Mining Geology and Exploration

Mining Geology
and
Exploration

MMPE 290
Plate Tectonics and mineral deposition.

MMPE 290
Mining Geology and Exploration

 How much metal is available?

 What is a mineral? What is ore?
 How do ore deposits form?
 Mining exploration methods
 Role of exploration in mining
 Case histories

MMPE 290
Economically Important Metal
Concentrations in Earth’s Crust
Concentration
Metal (% by weight)
Aluminum 8.0 Note for comparison:
Iron 5.8 Silicon 28%
Copper 0.0058 Oxygen 46%
Nickel 0.0072
Zinc 0.0082
Uranium 0.00016
Lead 0.001
Silver 0.000008
Gold 0.0000002
What is a mineral?
A solid naturally-occurring compound
having a definite chemical composition
Examples:
quartz - SiO2 (an oxide)
hematite - Fe2O3 (another oxide)
chalcopyrite - CuFeS (a sulphide)
 What is an orebody?

An occurrence of minerals or metals

in sufficiently high concentration to
be profitable to mine and process
using current technology and under
current economic conditions.
What is ore grade?
Ore grade is the concentration of
economic mineral or metal in an ore
deposit.
· Weight percentage (base metals)
· Grams/tonne or oz/ton (precious
metals)
 Economically Important Metals
Typical Ore Deposit Average Grades
Typical Grade
Metal (% by weight)
Aluminum 30
Iron 53
Copper 0.5-4
Nickel 1
Zinc 4
Uranium 0.3
Lead 5
Silver 0.01
Gold 0.0001-0.001
What does it take to be an ore
deposit?
2
10
Iron
Aluminum
1
10
Lead Zinc
Typical Orebody Concentration

Copper
0
10 Nickel
Uranium
-1
y=x
10

-2
10 Silver

-3
10
Gold
-4
10
-7 -5 -3 -1 1 3
10 10 10 10 10 10
Crustal Concentration
Hydrothermal Ore Deposits
As magma cools, more abundant metals
(silicon, aluminum) deposit first
Solidification of magma releases water - a
hydrothermal solution
Minerals precipitate from hydrothermal
solution and deposit in cracks or veins in
rock
Metamorphic Ore Deposits
Concentration of minerals caused by high
temperatures and pressures near intrusions
Examples:
Lead-zinc deposits in southeast B.C.
Diamonds
Garnets
Hydrothermal and
Metamorphic Ore Deposits

Geyser or hot spring

Hydrothermal solutions
entering veins in rocks Ore deposit
zoning

Alteration of rocks by
heat and pressure

Intrusion
Sedimentary Ore Deposits
Deposition of dense, resistant minerals in
streams, lakes etc (Alluvial Deposits),
e.g. Placer gold
Precipitation of minerals from lakes-oceans
(Evaporite Deposits), e.g. Potash and Salt
Deposits
Accumulation, burial and petrification of
vegetation, e.g. Coal Deposits.
Exploration Methods

· Remote sensing
· Geological mapping
· Geophysical surveys
· Geochemical surveys
· Bulk sampling
· Drilling (core or destructive)
Airborne Geophysics

Helicopter

Bush

Cable

“Bird”
GEOPHYSICAL
METHODS
Geochemical Anomalies