ORE BLOCK OPTIMISATION – OBO –
THE GRADE CONTROL SOLUTION
MORE ORE. HIGHER GRADES. MAXIMISE SHAREHOLDER RETURN.
For over 20 years, Golder’s mining geology and grade control team have advised mining operations
in improving ore quantity and quality, generating lower unit operating costs, higher grade, accurate
predictions of mine production and greater stability in plant performance.
WHAT IS OBO?
OBO is a cost effective ore block design system that provides mining geologists and grade controllers with the tools
necessary to maximise profit. Mine for maximum profitability in any commodity with OBO.
SETTING THE GRADE CONTROL STANDARD WITH OBO
SOFTWARE FEATURES
QQ
Objective, repeatable, efficient dig line generation
QQ
3D visual display of sample data, geology and block models
QQ
Assist with risk-aware decisions
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Extensive statistical analysis toolkit
QQ
Streamline process flow
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Variogram creation and modelling
QQ
Target ore tonnes, grade or revenue
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Categorical simulation for implicit geology modelling
QQ
Customise to your operational needs
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Grade simulation with unfolding capability
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Interface with all major mining software packages
QQ
QQ
Produce high resolution models to allow ore boundaries
to be placed with accuracy
Allow staff to spend more time engaging with operations
on the ground
QQ
Export statistics, images and graphs quickly and easily
for reports and publications
Successfully trialled and tested in many commodities and styles of mineralisation, from narrow vein gold through nickel
laterites to multi-element resources.
Plot relationships between variables to define ore zones
Map grade continuity in 3D. Resource estimation quality variogram modeling
A POWERFUL TOOL FOR OPTIMISING
GRADE CONTROL
QQ Create and manipulate large geology
and simulated grade models
QQ Maintain lateral resolution for best
possible ore boundary definition
QQ Produce multiple, equally probable
images (realisations) of your deposit
that honour sample data
QQ Does not produce smooth results, as
seen in other methods such as kriging
and polygonal estimations.
This results in a greater understanding
of the deposit and allows better
prediction of short-scale variability
QQ Optimise output while reducing
misclassification caused by
subjective interpretation
QQ
QQ
QQ
QQ
QQ
The variography strike, dip and plunge
tool allows complex mineralisation to
be modelled quickly and accurately
Validate variography in all
directions to ensure the best
three dimensional fit
COMPLEX
MINERALISATION?
EFFECTIVE SOLUTION.
Variogram models transferable to
other software packages
Minimise subjectiveness and
produce consistent, repeatable
ore block designs
OBO gives you the desktop power
to match the best field practices,
geological know-how and financial
goals with the world’s best grade
control systems and theory
KEY CASE STUDY: MT MAGNET GOLD PROJECT
Ramelius Resources (Ramelius)
Implementation of OBO contributed to a 20% increase
in mill head grade.
The rise of the gold price in recent years has injected
new life into historical mining areas including Ramelius
Resources (Ramelius) Mt Magnet Gold Project.
Many of the higher-grade, more continuous sections
of the orebodies have been mined, with remaining
lodes generally being narrow, discontinuous and of a
lower grade.
The technical difficulties of mining these deposits pose
a serious challenge. Mining and grade control practices
need to be rigorous and carefully matched to the geology
in order to meet head grade and production targets.
Benefits from using OBO included:
Greater resolution and definition of the mineralisation
than existing methods
QQ The high resolution of the OBO model meant that the
predicted ore block grades better accounted for ore
loss and dilution
QQ Optimising ore block boundaries using OBO’s nonsubjective approach reduced misdirection of ore and waste
QQ
Golder’s OBO system provided Ramelius with the
flexibility to target tonnes or grade depending on
day-to-day operational requirements.
Ramelius had some excellent practices at Mt Magnet,
including good quality reverse circulation (RC) drilling to
collect grade control samples and stringent run-of-mine
stockpile management procedures, but the operation had
difficulty achieving the predicted grade of the mined ore.
Ramelius implemented OBO at Mt Magnet, first as a
desktop study, then in a mining trial.
Mt Magnet Mine Site
Extract from “Improving Grade Control Can Boost
Shareholder Returns” first published in The AusIMM
Bulletin, August 2013 edition.
For more information, contact our mining geology and
grade control team at [email protected]
ENGINEERING EARTH’S DEVELOPMENT, PRESERVING EARTH’S INTEGRITY.
www.golder.com
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