Ore Body Assessment
Specific geological characteristics are identified and then utilised, through the integration of smart technology, to develop sustainable projects with attractive economics!
Outcrop Scale
Hand specimen scale
Each ore body is unique and therefore characterising the ore is the first step to defining how best to process it. Ore is unevenly distributed through the rock with a high proportion of waste.
There can be numerous ore types or zones within one deposit that each process differently depending on their characteristics, which are determined by:
- Weathering, alteration and oxidation
- Mode of deposition (volcanic, sedimentary, etc)
- Proximity to source
- Volume, grade, ore mineral distribution
- Host rock characteristics and contrasts with ore minerals – density, colour, hardness, composition, variability, friability
- One size does not fit all and understanding geology, mineralogy and chemical characteristics of the ore and waste are critical to delivering the best sorting and of course metallurgical outcome.
Microscopic scale