MEDINA, ANTONIO LORENZO M.

2010-13143
THU/MXYZ

November 19, 2014

Geol 194
Geology 194: Laboratory Principles in Metalliferous Ore Deposits
EXERCISE 9
Resource Estimation

A.

Grade Calculation
Drillhole
DRH-1
DRH-1
DRH-1
DRH-2
DRH-2
DRH-2
DRH-2
DRH-3
DRH-3
DRH-3
DRH-4
DRH-4
DRH-4
DRH-4
DRH-4
DRH-5
DRH-5
DRH-5
DRH-6

Latitude (N)

Longitude
(E)

12.2188398
2
12.2188398
2
12.2188398
2
12.2186577
0
12.2186577
0
12.2186577
0
12.2186577
0
12.2190915
8
12.2190915
8
12.2190915
8
12.2185247
7
12.2185247
7
12.2185247
7
12.2185247
7
12.2185247
7
12.2177740
3
12.2177740
3
12.2177740
3
12.2178000
1

123.367618
4
123.367618
4
123.367618
4
123.368976
1
123.368976
1
123.368976
1
123.368976
1
123.370661
8
123.370661
8
123.370661
8
123.372335
7
123.372335
7
123.372335
7
123.372335
7
123.372335
7
123.368166
3
123.368166
3
123.368166
3
123.369713
4

Azimut
h ()

Dip
()

From
(m)

To
(m)

Thickness
(m)

-90

85

90

-90

90

95

-90

95

105

10

-90

70

73

-90

73

74

-90

74

80

-90

80

90

10

-90

40

50

10

-90

50

55

-90

55

60

-90

85

87

-90

87

95

-90

95

98

-90

98

102

-90

102

105

-90

77.5

80

2.5

-90

80

85

-90

85

-90

90

97.
5
95

12.5
5

Densit
y
(g/cm3)
3
3.5
4
3
3.9
3
4
2.8
3.4
2.6
4.1
3.4
2.9
3.3
3.1
3
2.3
3.2
3

Grade
(%)
1
1.5
2.3
2
3
1.36
2.2
0.7
3.2
2.5
3
1.5
2.1
3
0.5
3
1.5
2.5
2

T*D

15
17.5
40
9
3.9
18
40
28
17
13
8.2
27.2
8.7
13.2
9.3
7.5
11.5
40
15

Tonnage

Average Grade
without Density
Factor (%)

5
7.5

1.775

1.958
8.16

11.7

2.00536

24.48

22

88

19.6
1.775

12.5

54.4

1.836207

32.5

24.6

12

40.8
1.89

12

18.27

1.920721

39.6

1.5

4.65

7.5

22.5
2.3125

31.25
10

1.837931

18

7.5

26.25
92

6.3

Average Grade with

Density Factor (%)

15

23

16

D*T*G

2.425

17.25
100
30

2.368644

2.427242

DRH-6
DRH-6
DRH-7
DRH-7
DRH-7
DRH-7
DRH-8
DRH-8
DRH-8
DRH-9
DRH-9
DRH-9
DRH-10
DRH-10
DRH-10
DRH-10
DRH-11
DRH-11
DRH-11
DRH-11
DRH-11
DRH-12
DRH-12
DRH-12
DRH-12
DRH-12

12.2178000
1
12.2178000
1
12.2176335
1
12.2176335
1
12.2176335
1
12.2176335
1
12.2175187
7
12.2175187
7
12.2175187
7
12.2164304
3
12.2164304
3
12.2164304
3
12.2160175
1
12.2160175
1
12.2160175
1
12.2160175
1
12.2163306
8
12.2163306
8
12.2163306
8
12.2163306
8
12.2163306
8
12.2161300
7
12.2161300
7
12.2161300
7
12.2161300
7
12.2161300
7

123.369713
4
123.369713
4
123.370906
4
123.370906
4
123.370906
4
123.370906
4
123.372630
9
123.372630
9
123.372630
9
123.367732
2
123.367732
2
123.367732
2
123.369631
7
123.369631
7
123.369631
7
123.369631
7
123.371318
8
123.371318
8
123.371318
8
123.371318
8
123.371318
8
123.372924
4
123.372924
4
123.372924
4
123.372924
4
123.372924
4

