200
– The mining cut-off applied in planning and scheduling is well below the average grade of
the majority of blocks included in the mining cut
– The deposit has strong geological controls which have been incorporated into the estimation
– The copper grade distribution is not strongly skewed
– The mine plan only incorporates underground mining with a minimum selectivity of at
least 100 m by 100 m, approximately half the current drillhole spacing.
A full grade control programme is planned to further mitigate this risk. Other estimation
techniques are being considered, including simulation, to test the effect of smoothing inherent in kriging, and to quantify the impact of contact dilution across the deposit.
Although the modelling process has become more complex, a full resource update with
revised structural interpretation takes a single geologist two weeks to complete. Interim
updates, with an unchanged structural model, can be completed in one to three days depending on computing power.
REFERENCES
Audet M. and Ross A. 2009. Koniambo Lateritic Ni-Co Deposits, New Caledonia—A Case Study from
Geological Modelling to Mineral Resource Classification. Orebody Modelling and Strategic Mine
Planning International Symposium.
Broughton, D. & Rogers, T. 2010. Discovery of the Kamoa copper deposit, central Africa Copperbelt,
D.R.C. Soc. Econ. Geol. Spec. Publ. 15, 287–298.
Cailteux, J.L.H., Kampunzu, A.B., Lerouge, C., Kaputo, A.K. & Milesi, J.P. 2005. Genesis of sedimenthosted stratiform copper-cobalt deposits, Central African Copperbelt. J. Afr. Earth Sci. 42, 134–158.
François, A. 1973. L’extrémité occidentale de l’arc cuprifère Shabien. Etude géologique, Gécamines,
Likasi (Shaba-Zaïre). pp. 65.
Hendrickson, M.D., Hitzman, M.W., Wood, D., Humphrey, J.D. & Wendlandt, R.F. 2015. Geology of
the Fishtie deposit, Central Province, Zambia: iron oxide and copper mineralization in Nguba Group
metasedimentary rocks. Miner. Deposita 50, 717–737.
Kennedy, K., Eyles, N. & Broughton, D. 2018. Basinal setting and origin of thick (18 km) mass-flow
dominated Grand Conglomérat diamictites, Kamoa, Democratic Republic of Congo: resolving climate and tectonic controls during Neoproterozoic glaciations. Sedimentology.
Muchez P. & Corbella M. 2016. Reactive transport modelling of ore mineral zoning and the paragenesis
of copper sulfides in sediment-hosted stratiform ore deposits, the Katanga Copperbelt (DRC). Geologica Belgica, 19, 219–223.
Nielsen S. 2014. Kamoa Copper Project modelling. Leapfrog Geo User Forum. Johannesburg, 9 December 2014.
Schmandt, D., Broughton, D., Hitzman, M.W., Plink-Bjorklund, P., Edwards D. & Humphrey, J. 2013.
The Kamoa copper deposit, Democratic Republic of Congo: stratigraphy, diagenetic and hydrothermal alteration, and mineralization. Econ. Geol. 108, 1301–1324.
Selley D., Scott R., Emsbo P., Koziy L., Hitzman M.W., Bull S.W., Duffett M., Sebagenzi S., Halpin J.
& Broughton D. 2018. Structural Configuration of the Central African Copperbelt: Roles of Evaporites in Structural Evolution, Basin Hydrology, and Ore Location. SEG Special Publications, no. 21,
pp. 115–156.
Twite F., Broughton D., Nex P., Kinnaird J. & Gilchrist G. 2019. Lithostratigraphic and structural
controls on sulphide mineralisation at the Kamoa copper deposit, Democratic Republic of Congo. J.
Afr. Earth Sci. 151, 212–224.
Van Langendonck, S., Muchez, P., Dewaele, S., Kaputo Kalubi, A. & Cailteux, J. 2013. Petrographic
and mineralogical study of the sediment-hosted Cu-Co ore deposit at Kambove West in the central
part of the Katanga Copperbelt (DRC). Geologica Belgica, 16, 91–104.
Vigar A.J., Jiang G., Morgan M., MacDonald G., Smith L., Taylor I., Recklies M. & Grobler C. 2009.
Resource Estimation for the Aurukun Bauxite Deposit. Seventh International Mining Geology
Conference.
