Method of Comparable Values: A New Approach for Efficient Exploration Target Selection in Small-Scale Mining

Autor: Giorgio de Tomi, Ricardo Marcelo Tichauer, Gustavo Abreu
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: Repositório Institucional da USP (Biblioteca Digital da Produção Intelectual)
Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
instacron:USP
ISSN: 1573-8981
1520-7439
Popis: Small-scale mining is an important source of income for many communities worldwide. However, many small-scale mining enterprises lack good management and mining practices and the limited funds available for exploration are often allocated inefficiently. This paper introduces a method of comparable values: a practical, low-cost and effective method for prioritization and selection of exploration targets in small-scale mining. The proposed method combines local geological mapping with a geological uncertainty assessment tool that indicates the risk associated with geological uncertainty for each target. By properly selecting exploration targets, small-scale miners can reduce the project risks and maximize the value resulting from investment that is more effective in exploration. The method of comparable values was applied to a small-scale project in a block of six manganese-rich claims in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The proposed method resulted in proper target selection with a time reduction of 50% and a cost savings of 76% when compared with those of traditional geological mapping work.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz: