exercises.
Subsurface exploration methods – Mineral exploration 7104
Basic elements, definition and procedure of mineral exploration. Investments and
financial risk, expected payoff value, decision analysis, decision trees, value of
information, Bayesian statistics. Exploitability of deposits and ore reserve categories,
economic feasibility of exploitation, economic indicators, net present value.
Indirect exploration methods: gravitational, magnetic and electromagnetic method,
design and execution of geophysical field measurements, elaboration, interpretation
and development of subsoil models, correlation of geophysical results, applications in
mineral research.
Direct exploration methods: Drill hole sampling, drilling rigs, rotary drilling,
mechanical equipment, drilling parameters, sample collectors, soil pickers,
standardization. Sampling and statistical population: sampling error, graphical
solution of the problem of sample processing. Design of an exploration drilling
campaign: calculation of detection probabilities with grids of different dimensions,
number of drillings and degree of certainty, calculation and control of statistical
parameters and confidence intervals of the results.
Ore reserves estimation: data accumulation and storage, numerical model of the
deposit, cut-off grade, estimation by conventional and by geostatistical methods.
Evaluation of the investment plan, mine operation life and production capacity,
initial amount of investment, operating costs, expected cash flow, environmental
impact assessment, feasibility study, cash flow table.
- Teacher: Γεώργιος Αποστολόπουλος
- Teacher: Κωνσταντίνος Μόδης
ECTS : 5
Language : el
Learning Outcomes : Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: - Have understood the basic stages and the desired outcome of mining exploration. - Have become familiar with the concept of business risk and its mathematical quantification. - Have understood the difference between geological and techno-economic determination of the deposit. - Have understood the basic concepts, capabilities, and limitations of geophysical methods and be able to propose their application depending on the object of mining exploration. - Be able to compile and interpret geophysical maps and geophysical models. - Be able to collaborate with fellow students in acquiring field measurements, analyzing and interpreting results, as well as writing technical reports. - Know the basic elements of drilling rigs for sampling boreholes, and be able to select the appropriate accessories and procedures depending on the purpose of sampling. - Be able to integrate the respective geophysical survey results along with sampling borehole results and other additional information into the overall knowledge of the deposit, through Bayes statistics. - Have been introduced to the concept of mining investment and the criteria for its feasibility.