– The mining cut-off applied in planning and scheduling is well below the average grade of
the majority of blocks included in the mining cut
– The deposit has strong geological controls which have been incorporated into the estimation
– The copper grade distribution is not strongly skewed
– The mine plan only incorporates underground mining with a minimum selectivity of at
least 100 m by 100 m, approximately half the current drillhole spacing.
A full grade control programme is planned to further mitigate this risk. Other estimation
techniques are being considered, including simulation, to test the effect of smoothing inherent in kriging, and to quantify the impact of contact dilution across the deposit.
Although the modelling process has become more complex, a full resource update with
revised structural interpretation takes a single geologist two weeks to complete. Interim
updates, with an unchanged structural model, can be completed in one to three days depending on computing power.
REFERENCES
Audet M. and Ross A. 2009. Koniambo Lateritic Ni-Co Deposits, New Caledonia—A Case Study from
Geological Modelling to Mineral Resource Classification. Orebody Modelling and Strategic Mine
Planning International Symposium.
Broughton, D. & Rogers, T. 2010. Discovery of the Kamoa copper deposit, central Africa Copperbelt,
D.R.C. Soc. Econ. Geol. Spec. Publ. 15, 287–298.
Cailteux, J.L.H., Kampunzu, A.B., Lerouge, C., Kaputo, A.K. & Milesi, J.P. 2005. Genesis of sedimenthosted stratiform copper-cobalt deposits, Central African Copperbelt. J. Afr. Earth Sci. 42, 134–158.
François, A. 1973. L’extrémité occidentale de l’arc cuprifère Shabien. Etude géologique, Gécamines,
Likasi (Shaba-Zaïre). pp. 65.
Hendrickson, M.D., Hitzman, M.W., Wood, D., Humphrey, J.D. & Wendlandt, R.F. 2015. Geology of
the Fishtie deposit, Central Province, Zambia: iron oxide and copper mineralization in Nguba Group
metasedimentary rocks. Miner. Deposita 50, 717–737.
Kennedy, K., Eyles, N. & Broughton, D. 2018. Basinal setting and origin of thick (18 km) mass-flow
dominated Grand Conglomérat diamictites, Kamoa, Democratic Republic of Congo: resolving climate and tectonic controls during Neoproterozoic glaciations. Sedimentology.
Muchez P. & Corbella M. 2016. Reactive transport modelling of ore mineral zoning and the paragenesis
of copper sulfides in sediment-hosted stratiform ore deposits, the Katanga Copperbelt (DRC). Geologica Belgica, 19, 219–223.
Nielsen S. 2014. Kamoa Copper Project modelling. Leapfrog Geo User Forum. Johannesburg, 9 December 2014.
Schmandt, D., Broughton, D., Hitzman, M.W., Plink-Bjorklund, P., Edwards D. & Humphrey, J. 2013.
The Kamoa copper deposit, Democratic Republic of Congo: stratigraphy, diagenetic and hydrothermal alteration, and mineralization. Econ. Geol. 108, 1301–1324.
Selley D., Scott R., Emsbo P., Koziy L., Hitzman M.W., Bull S.W., Duffett M., Sebagenzi S., Halpin J.
& Broughton D. 2018. Structural Configuration of the Central African Copperbelt: Roles of Evaporites in Structural Evolution, Basin Hydrology, and Ore Location. SEG Special Publications, no. 21,
pp. 115–156.
Twite F., Broughton D., Nex P., Kinnaird J. & Gilchrist G. 2019. Lithostratigraphic and structural
controls on sulphide mineralisation at the Kamoa copper deposit, Democratic Republic of Congo. J.
Afr. Earth Sci. 151, 212–224.
Van Langendonck, S., Muchez, P., Dewaele, S., Kaputo Kalubi, A. & Cailteux, J. 2013. Petrographic
and mineralogical study of the sediment-hosted Cu-Co ore deposit at Kambove West in the central
part of the Katanga Copperbelt (DRC). Geologica Belgica, 16, 91–104.
Vigar A.J., Jiang G., Morgan M., MacDonald G., Smith L., Taylor I., Recklies M. & Grobler C. 2009.
Resource Estimation for the Aurukun Bauxite Deposit. Seventh International Mining Geology
Conference.