TA3204 Geostatistics and Reserves Estimation

Introduction
Geostatistics and Reserves Estimation

Short Syllabus:
Introduction on linear geostatistical method and its application for
modeling, estimating, and classifying mineral resources.

Complete Syllabus:
Introduction on the theory of regionalized variable, variogram
construction and fitting model, variance of dispersion and variance
of estimation, orebody modelling, ordinary kriging and indicator
kriging methods for resource estimation, resources classification
based on relative error variance.

Outcomes:
Students could apply the basics of linear geostatistics for modeling,
estimating, and classifying the mineral resources as input for
reserves estimation and mine planning.
Geostatistics and Reserves Estimation
Pre-Requisite Courses:
1. Basics Geology
2. Basics Statistics
3. Matrix and Vector Space
4. Genetics of Mineral Deposits
5. Principle of Resources Estimation
Supporting Activities:
✓ Review Session
✓ Mini Project
Guidance for Scoring:
✓ Mid Test : 25%
✓ Final Test : 35%
✓ Quiz : 5%
✓ Homework : 15%
✓ Mini Project: 20%
Geostatistics and Reserves Estimation

Student Outcomes ABET

Assessment
No. Student Outcomes Strategies Source of Assessment
Method(s)
(a) An ability to apply
knowledge of mathematics, Lectures, discussion, Numerical marks Mid and final semester exam,
science, and engineering quiz, and homework quiz, homework

(e ) Ability to identify, formulate

and solve engineering Lectures, discussion, Final semester exam, quiz,
Numerical marks
problems and homework homework

(f) An understanding of
professional and ethical Lectures, discussion, Final semester exam,
Numerical marks
responsibility and homework homework

(k) An ability to use the

Lectures, discussion,
techniques, skills, and
guest lecture from Homework, mini project
modern engineering tools Numerical marks
professional, and report
necessary for engineering
mini project
practice
Geostatistics and Reserves Estimation

References:
1. Armstrong, M., Basic Linear Geostatistics, 1st edition, Springer-
Verlag, Berlin, 1998 (Main Reference).
2. Journel, A.G., C. Huijbregts, Mining Geostatistics, 7th edition,
Academic Press, 1997 (Main Reference).
3. David, M., Geostatistical Ore Reserve Estimation, Developments
in Geomathematics 2, 4th edition, Elsevier Scientific Publishing
Co., Amsterdam, Oxford-New York, 1982 (Main Reference).
4. Sinclair, A.J., Blackwell, G.H., Applied Mineral Inventory
Estimation, 1st edition, Cambridge University Press, 2002 (Support
Reference).
5. Remy, N., Boucher, A., Wu, J., Applied Geostatistics with SGeMS:
A User’s Guide, 1st edition, Cambridge University Press, 2009
(Support Reference).
Week Topics
1 Introduction & Review on Basics Statistics
2 Concept on Regionalized Variables
3 Construction on Experimental Variogram
4 Variogram Structures and Theoretical Model
5 Sampling Support and Variance of Dispersion
6 Variance of Estimation
7 Concept on Orebody Modeling
8 Mid Test
9 Ordinary Kriging and Indicator Kriging Methods for Resources
Estimation
10 Resources Classification based on Geostatistical Approaches
11 Mini Project: Database Management
12 Mini Project: Statistical Analysis
13 Mini Project: Variogram Construction and Modeling
14 Mini Project: Geological and Orebody Modeling (Wire-framing)
15 Mini Project: Resources Estimation and Reporting
16 Final Test
Background

• Since introduced by D. Krige (1952) and G. Matheron

(1966), geostatistics have been widely used in mining
industry for resources and reserves estimation.
• Geostatistical analysis provides a powerful tool for
enhancing the prediction and decision making
capabilities of mine planners and geologists.
• The experimental variogram provides the only measure
of whether a deposit, or part of a deposit, is best
analyzed using geostatistical methods or whether
classical statistics would suffice.
• Geostatistics provides the best possible weighting for
samples used in resources estimation so as to produce
the lowest possible error of estimation.
 Fontainebleau Centre de Geostatistique, Ecole des
Mines de Paris, Fontainebleau

Château de Fontainebleau

(George Matheron 1930 – 2000)

Prof. Matheron (1960): CFSG 2002-2003

Geostatistics has been defined as What is

"the application of probabilistic Geostatistics?
methods to regionalized
variables", which designate any
function displayed in a real space. 8
Fundamentals of Geostatistics
【Random Data Distribution】 The Same Average 【Anisotropic Distribution】
● ● ● ● and Variance ● ● ●
●
BUT!
● ● ● ● The same histogram ● ● ●
●

● ● ● ● ● ● ●
●

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

【Biased Distribution】 【Distribution with Trend】

● ● ●
● ●
● ● ●
●
Blue

Red
Orange
Green

● ●
● ●
● ● ●
● ●
● ● ●
● Largely Different
● ● ●
● ● ● ●
Spatial Distribution
● ● ●
Importance of considering data location 18