Bulk Density Correlation

with Assays and Moisture for INTEGRATE TWO VITAL ASPECTS

each Nickel Laterite Matrix Type, IN RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
Moorsom Area, Berong, Quezon,
Palawan, Philippines
 1. DENSITY (BULK)
 Volume / Swell Factor
 Tonnage
g
Ramon Antonio L. Flores
Resource Development and Technical Services Manager
TMM Management Inc.
 2. GRADE (Assays)
Rogel A. Santos  Element of Interest
Exploration Manager, Moorsom Project
Berong Nickel Corporation  Associated/
Michael M. Fajatin
Senior Geologist
Related Elements
Berong Nickel Corporation

1. Density: ERRORS IN DENSITY

Mass for a given Volume MEASUREMENTS
 Density Measurements  MASS
 In situ density vs. offsite density
(cf. moisture content)  Too small, larger errors
 Bulk Density vs. non-bulk density  Rock Fragments, size and percentage in sample
 Wet and Dry Density
 Specific Gravity: depends on medium  Moisture – time/place of determination
 Numerically equal to density if H20 is used in  SG: voids/ buoyancy/ moisture/ displacement
displacement
 Mass – weighing, on the spot  VOLUME
 Portable digital scales  Too small: not BULK density
 Minimal spillage
 Fixed Geometric Methods: irregularities not
 Volume
considered
 Fixed Geometric (Length x Width x Height)
 Displacement

ASTM Bulk Density Method:

IMPORTANCE OF DENSITY Sand Displacement
 To establish WEIGHT (TONNES)  ASTM – specified, internationally accepted
 Materials mined, delivered  Bulk Technique (ASTM 1992b/ D1556-00)
 Actual Volume excavated/ displaced
 Ore shipped
 In situ, Sealed Bags weighed within 8hrs using digital
 Must be for known or fixed volume for scale accurate to 0.0001g
OPERATIONS, e.g. in Nickel Laterite:  16 hours oven drying at thermostat controlled 105
 Mining Blocks/ Reconciliation degrees Celsius
 Excavator shovel size
 Haulage Trucks
 Barges for Transhipment
 Ship Holds
 2. GRADE AND MOISTURE
DENSITY MEASUREMENTS RELATIONSHIP WITH DENSITY
 WHERE  Determine which elements/ oxides
 Spatially representative are correlated with density
 Not too near or too far from each other –  Heavier elements increase density
Geostatistically
y guided
g range
g
 Lighter elements decrease density
 Per matrix/ ore type: blending
 WHEN  Determine how moisture is correlated
 Dry Season with density
 Wet Season not preferred  More moisture decreases density
 NOT both Seasons  Less moisture increases density

MOORSOM Nickel Laterite in

GRADE/ ASSAYS Berong, Quezon, Palawan
 Must be ACCURATE  GEOLOGICAL SETTING
 Bulk analyses add up to 100% +/- few%  In the ultramafic
 Conform with standards/known value sequence of the
 NON TOTAL Digestion methods (AAS, ICP) report ophiolitic suite of the
only PARTIAL results for Cr, Ti and most other Mt. Beaufort Ultramafics
elements
l t iin th
the acid-insoluble
id i l bl residue
id so NOT  Particularly in the
recommended dunite, harzburgite
units
 Must be PRECISE
 Low gradient, relatively
 Results are repeatable
higher elevations/
 Errors are minimized plateaus
 X RAY FLUORESCENCE: Accurate and Precise
 EDXRF

DENSITY LOCATION MAP

NICKEL LATERITE MODEL in Moorsom explored parcels
 LATERITE PROFILE  Only where there is
 Overburden (soil/ laterite developed
scree)  Preferably where
 Limonite on top  Limonite
 Earthy Saprolite  Earthy Saprolite
at the middle  Rocky Saprolite
 Rocky (>40%) are all present
Rocky Saprolite at
the bottom
 BEDROCK
LINEAR REGRESSION RESULTS CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS
 SIGNIFICANT ELEMENTS/ OXIDES
PER MATRIX

 No significant correlation
correlation* of
elements/ oxides in LIMONITE

 Significant correlations* are present

in Earthy and Rocky Saprolite
* (at 0.05 level of significance/ 95% confidence)

RED: Significant at 0.05 level/ 95% Confidence

BULK DRY DENSITY BULK DRY DENSITY

CORRELATION CHARTS: CORRELATION CHARTS:
EARTHY SAPROLITE (+) EARTHY SAPROLITE (-)

TiO2 Cr2O3
Co
Moisture

Al2O3 MgO

BULK DRY DENSITY BULK DRY DENSITY

CORRELATION CHARTS: CORRELATION CHARTS:
ROCKY SAPROLITE (+) ROCKY SAPROLITE (-)

Cr2O3 TiO2

Moisture MgO
BULK DRY DENSITY CORRELATION CHARTS: BULK DRY DENSITY CORRELATION CHARTS:
COMBINED, EARTHY SAPROLITE COMBINED, ROCKY SAPROLITE

COMBINED COMBINED

(-) (+)
SIGNIFICANT CORRELATIONS
 POSITIVELY CORRELATED
Associated with aluminosilicates/ oxides
 Al
 Ti
 Cr

 NEGATIVELY CORRELATED
 Moisture
 Elements associated with hydrated minerals
 Mg
 Co

COMBINED RESULTS IMPLICATIONS

 Combined element and moisture
results have improved the
relationship with bulk density
 Adding Fe has further enhanced the
correlation for Earthy Saprolite
 Probably from weathered ferromagnesian
and clay minerals
 The significant correlation of assays
for particular elements/ oxides
depends on the mineralogical
composition of the sample
 Ti - Ilmenite, Sphene/Titanite,
Rutile/Anatase/Brookite
 Cr - Chromite
 Fe - Magnetite, Goethite, Limonite, Chromite
 CONCLUSIONS/
IMPLICATIONS RECOMMENDATIONS
 For resource estimation, proper bulk density method
 Moisture is inversely related to bulk must be used (ASTM SAND CONE TECHNIQUE)
density
 Bulk density is dependent on the dominant minerals
 More water, less dense present as represented by the assays, as well as
moisture content, thus BULK DENSITY SAMPLES NEED
 Less water
water, more dense ACCOMPANYING ASSAYS
 More representative bulk densities for  Take SPATIALLY REPRESENTATIVE locations and
appropriate number of determinations for density
DRY SEASON measurements
 Co – hydrated oxides, asbolane  Take in situ bulk density measurements in the DRY
SEASON / after several days of no rain
 Mg – serpentine, clays