-90

95

108

13

-90

108

110

-90

72.5

75

2.5

-90

75

79

-90

79

84

-90

84

92.
5

8.5

-90

95

100

-90

100

114

14

-90

114

115

-90

35

50

15

-90

50

51

-90

51

55

-90

52.5

55

2.5

-90

55

60

-90

60

70

10
2.5

-90

70

72.
5

-90

40

45

-90

45

50

-90

50

51

-90

51

54

-90

54

60

-90

60

65

-90

65

70

-90

70

73

-90

73

75

-90

75

80

2.9
3.2
2
3
3.2
2.5
3
3.5
3.7
2
3
3.5
3.2
3
2.1
3
3
3.2
3.3
1.9
2
2.2
2
2.1
2.4
2.7

2.5
3
0.1
0.8
2
1.5
2
2.5
2.4
2.5
1
3
2
2
3
1.5
2
1.2
2.1
2.3
2.5
2.9
1.9
1.8
2.3
2.2

37.7
6.4
5
12
16
21.2
5
15
49
3.7
30
3
14
8
15
21
7.5
15
16
3.3
5.7
12
11
10
6.3
4.8
13.5

32.5

94.25

19.2

0.25

0.5

3.2
1.31
10

31.875

10

30
2.37

2.4

2.525

2.4375
30

30

2.334951

63

3.75

11.25

10

30

19.2
2

6.9

6.93

1.908462

13.11

15

30

14.5

31.9

9.5

11

2.553191

16

10

4.6

3
42

5.4

2.383752

75

12

2.1

122.5
8.88

37.5
1

1.363594

32

12.75

35

9.6

19
2.25

11.34

2.258333

11.04
29.7
NOTE: T Thickness (m)
D Density (g/cm3)

G Grade (%)

SAMPLE CALCULATION:
To solve for the grade with density factor per drillhole, the thickness, density and grade of the component of the drillhole must be factored in. The thickness of
each component is obtained from the difference of the values in columns To (m) and From (m). For the first component of DRH-1, the thickness is solved from:
Thickness = To From
Thickness = 90m 85m = 5m
The values for density, thickness and grade are shown in the table above. The equation for the average grade with density factor is shown below:

Average Grade with Density Factor =

DTG
DT
where D is the density, T is the thickness and G is the grade.

For DRH-1, the average grade with density factor is solved (values of DTG and DT from table above):

Average Grade with Density Factor=

B.

15+ 26.25+92
=1.837931
15+17.5+ 40

Triangle Method
Triangle

4
5

A (m)

B (m)

C (m)

S (m)

Area (m2)

264.615
4

129.230
8

153.8462

273.8462

6623.235

243.076
9

193.846
2

249.230
8

169.230
8

132.307
7

132.307
7

132.307
7

123.076
9

153.8462

249.2308

323.0769

306.1538

17972.21

16370.32

150.7692

132.3077

8196.664

169.2308

123.0769

8079.928

Average
Weighted Density

Tonnage

2.975

394082.5

DRH

Density (Drillhole)

Average Grade (Drillhole)

3.625

2.95

2.35

2.553191489

2.95

2.368644068

1.837931034

2.35
2.575

2.334951456

2.95

2.368644068

2.955

10

2.575

2.334951456

3.625

1.837931034

3.545

2.95
3.545

2.95

2.625

2.826666667

943541.2

2.368644068

10

Average Grade (Triangle)

