Updated: 26th July 2017

Introduction
Dr. Abhiram Kumar Verma
Associate Professor
Dept. of Mining Engineering, IIT Kharagpur
Definitions: Mineral
Mineral is a natural inorganic product whose physical
property and chemical composition is fixed. Minerals can
be expressed in the form of chemical equation easily.
Iron, lead etc can not be called mineral because they
have not taken part in the natural development of earth.
Similarly coal and petroleum also can not be called
mineral because they are organic and their chemical
composition changes.
These minerals are united by some binding materials and
thus rock is formed.
There are over 5,300 known mineral species; as of March
2017.
Definitions: Mineral
• The study of minerals is called mineralogy.
• Minerals can be described by their various physical
properties, which are related to their chemical structure and
composition. Common distinguishing characteristics include
crystal structure and habit, hardness, lustre, diaphaneity,
colour, streak, tenacity, cleavage, fracture, parting,
and specific gravity. More specific tests for describing
minerals include magnetism, taste or
smell, radioactivity and reaction to acid.
• Minerals are not equivalent to rocks.
• A rock is either an aggregate of one or more minerals. Some
rocks, such as limestone or quartzite, are composed
primarily of one mineral—calcite in the case of limestone,
and quartz in the latter case.
Textural of rocks

Quartzite Sandstone

Limestone Gabro
Mineral deposits, Development ore deposit

A mineral deposit that is sufficiently rich to be ore +

worked at a profit is called an ore deposit. gangue

Ore deposit is the assemblage of ore minerals plus

gangue is called the ore. mineral
deposit
All ore deposits are mineral deposits, but the
reverse is not true.
Development: Work done one a mineral deposit,
after exploration has disclosed ore in sufficient
quantity and quality to justify extraction, in order to
make the ore available for mining.
Definitions
Ore:
Ore is a natural aggregate of one ore more solid
minerals that can be mined, processed and sold at a
profit.
Profit = Revenue – Costs
Revenues = Material sold (units) x Price / unit
Costs = Material sold (units) x cost/unit
Profit = Material sold (units) x (Price / unit – cost/unit)
Price is determined by others, Mining engineer can
control the unit cost by using newer technology.
Mine: an excavation made in the earth to extract
minerals.
Mining: the activity, occupation, and industry
concerned with the extraction of minerals
Mining engineering: the practice of applying
engineering principles to the development, planning,
operations, closure and reclamation of mines.
Stages in the life of a Mine
• Prospecting: 1st stage in the utilization of a mineral deposit, is the search for ores or
other valuable minerals. Both direct methods (visual examination or outcrop or loose
fragments by areal photography, geologic maps and structural assessment of an area and
indirect tool geophysics like gravitational, seismic, magnetic, electrical, electromagnetic
and radiometric variables of the earth.

• Exploration
• Development
• Exploitation/ Production
• Reclamation
Exploration
• Exploration is the search for mineral deposit
(prospecting) and the subsequent investigation of
any deposit found until an orebody, if such exists,
has been established.
• Information required to establish are Size,
Composition, Shape and grade of these deposits.
• Exploration methods include geological,
geochemical, and geophysical surveys, drill holes,
and trial pits and surface underground openings.
• For profit over a long time, a mining engineer must
continuously examine and assess smarter and
better site specific ways for reducing costs at the
operations.
• Done by better understanding of the deposit.
• Exploration:
Exploration site
of Coal, Ib valley,
Odisha
Resources, Reserve
• It is a concentration of naturally
occurring solid, liquid or gaseous
material in or on earth’s crust in
such form and amount that
economic extraction of a
commodity from the concentration
is currently or potentially feasible.
• Location, grade, quality, and
quantity are known or estimated
from specific geological evidence.
• To reflect varying degree of
geological certainty, resources are
of three types.
Measured, Indicated, Inferred
• Measured, quantity is computed from dimensions
revealed in outcrops, trenches, workings or drill
holes; grades and/or quantity are computed from
the result of detailed sampling.
• The site for inspection, sampling and measurement
are spaced so closely and the geological character
is so well defined that size, shape, depth and
mineral content of the resource are well
established.
Indicated, Inferred
• Indicated, quantity and grade and/or quality are
computed from information similar to that used for
measured resources, but the sites for inspection,
sampling, and measurements are further apart or
are otherwise less adequately spaced.
• The degree of assurance, although lower than that
for measured resources, is high enough to assume
geological continuity between two points.
Inferred
• Inferred, estimates are based on geological
evidence and assumed continuity in which there is
less confidence than for measured and/or indicated
resources.
• Inferred resources may not be supported by
samples or measurements but the inference must
be supported by reasonable geo-scientific
(geological, geochemical, geophysical, or other)
data.
Reserve
• A reserve is that part of the resources that meets
minimum physical and chemical criteria related to the
specific mining and production practices, including
those of grade, quality, thickness and depth; and can be
reasonably assumed to be economically and legally
extracted or produced at the time of determination.
• The feasibility of the specific mining and production
practices must have been demonstrated or can be
reasonably assumed on the basis of tests and
measurements.
• The tern reserves need not signify that extraction
facilities are in place and operative.
Proven, probable resrve
• Proven reserve is that part of measured resources
that satisfies the conditions to be classified a
reserve.
• Indicated reserve is that part of indicated resources
that satisfies the conditions to be classified a
reserve.
Mine Development Phases
• Diagrammatic
representation
of the mineral
supply process
Orebody description
• Orebodies are explored using diamond core drilling.
• A small diameter core collected from each hole
provides a continuous ‘line’ of geological
information.
• Each of the recovered cores is studied in detail and
the contained information recorded. The process is
called ‘logging’.
• Each ‘line’ is subsequently subdivided into a series
of segments representing a particular rock type,
structural feature, type of mineralization, grade etc.
Orebody description
• By drilling a pattern of such holes, a series of
similarly segmented lines are located in space.
• Using this information, together with a knowledge
of the geologic setting and other factors, the
mining geologist proceeds to construct a 3-
dimensional representation of the mineralized
body.
• The distribution of ore grades are correlated to
lithology, alteration, structure, etc.
Two viewing
direction for
sections on MAP
Adding diamond drill hole (DDH)
locations and section to the plan map
Adding ore zone to section ore
ore intercept compositing

σ 𝑙𝑖 𝑔𝑖
Average grade = σ 𝑙𝑖
Reserve estimation