Apr 28 2014
Mineable reserve is an estimate of the economically extractable or mineable part of a mineral resource. The mineral deposits are studied and assessed to prove that they can be mined at a huge profit, by taking into account all factors that influence mining operations.
Given below are the factors that impact mineable reserves:
- Metallurgical factors, which ensure accuracy of information provided by the laboratory
- Environmental factors
- Legal and political factors
- Marketing factors
- Mining and geological factors, which involve management of geological faults and ground fractures
The study on mineable reserves may include diluting materials and allowances for losses, which occur during mining of the material. Mineable reserves are sub-divided into probable mineable reserves and proven mineable reserves. A proven mineable reserve is the economically mineable part of the measured resources, which represents the highest confidence category of reserve estimates.
The process of mineralization reveals that proven mineable reserves cannot be achieved in certain deposits. On the other hand, a probable mineable reserve is the economically mineable part of the indicated resources and also, in some cases, measured mineral resources. It has a lower confidence level when compared to that of the probable mineable reserves.
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