Geostatistics and Mineral Resource Estimation

Mineral Resources and their subsequent conversion to Ore Reserves are of key importance to mining companies. Their reliable estimation is critical to both the confidence in a feasibility study, and also to the day-to-day operation of a mine. Any company expecting to make sound investment or operational decisions must base the resource estimation on both relevant and reliable information.

Responding to our past delegates feedback and request of extending our Master Class, we are happy to bring you a five-day Master Class in Geostatistics and Mineral Resource Estimation instead of the normal four days. We hope that this will add value to our delegates and enable them to solve the practical issues that they face in the field of geostatistics/mineral resource estimation.

This 5-day course will consist of two parts:-

Part 1 - Practical Geostatistics Workshop (two days)

The first 2 days of the course will cover the practical aspect of Geostatistics. It will bring the delegates to in-depth understanding of the mysteries of ordinary kriging and its variants. This is a classroom course and includes manual exercises to reinforce understanding of the techniques. This composed of lectures augmented by practical PC/laptop-based exercises covering many different applications.

Case studies ranging from coal through base metals and iron ore to precious metals such as gold and platinum will be covered. All case studies are drawn from Dr Clark's extensive worldwide experience.
Participants are advised to bring a laptop.

Part 2 - Mineral Resource Estimation Master Class (three days)

Participants in this Master Class are expected to be conversant with Geostatisticals procedures or at least completed Practical Geostatistics Workshop.

Participants are invited to contribute discussion and ideas from their own practical experiences and to bring their own data for preliminary analysis during and after the workshop.

The workshop is aimed at professionals who are interested in discussing the real world application of resource estimation techniques.
Using little or no mathematics, we will discuss case studies involving interpretation of everyday questions, such as:
• Is my data homogeneous enough for geostatistical mapping?
• Do I have trends in my data and (if so) what kind?
• How do I interpret semi-variograms which deviate from the ideal shapes?
• What Kriging method should I use (if any)?
• Should I be using Kriging results at all?

Presentations will explain the underlying assumptions of resource estimation, the techniques currently used in the real world, the advantages and limitations of such techniques and the decision processes which underlie a successful resource or reserve estimation.
Participants are advised to bring a laptop.
Programme

For full agenda, event brochure and registration details; please email us your detail contact information to [email protected] . Please indicate subject title "Practical Geostatistics and Mineral Resource Estimation".

This course is specially structured into two-part and 10 sessions

Part 1: Practical Geostatistics Workshop (two days)

Fundamentals
• The basic assumptions of spatial estimation methods
• Inverse Distance interpolation methods
• Classical statistics: the Normal distribution

Statistical Methods
• The lognormal distribution
• Confidence levels
• Standard errors
• Grade/tonnage curves
• Construction and interpretation of semi-variograms
• Identification of trends
• Multi-component models
• Confirmation of basic assumptions
• Outliers

Geostatistical Methods
• The experimental semi-variogram
• Modelling semi-variograms
• Trends
• Anisotropy
• Geological features
• Variations on kriging
• Lognormal methods
• Indicator methods
• Non-linear geostatistics
• Regression problems (conditional bias)
• Simulation

Case Studies and discussions on your own data (BYO)

Part 2: Mineral Resources Estimation Master Class (three days)

In Part 2 of this course you will be working on YOUR own data. This will be a BYO session preliminary study of real data sets and open discussion guided by participants' interests and previous Q&A sessions.

Based on participants' interests we can go in-depth to the following topics:
1. Basic assumptions and requirements for mineral resource estimation
2. Data validation, top-cuts and capping
3. Construction, interpretation and modelling of semi-variograms
4. Model validation and reconciliation with geological knowledge
5. Geostatistical resource estimation, 3D and block modelling and Kriging
6. Other Kriging techniques, such as MIK and Lognormal Kriging
7. Discussion covering the advantages/limitations of different estimation methods
8. Reserve estimation and possible classification definitions
9. Geostatistical Simulations and Risk Assessment
10. Grade control
11. Drill hole spacing analysis
12. Dynamic Anisotropy estimation

Case Studies and BYO topics:
• construction and interpretation of semi-variograms
• identification of trends
• confirmation of basic assumptions
• outliers
• choice of appropriate kriging techniques
• practical applications of kriging
• discussion of case studies from course participants
• general discussion of case studies
• simulation techniques

Attendee Profile

The course is carefully researched and designed for:
• Geologists (Exploration, Production, Resource)
• Mining Engineer/Engineering Manager
• Mine Evaluator/Evaluation Manager
• Mine Planners/Planning Manager
• Mine Surveyors/Survey Manager
• MRM Practitioners
• Anyone with interest in the evaluation of mineral resources and reserves

