Appraisal of Engineering Phases of a Mineral Asset: From Exploration to Mine Approval

It is well known that the most common methodology for evaluating a mineral asset is the NPV. Most of the mining companies employ this technique for evaluating the expected economic benefits provided by the exploration and exploitation of a mineral deposit. However, companies also wish to know how their assets are creating value through the several exploration and development phases. The purpose being to assess the progressive value of the mineral asset in agreement with the information and data cumulated through the different steps from exploration to project approval. This paper establishes the value of a copper mineral deposit through their successive phases from exploration to feasibility and approval using the options’ binomial nodes framework. Results are applied to two copper negotiations for method validation.

A novel high precision Doppler frequency estimation method based on the third-order phase-locked loop

In deep space exploration,many engineering and scientific requirements require the accuracy of the measured Doppler frequency to be as high as possible.In our paper,we analyze the possible frequency measurement points of the third-order phase-locked loop(PLL)and find a new Doppler measurement strategy.Based on this finding,a Doppler frequency measurement algorithm with significantly higher measurement accuracy is obtained.In the actual data processing,compared with the existing engineering software,the accuracy of frequency of 1 second integration is about 5.5 times higher when using the new algorithm.The improved algorithm is simple and easy to implement.This improvement can be easily combined with other improvement methods of PLL,so that the performance of PLL can be further improved.

Extreme Programming： Strengths and Weaknesses

Meeting deliverable deadline is a critical issue for successful organization. Last minute adjustments characterize software development due to many reasons including not testing thoroughly. XP （Practicing Extreme Programming）, which is an agile software development methodology, gives rise to the issue of pair programming. This paper aims at discussing the strengths and weaknesses of an Extreme Programming methodology by examining the characteristics of the 12 software development practices of the XP methodology. Working together will incur in a highly reliable functionalities to release. Furthermore, moving people around will allow the team to keep track of the whole project.

Introduction to the TT&C Scheme for Chang’e⁃5 Mission

Chang’e-5 mission is China’s first lunar sample return mission.It contains several new flight phases compared with the previous lunar missions,such as the lunar take-off and orbit insertion phase,the rendezvous and docking phase,etc.Chang’e-5 mission is extremely complicated and full of new challenges.This paper sorts out the characteristics and the difficulties in telemetry,tracking,and command(TT&C)of Chang’e-5 mission.The main technical contribution is a reliable general design of the TT&C system,including the application of X-band TT&C in launch and early orbit phase(LEOP),multiple targets simultaneous TT&C in X-band,lunar surface benchmark calibration,high-precision and rapid orbit trajectory determination for the lunar surface take-off,remote guidance rendezvous and docking,the determination of the initial navigational value for the separation point of the Chang’e-5 orbiter and returner,and the design of the reentry measurement chain.Based on this scheme,a global deep space TT&C network and interplanetary reentry measurement chain have been established for China,and near-continuous TT&C support for China’s first extraterrestrial object sampling and return mission has been realized,ensuring reliable tracking,accurate measurement and accurate control.The global deep space network can provide TT&C support comparable to that of National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA)and European Space Agency(ESA)for subsequent lunar and deep space exploration missions.The techniques of rapid trajectory determination of lunar take-off and orbit entry,as well as high precision and remote guidance of lunar orbit rendezvous and docking can lay a technological foundation for the future manned lunar exploration missions and planetary sampling and return missions.