Vein Percent Models

Stope
Limits

Vein Wireframe
 Vein Percent Model Concepts

For resources only need:

• grade of block inside of vein
• tonnage for portion of block inside of vein

For reserves need:

• percentage of block inside stope shape to be mined
• percentage of block inside of vein
• percentage of block outside of vein inside of stope
• grade of block portion inside of vein
• grade of block portion outside of vein (but in stope)
 Required Items For Single Vein Percent Model

Stope% = Percent of block to be mined (0 – 1 by 0.01)

Vein% = Percent of block inside vein (0 – 1 by 0.01)

Waste% = Stope% - Vein% (0 – 1 by 0.01)

only if Stope% >= Vein%

Au1 – Estimated grade of vein portion of block

Au2 – Grade of “waste” portion of block to be mined 1

1
Can be estimated or assigned (Ex: Au2 = 0.00)
 Calculations
Need to calculate Stope Grade (AuStope) for
each block:
1. Store Stope% in each block

2. For every block where Stope% > 0

There are two choices for grade calculation:

A) Stope% <= Vein%

or
B) Stope% > Vein%
 Calculations continued…

A) If Stope% <= Vein%

then AuStope = Au1

B) If Stope% > Vein%

then AuStope =
[(Au1 * Vein%)+(Au2 * Waste%)] / Stope%
Where Waste% = Stope% - Vein%
 Case where Stope% <= Vein%

Vein Wireframe

Model Block 1

Stope% Vein% Waste% Au1 Au2

1.00 1.00 0.00 13.50 0.00

AuStope = Au1 because Stope% <= Vein%

= 13.50

Stope Wireframe
 Case where Stope% <= Vein%

Vein Wireframe

Model Block 2

Stope% Vein% Waste% Au1 Au2

0.45 1.00 0.00 13.50 0.00

AuStope = Au1 because Stope% <= Vein%

= 13.50

Stope Wireframe
 Case where Stope% > Vein%

Vein Wireframe

Stope% Vein% Waste% Au1 Au2

Model Block 3
1.00 0.90 0.10 13.50 0.50

AuStope = [(Au1 * Vein%) + (Waste%) * Au2] / Stope%

= [(13.50 * 0.90) + (1.00-0.90) * 0.50] / 1.00
= 12.20 g/t

Stope Wireframe
 Case where Stope% > Vein%

Vein Wireframe

Stope% Vein% Waste% Au1 Au2

Model Block 4
1.00 0.10 0.90 13.50 0.50

AuStope = [(Au1 * Vein%) + (Waste%) * Au2] / Stope%

= [(13.50 * 0.10) + (0.90* 0.50] / 1.00
= 1.80 g/t

Stope Wireframe
 Case where Stope% > Vein%

Vein Wireframe

Stope% Vein% Waste% Au1 Au2

Model Block 5
0.50 0.10 0.40 13.50 0.50

AuStope = [(Au1 * Vein%) + (Waste%) * Au2] / Stope%

= [(13.50 * 0.10) + (0.40* 0.50] / 1.00
= 3.10 g/t

Stope Wireframe
 Stope Design Concepts

• Determine mining method & minimum mining widths

• Calculate breakeven cutoff grade for mining method chosen

• Design stope outlines using cutoff grade & mining width criteria
• Best done “on screen” in cross section and plan using
color-coded grade blocks

• Store percentage of block inside of stope wireframe

• Calculate grade of stope (see previous sections)

• Calculate total stope tonnes and grade at zero cutoff

• Must include all material in stope, regardless of grade –
internal waste cannot be segregated from reserves
San Luis Model - Section 1825

RMI-REI Stope Example

Block AuEQV Grade

AuEQV < 5.362 g/t

~ 3m of
Horizontal AuEQV ≥ 5.362 g/t
footwall waste

BISA Stope 9 Wireframe

 SUMMARY OF MINERAL RESERVES

1. Determine if each stope is “economic” – Is total value of

material mined > $0.00 after subtracting ALL costs in
breakeven cutoff and applying extraction (mining recovery)
factors?
2. Each stope must also pay for cost of secondary development
(drifts, crosscuts, raises) required to access stope for
mining. If total stope value is < $0.00 (after subtracting all
secondary development costs), then stope must be
redesigned, if possible.

To be included in Mineral Reserves, each stope MUST

meet requirements of 1.) and 2.) above.