Title: Local recoverable reserves prediction with block LU simulation

Authors: Jeff B. Boisvert, Julian M. Ortiz, Clayton V. Deutsch

Addresses: Centre for Computational Geostatistics (CCG), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 3-133 Markin/CNRL Natural Resources Engineering Facility, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2W2, Canada. ' Department of Mining Engineering, University of Chile, Av. Tupper 2069, Santiago, 837 0451, Chile. ' Centre for Computational Geostatistics (CCG), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 3-133 Markin/CNRL Natural Resources Engineering Facility, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2W2, Canada

Abstract: Prediction of local recoverable reserves is an important problem in ore reserve evaluation. Wide spacing of exploration data leads to unavoidable uncertainty at unsampled locations. Deterministic methods such as kriging cannot explicitly account for this lack of perfect information and equipment selectivity. We present a methodology and software for assessing recoverable reserves at Selective Mining Unit (SMU) resolution. Reserves and their uncertainty are calculated by performing matrix (LU) simulation at a fine resolution and then scaling these simulated models to SMU size. Multiple variables are simulated using a Linear Model of Coregionalization. Measures of uncertainty in SMU reserves are reported.

Keywords: geologic modelling; geostatistics; uncertainty; SMUs; selective mining units; local recoverable reserves; ore reserves; simulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2008.020454

International Journal of Mining and Mineral Engineering, 2008 Vol.1 No.1, pp.3 - 21

Published online: 27 Sep 2008 *

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