The document provides an overview of mining geology, including fundamental concepts in geology, the rock cycle, and mineral exploration. It discusses the geological time scale, the properties of minerals and rocks, and the application of mining geology in extracting economic resources. Additionally, the document covers the significance of threshold values and geological structures in mining operations.

1. Mining Geology – An Overview
Mrinmoy Chakraborty – Geologist - Aug 2018
17-Aug-2018 | 1Mrinmoy Chakraborty

2. Contents
 Introduction to Geology
◦ GeologicalTime scale
◦ Minerals & Rocks
◦ Rock Cycle
◦ Crystal Stucture
◦ Moh’s Scale of hardness
◦ Geological Structures
 Mining Geology
◦ Importance of threshold value
◦ Regional Geology
◦ Local geology
◦ Geological cross section
◦ Stage of a mining project
 Mineral Exploration
 Mine operations – QA & QC
 Optimized pit for mining
 Mine Closure
17-Aug-2018 | 2Mrinmoy Chakraborty

3. Introduction to Geology
 Definition of Geology
◦ science that examines the Earth, its form and composition and
changes that it has undergone and is undergoing
 The Scientific Method
 Time and Geology
◦ RelativeTime
◦ AbsoluteTime
◦ GeologicTime Scale andTime Divisions
 eons, eras, periods, epochs
 specific life changes found in rocks (fossils) separate one division from another
 Meteor impact on Earth may have caused massive extinction of life forms such as
dinosaurs
 Uniformitarianism
◦ the laws of nature have not changed and will be the same in the future
◦ the present is a key to the past
17-Aug-2018 | 3Mrinmoy Chakraborty

4. Geologic Time Scale
17-Aug-2018 | 4
Eon Era Epock
Holocene 0.01 ↓
Pleistocene 1.8 ↓
Pliocene 5.3 ↓
Miocene 23.7 ↓
Oligocene 36.6 ↓
Eocene 57.8 ↓
Paleocene 66.4 ↓ Extinction of dinosaurs
and many other species
Pennsylvanian 320 ↓
Mississippian 360 ↓
First multicelled organisms
2500 ↓
First one-celled organisms
3800 ↓
Age of oldest rocks
Time Units of the Geologic Time Scale
Development of Plants and Animals
Phanerozoic
CenozoicMesozoic
"Age of Reptiles"
ProterozoicArchean
Paleozoic
Extinction of trilobites & many other
marine anumals. First reptiles. Large
coal swamps, Amphibians abundant.
First insects, Fishes dominant. First
land plants
Frist fishes, Trilobites dominant, First
organisms with shells.
Silurian 438 ↓
Humans develop
"Age of Mammals"
First flowering Plants, First birds,
Dinosaurs dominant
Quarternary
Tertiary
Cretaceous 144 ↓
Jurassic 208 ↓
Collectively called Precambrian
Comprises about 87% of the geologic time scale.
Carboniferous
Triassic 245 ↓
Permian 286 ↓
Devonian 408 ↓
Ordovician 505 ↓
Period
Cambrian 570 ↓
"Age of Amphibians"
"Age of Fishes"
"Age of Invertebrates"
Mrinmoy Chakraborty

5. GeologicTime Scale – Updated 13 Jul 2018
17-Aug-2018 | 5Mrinmoy Chakraborty

6. 17-Aug-2018 | 6
"Geologists have a saying - rocks remember.“ Neil Armstrong
Mrinmoy Chakraborty

7. Minerals & Rocks
 Minerals
◦ A Mineral is a naturally occurring solid element or compound, exclusive of biological
formed carbon components.
◦ It has a definite composition, and an orderly Crystal Structure, which gives it unique
physical & chemical properties.
◦ It has a tendency to assume certain geometric forms or Crystals.
◦ They have limited distribution
◦ There are approx 3800 mineral known to mankind
 Rocks
◦ A Rock is any naturally formed, consolidated material composed of two or more
minerals, but can occasionally be formed from a single mineral.
◦ It has some degree of chemical and mineralogical constancy which is able to be
represented as a sample of a unit.
◦ They have wide spread distribution.
 What came first rocks or minerals ?????
17-Aug-2018 | 7
“All minerals are rocks but all rocks are not minerals”
Mrinmoy Chakraborty

8. Rock Cycle
• The inter-relationship between the 3 rock families
17-Aug-2018 | 8
Igneous Rock -
formed by crystallization
of liquid rock.
Sedimentary Rock -
formed from small pieces
of pre-existing rock,
transported & deposited,
then cemented together.
Metamorphic
Rock - pre-existing
rock which has been
changed by pressure &
heat.
Mrinmoy Chakraborty

9. Crystal Structure
 Types of Crystal Structure
17-Aug-2018 | 9
Euhedral Subhedral Anhedral
Almost All Crystal Faces Some Crystal Faces Almost No Crystal Faces
Mrinmoy Chakraborty

10. Moh’s Scale of Hardness
 System based on relative hardness of
specific index minerals.
17-Aug-2018 | 10
1. Talc
2. Gypsum
2½ Fingernail
3. Calcite - Copper Coil
4. Fluorite
5. Apatite
5½ to 6. Knife Blade or Plate Glass
6. Orthoclase Feldspa
6½ to 7 Steel File
7. Quartz
8. Topaz
9. Corundum
10. Diamond
Mrinmoy Chakraborty

11. Geological Structures
17-Aug-2018 | 11Mrinmoy Chakraborty
Stage 1 : Drilling inadequate
Stage 1I : Proper delineation
Only 3 layer identified without geological
structures
Only 3 layer identified
with fold patterns
Geological Structures are
important for delineation and
close spaced drilling are
recommended

