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30 Seconds of Info: Reconciliation of planned and unplanned dilution for underground stopes

March 20, 2019

This week’s 30 Seconds of Reconciliation Info is from Ian Glacken our Director of Geology.

Reconciliation of planned and unplanned dilution for underground stopes: Typically, underground stopes of relatively limited dimensions (i.e. not sublevel or block caving shapes) are designed to take the ore-grade material (the so-called ‘in situ design’), with allowances for practical mining shapes. This is often called planned dilution. In addition to this, there is often a degree of ‘unplanned’ dilution, which is based upon typical overbreak or ore loss parameters from material ‘of this type’ (i.e. in this mine, in a similar geological setting, or even in a different mine). Paradoxically, it is important to reconcile the in situ design (the best possible mining outcome) additionally and separately to the unplanned dilution/ore loss. Why? The so-called ‘unplanned’ factors are important to quantify for use as modifying factors in calculating the Ore (Mineral) Reserves, otherwise the reserve grade will be too high and the tonnage too low. An efficient reconciliation system should cater for both the planned and unplanned mining factors, hopefully separately.

Ian Glacken BSc (Hons) (Geology), MSc(Mining Geology), DIC, MSc(Geostatistics), Grad Dip Computing, FAusIMM(CP), FAIG, MIMMM, CEng

Ian is a geologist with postgraduate qualifications in geostatistics, mining geology and computing who has more than 35 years’ worldwide experience in the mining industry.

Ian’s skills are in resource evaluation and due diligence reviews, public reporting, training and mentoring, quantitative risk assessment, strategic advice, geostatistics, reconciliation, project management, statutory and competent persons’ reporting and mining geology studies.

Ian has a strong mining production background and is a regular auditor for the world’s largest mining companies.

Ian is the presenter of our 1-day Reconciliation course. If you’d like to view the course content, please use this LINK. Ian also offers half-day onsite audits of reconciliation processes for mining companies, followed by a 1-day reconciliation training course.