Geological Survey and Research · 1975 · 30 citations · 0 references
EngineeringMining EngineeringMetallurgyMine EconomicsMine PlanningExtractive MetallurgyGrade ControlGrade EstimationOre Grade ControlResource EstimationTonnage EstimationCopper Ore DepositsGrade-tonnage CalculationGrade-tonnage Curve AnalysisGrade-tonnage CurvesGrade-tonnage ModelingMetal ProductionOre Grade EstimationOre-grade Evaluation
The tonage required to mine and mill ores to obtain one unit of metal is a hyperbolic function of the grade, and as the tonnage increases hyperbolically, so does the energy consumed. For copper, this ratio suggests that deposits with grades inferior to 0.20-0.25 percent will not be mined for common electrical and construction uses. Curves and tables show these calculations for other metals as well.