Application of 3-D Geoscience Modeling Technology for the Estimation of Solid Mineral Reserves

Applying new approaches, methods, and technologies for the estimation of reserves can effectively improve the efficiency and accuracy of assessments of solid mineral resources. After analyzing the development of 3-D geoscience modeling technology （3-D GMT）, this paper discusses the application of 3-D GMT for the estimation of solid mineral reserves, emphatically introducing its workflow and two key technologies, 3-D orebody surface modeling, and property modeling. Moreover, the paper analyzes the limitations of traditional methods, such as the section method and geological block method, and points out the advantages of 3-D GMT： building more accurate 3-D orebody models, expressing the internal inhomogeneous attributes of an orebody, reducing the potential for errors in the estimation of reserves, and implementing dynamic estimations of reserves.

Coal-rock gas:Concept,connotation and classification criteria

In recent years,great breakthroughs have been made in the exploration and development of natural gas in deep coal-rock reservoirs in Junggar,Ordos and other basins in China.In view of the inconsistency between the industrial and academic circles on this new type of unconventional natural gas,this paper defines the concept of"coal-rock gas"on the basis of previous studies,and systematically analyzes its characteristics of occurrence state,transport and storage form,differential accumulation,and development law.Coal-rock gas,geologically unlike coalbed methane in the traditional sense,occurs in both free and adsorbed states,with free state in abundance.It is generated and stored in the same set of rocks through short distance migration,occasionally with the accumulation from other sources.Moreover,coal rock develops cleat fractures,and the free gas accumulates differentially.The coal-rock gas reservoirs deeper than 2000 m are high in pressure,temperature,gas content,gas saturation,and free-gas content.In terms of development,similar to shale gas and tight gas,coal-rock gas can be exploited by natural formation energy after the reservoirs connectivity is improved artificially,that is,the adsorbed gas is desorbed due to pressure drop after the high-potential free gas is recovered,so that the free gas and adsorbed gas are produced in succession for a long term without water drainage for pressure drop.According to buried depth,coal rank,pressure coefficient,reserves scale,reserves abundance and gas well production,the classification criteria and reserves/resources estimation method of coal-rock gas are presented.It is preliminarily estimated that the coal-rock gas in place deeper than 2000 m in China exceeds 30×10^(12)m^(3),indicating an important strategic resource for the country.The Ordos,Sichuan,Junggar and Bohai Bay basins are favorable areas for large-scale enrichment of coal-rock gas.The paper summarizes the technical and management challenges and points out the research directions,laying a foundation for the management,exploration,and development of coal-rock gas in China.

Application of Log Kriging on Estimated Reserves of the 10-9 Ore Body of Lutangba in the Gejiu Tin Deposits

The approaches adopted so far in China to calculate reserves of ore deposits have largely been dependent on polygonal methods, including a cross-section method and a geological block method. However, for various reasons, especially, the complexity of the geology, and the ore bodies, the deposits became gradually known as development and exploitation took place. There is a certain difference between the prospecting and mining, which will have a great impact on both geological and cutoff grade at the stage of geological mine construction and production. As much accurate information as possible on the spatial distribution patterns of ore bodies and global reserves is essential to improve the production efficiency and reduce production cost. The 10-9 ore body of Lutangba in the Gejiu Tin Deposits was selected as our research object, using a log Kriging and an inverse distance weighing method. In our paper the results are compared with the reserves calculated by the polygonal block method. The global estimate and estimation errors associated with each estimation method are discussed.

Reserve estimation of the high phosphorous stockpile at the Choghart iron mine of Iran using geostatistical modeling

An attempt to estimate the reserves in the High Phosphorous stockpile （HP） at the Choghart Iron mine of Iran was carded out using geostatistical modeling. Grade and tonnage estimates of ore stockpiles can help convert them into a valuable ore reserve. This is valuable in consideration of increasing metal demand, and the depletion of in situ ore reserves, around the world. Estimation of reserves in stockpiles is difficult partly because of geological and grade discontinuities created during the dumping of the ore piles. Data input for the HP stockpile at Choghart was performed based upon pre-existing information gathered during extraction from the various mining benches. After establishing the input data files the reserve estimates were found using geostatistical methods aided by the international mining software SURPAC. The stockpile was divided in to three domains and the reserves in each domain were estimated separately. A grade block model was used to compute the reserve. Fe% and P% were estimated using the Ordinary Kriging method. The results showed that the total tonnage of the HP stockpile is 4.5 million tons with an average zrade of 55% Fe and 1.03% P.