925468.7

3.373333333

553001.6

3.15

509035.5

2.553191489

2.427241963

2.005359661

2.253255531

2.418929004

2.376945829

2.070644921

2.368644068
2.005359661
2.368644068

2.267081897

10

11

12

13

14

15

147.692
3

236.923
1

163.076
9

193.846
2

227.692
3

187.692
3

187.692
3

123.076
9

132.307
7

187.692
3

187.692
3

178.461
5

150.769
2

187.692
3

184.615
4

360

156.923
1

190.769
2

116.9231

193.846
2

332.3077

163.0769

132.3077

227.6923

150.7692

178.4615

190.7692

187.6923

184.6154

163.0769

187.6923

187.6923

123.0769

132.3077

187.6923

360

156.9231

190.7692

116.9231

193.8462

2.955

2.427241963

3.625

1.837931034

3.545

2.9

1.836206897

2.9

1.836206897

3.545

3.545

1.36359447

3.545

2.005359661

2.955

3.545

2.955

3.545

10

2.575

2.334951456

10

2.575

2.334951456

3738.158

15237.89

7999.86

12798.1

14066.26

3.33

3.348333333

1014843

535724

2.005359661

2.005359661

2.427241963

2.906666667

774284.8

2.6

1.908461538

10

2.575

2.334951456

11

2.6

2.485

817718.4

1.36359447

3.545

298912.3

1.36359447

1.908461538

12

2.28

2.258333333

3.385

2.383751846

11

2.6

12

2.28

13081.54

10328.66

2.755

720240.9

1.908461538

2.6

3.545

3.385

2.383751846

3.33

1.920720721

3.545

3.385

2.383751846

2.9

1.836206897

3.33

3.545

1.932065365

2.041929296

1.869002488

2.167248776

2.183515573

2.258333333

11

1.735053676

2.427241963
3.025

13071.52

1.893165864

1.36359447

1.908461538
3.176666667

3.42

3.258333333

Total Tonnage = 10 181 309 t

SAMPLE CALCULATION:

250955

11

6014.331

13901.37

3.356666667

831114.1

706480.5

905906.1

1.36359447

1.36359447

1.920720721
1.36359447

1.885269285

1.889355679

1.706840696

To solve for the area of the triangle, we use Herons formula:

Area= S ( S A )( SB )( SC )
S=

A+ B+C
2
where A, B and C are the lengths of the sides of the triangle and S is the semiperimeter.

For Triangle 1:

S=

264.6154 m+129.2308 m+153.8462 m

=273.8462m
2
Area= 273.8462 m ( 273.8462 m264.6154 m ) ( 273.8462m129.2308 m )( 273.8462 m153.8462 m ) =6623.235 m2

The tonnage of a triangle is solved by calculating first the weighted density of each drillhole, then by calculating the weighted density of the triangle of its three
drillholes/vertices.

Wtd . Density of DRH=

DT
T
where D is the density of the component and T is the thickness of the component.

Wtd . Density of Triangle=

(Wtd . Density of DRH )

3

For Triangle 1:

Wtd . Density of DRH 1=

3+3.5+4
=3.62 5
20

Wtd . Density of DRH 5=

3+2.3+3.2
=2.95
20

Wtd . Density of DRH 9=

2+3+3.5
=3.3483333333
20

Wtd . Density of Triangle=

(3.625+2.95+3.3483333333)
=2.975
3

The tonnage is the product of the weighted density of the triangle, the area of the triangle and the average thickness. For Triangle 1:

Tonnage=( 2.975 ) ( 6623.25 ) (20 )=394082.5

The grade of the triangle is just the average of the grades of its three drillholes. For Triangle 1:

Average Grade of Triangle=

C.

1.837931034+2.368644068+2.553191489
=2.25325531
3

POLYGON METHOD

Triangle

Area (m )

Grade with
Density
Factor (%)

18000

1.83793103

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

18640
27100
18270
21300
24270
24330
19320
28970
33600
27470
23160

2.00535966
1.8362069
1.92072072
2.36864407
2.42724196
1.36359447
2.38375185
2.55319149
2.33495146
1.90846154
2.25833333

Thickness
(m)
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20

Total Tonnage = 16 310 608 t

SAMPLE CALCULATION:

Weighted
Density of
Drillhole

Tonnage
(t)

3.625

1305000

3.545

1321576

2.9

1571800

3.33

1216782

2.95

1256700

2.955

1434357

2.7125

1319903

3.385

1307964

2.35

1361590

2.575

1730400

2.6

1428440

2.28

1056096

To calculate for the tonnage, we must get the product of the area, weighted density and thickness of a drillhole. For DRH-1:

Tonnage=( 18000 ) ( 3.625 )( 20 )=1305 000 t

D. METHOD COMPARISON
The computed tonnage of the deposit was higher for the polygon method than in the triangle method. This is accounted for by the larger area covered by
the polygon method which extends beyond outermost drillholes whereas in the triangle method, the area is usually bounded by the drillholes except in the
case of Triangle 11 (Drillholes 10, 11 & 12). There is far more uncertainties in using the polygon method as some of the area covered by this method is not
within the area of influence of the drillhole. There are also uncertainties in using the triangle method as the entire area of influence of the outermost drillholes
are not maximized and taken into account completely. In synthesis, both methods employ high risks if executed as the triangle method tends to underestimate
the tonnage deposit while the polygon method tends to overestimate the tonnage deposit. To select which method is suitable in determining the extent of a
deposit, one must take into account first available geologic and geophysical data.