Optimising sampling protocols via the heterogeneity test: Challenges in coarse gold mineralisation

Determination of the sampling constant is an important step when applying the Fundamental Sampling Error equation to optimise sampling protocols. The classic method for its determination is based on the heterogeneity test (HT). In coarse gold-dominated mineralisation, the HT sometimes provides an ev...

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Main Authors: Dominy, Simon, Xie, Y.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/33802
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author Dominy, Simon
Xie, Y.
author_facet Dominy, Simon
Xie, Y.
author_sort Dominy, Simon
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Determination of the sampling constant is an important step when applying the Fundamental Sampling Error equation to optimise sampling protocols. The classic method for its determination is based on the heterogeneity test (HT). In coarse gold-dominated mineralisation, the HT sometimes provides an evaluation of the fine-gold background grade population heterogeneity, but understates that of the important high-grade coarse-gold component. This is because the total mass of fragments is too small to represent the full gold particle size distribution of the mineralisation. Despite this, single heterogeneity tests (SHT) are often undertaken on deposits where the presence of coarse gold is ignored, not realised or understated. Resultant sampling and assaying protocols are frequently of poor quality and do not match the mineralisation characteristics. For coarse gold-dominated mineralisation, an empirical approach for sampling constant determination is recommended via direct estimation of the liberation diameter.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-338022017-09-13T15:32:25Z Optimising sampling protocols via the heterogeneity test: Challenges in coarse gold mineralisation Dominy, Simon Xie, Y. Determination of the sampling constant is an important step when applying the Fundamental Sampling Error equation to optimise sampling protocols. The classic method for its determination is based on the heterogeneity test (HT). In coarse gold-dominated mineralisation, the HT sometimes provides an evaluation of the fine-gold background grade population heterogeneity, but understates that of the important high-grade coarse-gold component. This is because the total mass of fragments is too small to represent the full gold particle size distribution of the mineralisation. Despite this, single heterogeneity tests (SHT) are often undertaken on deposits where the presence of coarse gold is ignored, not realised or understated. Resultant sampling and assaying protocols are frequently of poor quality and do not match the mineralisation characteristics. For coarse gold-dominated mineralisation, an empirical approach for sampling constant determination is recommended via direct estimation of the liberation diameter. 2016 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/33802 10.1179/1743286315Y.0000000011 restricted
spellingShingle Dominy, Simon
Xie, Y.
Optimising sampling protocols via the heterogeneity test: Challenges in coarse gold mineralisation
title Optimising sampling protocols via the heterogeneity test: Challenges in coarse gold mineralisation
title_full Optimising sampling protocols via the heterogeneity test: Challenges in coarse gold mineralisation
title_fullStr Optimising sampling protocols via the heterogeneity test: Challenges in coarse gold mineralisation
title_full_unstemmed Optimising sampling protocols via the heterogeneity test: Challenges in coarse gold mineralisation
title_short Optimising sampling protocols via the heterogeneity test: Challenges in coarse gold mineralisation
title_sort optimising sampling protocols via the heterogeneity test: challenges in coarse gold mineralisation
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/33802