Metallic Reserves of Submarine Manganese Nodules to be Estimated and Harnessed Prudently: Evidence from China's Jiaolong Manned Submersible

Since the discovery of oceanic manganese nodules during the expedition of the British ocean-going ship Challenger from 1872 to 1876, research and development for seabed manganese nodules have never ceased owing to the huge economic inducements. Manganese nodules are the black or dark brown, spherical or massive Mn-bearing ores, deposits of which are found on the sea bottom. The nodules are a mixture of silicate and insoluble potassium permanganates （also with sub-Ti, Fe and Na permanganates） that contain more than 30 kinds of metallic elements, among which those of greatest economic interest are Mn （27-30%）, Ni（1.25-1.5%）, Cu（1- 1.4%）, Co（0.2- 0.25 %）, Fe, Si, and AI, with minor amounts of Ca, Na, K, Ti, B, H and O.

Grout diffusion characteristics during chemical grouting in a deep water-bearing sand layer

This paper is devoted to application of ordinary kriging method in Choghart north anomaly iron ore deposit in Yazd province, Iran. In order to estimate the deposit, 2329 input data gained from 26 boreholes were used. Fe grade was selected as the major regional variable on which the present research has focused. All of the available data were changed to 12.5 m composites so that statistical regularization could be reached. Studies indicated that iron grade input data had single-population characteristics. To carry out ordinary kriging, a spherical model was fitted over empirical variogram. Then the model was verified through cross validation method and proved to be valid with a coherence coefficient of 0.773 between the estimated and real data. Plotting the empirical variogram in different directions showed no geometric anisotropy for the deposit. To estimate the Iron grade, ordinary kriging method was used according to which, all of the exploitable blocks with dimensions 20 m x 20 m x 12.5 m were block esti- mated within the estimation space. Finally tonnage-grade curve has been drawn and reserve classified into measured, indicated and inferred.

Comparison of stem taper models for the four tropical tree species in Mount Makiling, Philippines

This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of six stem taper models on four tropical tree species, namely Celtis luzonica(Magabuyo),Diplodiscus paniculatus(Balobo), Parashorea malaanonan(Bagtikan), and Swietenia macrophylla(Mahogany) in Mount Makiling Forest Reserve(MMFR), Philippines using fit statistics and lack-of-fit statistics. Four statistical criteria were used in this study, including the standard error of estimate(SEE),coefficient of determination(R^2), mean bias( E),and absolute mean difference(AMD). For the lack-offit statistics, SEE, E and AMD were determined in different relative height classes. The results indicated that the Kozak02 stem taper model offered the best fit for the four tropical species in most statistics. The Kozak02 model also consistently provided the best performance in the lack-of-fit statistics with the best SEE, E and AMD in most of the relative height classes. These stem taper equations could help forest managers and researchers better estimate the diameter of the outside bark with any given height,merchantable stem volumes and total stem volumes of standing trees belonging to the four species of thetropical forest in MMFR.

THE RELIABILITY STUDY OF MINE DESIGN

The method of reliability analysis of mineral reserve estimation, mining construction, mining technological system and surface mine investment in mine design is discussed in this paper. On the basis of this method, the questions, such as "whether the planned production and predicted economic effectiveness could be obtained", can be answered, and corresponding measures can be taken.

Assessment of parameters effectiveness in the reserve estimation methods applicable to coal bed methane reservoirs

The reserve estimation of coal bed methane(CBM)reservoirs is ascertained through the analytical methods(volumetric method,material balance equation and decline curve analysis).However,the adoption of reserve estimation methods depends on exploration stage and availability of the required parameters.This study deals with the analytical assessment of parameters that participate in effecting the reserve estimation of CBM reservoirs through the analytical techniques.The accurate measurement challenges always exist for the parameters which participate in the reserve estimation of the conventional and unconventional reservoirs because of the inclusion of limitations while measurement.Therefore,the impact of that measurement challenge must be assessed.The study specifies the impact of parametric change on the reserve estimation of CBM reservoirs so that the degree of parametric effectiveness is analyzed.Uncertain values are adopted which are associated during the evaluation of input parameters for each method to determine the overall impact on potential of CBM reserves.Results reveal that change in specific parameters considering each method provide relatively more effect on estimation of reserves.Thus,the measurement of parameters must be done accurately for assessing reserves of CBM reservoirs based on available methods.