METHOD OF CHARACTERISING A RESOURCE

• US 20120205963A1
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. Ltd. (Rio Tinto Limited)
• Original Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. Ltd. (Rio Tinto Limited), University of Sydney
• Inventors: Melkumyan, Arman, Jewbali, Arja Jogita, Ramos, Fabio
• Granted Patent: US 9,449,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 299/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/30 Analysis G01V1/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/00 Prospecting or detecting by methods combining techniques covered by two or more of main groups G01V1/00 - G01V9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/66 Subsurface modeling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of characterising a resource in a block located in an area. The method comprises the step of providing information concerning a property of the resource for a plurality of sample positions in, at or in the environment of the block. The information is obtained from analyses of samples from the sample positions. The method further comprises modelling a change in the property along a distance at or within the block using the provided information. The method also comprises calculating parameters associated with the modelled change using Bayes'"'"' theorem and calculating a property characteristic of the resource for the block using the calculated parameters.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A method of characterising a resource in a block located in an area, the method comprising the steps of:

providing information concerning a property of the resource for a plurality of sample positions in, at or in the environment of the block, the information being obtained from analyses of samples from the sample positions;

modelling a change in the property along a distance at or within the block using the provided information;

calculating parameters associated with the modelled change using Bayes'"'"' theorem; and

calculating a property characteristic of the resource for the block using the calculated parameters.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of calculating parameters comprises use of a Gaussian or Gaussian-like probability distribution with Bayesian inference.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the resource is an ore body.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the ore body is an iron ore body.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the property is an iron ore grade.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the block is one of a plurality of blocks.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the method comprises calculating an average of a modelled change in the property for the block.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing information concerning a property of the resource for a plurality of sample positions comprises providing samples from drill holes at the sample positions.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the block is one of a plurality of adjacent blocks of the area.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the drill holes are placed at or near the boundary of adjacent blocks, such as at or near every second boundary.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of modelling the change in the property comprises obtaining a mean of the property and a covariance function c(x,x_1-n) of the property (x,x_1-n:

sample positions).

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the covariance function is a squared exponential covariance function.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of calculating the property comprises calculating an average for the block using the mean of the property and the covariance function.

31. A method of establishing a mining plan, the method comprising:

calculating a property of a resource for a plurality of blocks using the method as claimed in claim 18;

evaluating the property; and

selecting blocks for mining the resource.

32. A method of guiding exploration of an area, the method comprising:

calculating a property of a resource for a plurality of blocks using the method in accordance with claim 18;

evaluating the property; and

guiding the exploration of the area.

33. The method of claim 32, comprising the step of determining locations for sample positions at which samples are obtained from drill holes.

34. A method of mining in which resources are extracted in accordance with the method of claim 18.