Resource Estimation of Structurally Complex and Discontinuous Mineralization Using Non-linear Geostatistics: Case Study of a Mesothermal Gold Deposit in Northern Canada

Research Article| January 01, 2002 Resource Estimation of Structurally Complex and Discontinuous Mineralization Using Non-linear Geostatistics: Case Study of a Mesothermal Gold Deposit in Northern Canada M.Z. ABZALOV; M.Z. ABZALOV WMC Resources Ltd., Group Projects, Belmont, WA, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar M. HUMPHREYS M. HUMPHREYS SRK Consulting, West Perth, WA, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Exploration and Mining Geology (2002) 11 (1-4): 19–29. https://doi.org/10.2113/11.1-4.19 Article history received: 06 May 2002 accepted: 02 Apr 2003 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation M.Z. ABZALOV, M. HUMPHREYS; Resource Estimation of Structurally Complex and Discontinuous Mineralization Using Non-linear Geostatistics: Case Study of a Mesothermal Gold Deposit in Northern Canada. Exploration and Mining Geology 2002;; 11 (1-4): 19–29. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/11.1-4.19 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentBy SocietyExploration and Mining Geology Search Advanced Search Abstract An estimation of resources of structurally complex gold lodes and stockworks represents a challenging task for geoscientists due to the complex geometry of the lodes and discontinuous grade. In the present case study, the resource of a gold stockwork has been estimated by uniform conditioning after the lode has been subdivided into geostatistically defined domains using the indicator probability model. The indicator probability model represents a powerful tool for structural interpretation of the mineralization and can be applied when traditional 3D volume constraining methods (wireframing) have failed to produce a unique, non-subjective model.For comparison, the resources of the same zone have been estimated without domaining. Results of the study clearly show that estimates obtained without domaining of the mineralization can yield a substantial error due to excessive smoothing of the grade.Application of uniform conditioning for modelling the grade distribution has a significant advantage over linear methods (e.g., ordinary kriging). Uniform conditioning enables estimation of local recoverable resources at different selective mining unit sizes that can be substantially smaller than the drilling density without creation of biases or over smoothed local values. You do not currently have access to this article.