable belonging or not to a lithological group in a given spatial position.
The probabilistic model presented a great adherence with the samples/interpreted vertical sections and proved to be a useful tool for creating a complex model optimizing time of geological modelling.
