Mineral Resources Estimation with Data and Parameter Uncertainty

• Author / Creator

  Karpekov, Tolonbek

• Uncertainty in resource estimation affects long-term development, planning, and investment decisions. Therefore, there is a need to make the best decisions considering all available data and different modeling approaches. This thesis develops a conceptual framework for resource modeling with uncertainty. A conceptual framework is presented for establishing resource uncertainty with numerical models. The framework is based on carefully assembled modeling practices to capture and represent uncertainty. An overview, concepts, and implementation aspects are presented in order to understand the nature of modeling with uncertainty, as well as provide justification for the developed modeling approaches. The integration of concepts into a modeling workflow improves the quantification of uncertainty in different input parameters and transfers the results to final resource uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. In order to demonstrate the developed concepts and workflow, two case studies are performed. The results show that workflow is effective, practical, and robust for resource modeling with uncertainty.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Geostatistics
  • Uncertainty
  • Mineral resources estimation
  • Mining

• Graduation date

  Spring 2016

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3VT1H12W

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.