What people said about us

These are what some of our delegates said about this course:

Some practical exercises were nicely put by the resource person based on her long term experience - Excellent! - Chief Geologist Evaluation, AngloGold Ashanti

The course was interesting and touches on important areas of resource estimation. The facilitator is good at answering questions. - Geologist, Goldfields Ghana

I testify on the excellent organization and provision of a world class expert in the domain we just learnt. Great time with very experienced trainer but duration was short. - SMFG -Societe Des Mines de fer de Guinee

The workshop is well organized and timing was very appropriate. Meeting authority in resource estimation like our trainer is a great privileged! - Regional Resource Manager, Kalsaka Mining

Summarizing decades worth of experience into 4 days may seem impossible but somehow the facilitator does this and still has time to make it a fund experience. - Project Geologist, Aureus Mining Ireland

Trainer Profile

The trainer is a professional Mining Engineer who specialized in the technical evaluation of mineral resources and reserves at all stages in the life of a mine. She has taught, researched and consulted in the field of geostatistics for over 40 years and have wealthy experience in practical application of computer-based design and evaluation methods.

Possibly best known as the author of the introductory text "Practical Geostatistics" (1979), she now co-author of a more complete textbook "Practical Geostatistic" (2000).

With proven communication skills honed by training non-specialists, she has conducted numerous short courses on a regular basis to companies and educational institutions in four continents. She lectured for 11 years at the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London, at the University of Witswatersrand in Johannesburg for 9 years and was visiting professor at Camborne School of Mines for 2 years. She joined Xstract Mining Consultant in July 2011 within Xstract's Perth office, and also maintain her position as associated educator at Geostokos (Ecosse) Limited, an international consultancy company based in Central Scotland. Her recent consultancy assignments range from the evaluation of tantalite deposits in Mozambique to the study of protected sea-birds in the UK.

The trainer received her Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of London, M.Sc. in Biometrics from the University of Reading, B.Sc. in Pure and Applied Mathematics from Strathclyde University and Diploma in Educational Broadcasting from the University of York. In addition to formal qualifications, she regularly attends relevant conferences to learn new methods, theory and applications. She also attends seminars and meetings of the various professional societies of which she have memberships.

Partial list of Consultancies and Projects in Africa
• Ad hoc advice on mineral sands applications, for Shell Minerals, South Africa
• Advice on sampling at Richards Bay Minerals, South Africa
• American Mineral Fields Int. Ltd., supervision of feasibility study --- valuation and geology
• Assessment of Alexander Bay Diamond Mine, South Africa
• Audit of resources, tantalite deposit, Mozambique
• Evaluation of mining resources, Hartebeestfontein Mine, South Africa
• Fergusson Stewart, Johannesburg, evaluation of Joel Mine.
• Freda-Rebecca Mine, Zimbabwe for Cluff Minerals (and later Ashanti GoldFields)
• General Mining Union Corporation, Johannesburg
• Ghanaian Australian Goldfields, geostatistical modelling and advice on valuation
• Hartley Platinum, BHP Zimbabwe, peer review.
• Investigation of problems with Mine Call Factor for Libanon Mine, South Africa
• ISCOR Mining, audit of valuation for deposit in Zaire
• Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Limited, Johannesburg
• Lonrho Zimbabwe, advice on evaluation of small gold deposits
• MIMCO, South Africa, evaluation of gold mine.
• MineNet South Africa, evaluation of resources and reserves at Skorpion project, Namibia
• Mineral resource and reserve valuation for Skorpion Zinc project in Namibia
• Palabora Mine, underground development, RTZ Management Services, Johannesburg.
• Potgietersrus Platinum, JCI, benchmark evaluation.
• Public statement of remaining reserves at the Droogebult Mine, South Africa
• Resource evaluation studies for Lonrho Platinum, South Africa.
• Short training for Nigerian Geological survey
• Small scale consultation, Anglogold Ashanti Goldfields
• Study of sampling methods and calibrations for Namco Diamond Mining, Cape Town
• Tenke Fungurume project, Congo audit of computerised database
• Vaal Reefs Exploration & Mining Co. Ltd., audit of annual reserve statement
• Valuation advice for the Ayanfuri Project, Ghana for Cluff Minerals.

For full agenda, event brochure and registration details; please email us your detail contact information to moc.egde-oen@nrubeur. Please indicate subject title "Practical Geostatistics and Mineral Resource Estimation".

Date: 07 April 2014 to 11 April 2014
Time: 09:00 - 17:00
Venue: Holiday Inn Accra Aiport, Accra