12. Mining Geology
 Mining geology is an applied science which combines the principles
of economic geology and mining engineering to the development of a
defined mineral resource. Mining geologists and engineers work to
develop an identified ore deposit to economically extract the ore.
 Economic geology is concerned with earth materials that can be
used for economic and/or industrial purposes.These materials include
precious and base metals, nonmetallic minerals, construction-grade
stone, petroleum minerals, coal, and water etc.
 Ore is an occurrence of rock or sediment that contains
sufficient minerals with economically important elements,
typically metals, that can be economically extracted from the deposit
17-Aug-2018 | 12Mrinmoy Chakraborty

13. Importance of threshold value
In India , Indian bureau of mines is an
government agency for recommendation of
ThresholdValue changed on 16.10.2009
[vide NoT-45031/CGBM/2007 (PF)]
 (i)For Limestone Deposits in Chhattisgarh,
Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand &
Uttar Pradesh: CaO - 34% (MIN), MgO - 4%
(MAX),
 (ii) For Limestone Deposits of Andhra
Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala,Orissa
&Tamilnadu: CaO - 35% (MIN), MgO - 4%
(MAX), Si02- 18%(MAX) & Alkalies -
0.5%(max)
 Updated as on 24 May 2018 by Gazatted
notification IBM
◦ Limestone CaO- 34% (Min.) and MgO-5%
(Max.)
17-Aug-2018 | 13Mrinmoy Chakraborty

14. Regional Geology
17-Aug-2018 | 14
Age Groups Formations
Recent to sub-recent Alluvium & Soil
Pliestocene Laterite
Upper cretaceous Deccan trap
Vindhyan Super Group Kaimur Group Kaimur Sandstone
Khorip Group Suket Shales Nimbhera
Limestone Bari
Shales
Dr.A.M. Heron classified the limestone formations of
the area under Nimbahera limestone belt, equivalent
to Semri series of lowerVindhyans.The regional
stratigraphic sequence according to Dr. Heron is as
follows:
Mrinmoy Chakraborty

15. Local Geology
17-Aug-2018 | 15Mrinmoy Chakraborty

16. Geological Cross Section
17-Aug-2018 | 16
9/4 10/4 GBH8 SRKBH18 13/4 GBH13 SRKBH29
Sio2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 Cao LSF Sio2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 Cao LSF Sio2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 Cao LSF Sio2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 Cao LSF
0.50 1.00 19.23 3.08 1.35 40.62
69.61
19.10 3.05 1.81 40.17 68.95
7.70 1.24 0.40 49.11
210.9
14.94 1.51 0.91 44.43 100.511.00 2.00 19.45 2.70 1.29 40.89
69.92
7.64 1.20 0.47 49.09
212.4
2.00 3.00 20.01 2.87 1.20 40.59
67.43
8.50 1.43 0.72 48.40
186.5
3.00 4.00 19.65 2.55 1.30 40.92
69.5 20.97 2.98 2.73 39.17 61.2
8.68 1.40 0.66 48.52
183.9
11.07 1.78 3.37
44.83
127.04
4.00 5.00 19.10 2.54 1.26 41.00
71.56
21.02 2.63 1.58 39.69 63.01
7.58 1.38 0.62 48.68
209.3
21.63 4.12 4.90 37.97 55.345.00 6.00 17.94 2.43 0.99 42.17
78.47
9.86 1.73 0.82 46.55
154.2
6.00 7.00 17.01 2.27 0.96 42.56
83.56
7.64 1.24 0.65 49.27
211.7
7.00 8.00 14.96 1.99 0.90 44.09
98.37
19.85 2.36 1.10 40.48 68.52
7.98 1.28 0.51 49.14
203.2
18.94 3.44 2.78 40.41 68.618.00 9.00 14.47 1.83 0.83 44.67
103.4
9.56 1.56 0.71 48.13
165.6
9.00 10.00 14.68 1.98 1.12 44.37
100.5
7.53 1.44 0.57 49.31
213
10.00 11.00 14.71 1.96 0.98 44.29
100.3
15.60 2.03 0.64 42.61 91.65
8.47 1.55 1.01 48.66
185.7
23.63 5.27 3.57 36.84 49.3211.00 12.00 17.07 2.33 1.12 42.28
82.46
9.61 1.56 0.88 47.95
163.5
12.00 13.00 14.03 1.95 0.99 44.51
105.4
9.49 1.46 0.78 48.38
168
13.00 14.00 14.08 1.64 0.75 45.00
107.5
16.52 1.88 0.68 41.88 85.62
12.43 1.87 1.31 45.96
121.4
17.78 3.42 1.99 41.42 75.1514.00 15.00 13.57 1.56 0.73 45.31
112.4
13.23 1.38 0.54 46.75
119.8
15.00 16.00 13.25 1.66 0.95 45.78
115.4
14.14 1.39 0.61 46.65
112.1
16.00 17.00 12.89 1.70 0.63 45.86
119.1
15.64 1.70 0.98 42.98 92.56
15.55 1.72 0.69 44.02
95.66
18.82 3.63 3.44 40.17 67.8417.00 18.00 11.22 1.58 0.58 46.99
139.6
12.57 1.47 0.51 46.88
125.8
18.00 19.00 14.01 1.45 0.60 45.29
109.6
12.02 1.26 0.46 47.53
134.1
19.00 20.00 13.08 1.46 0.77 45.75
117.8
14.97 1.61 0.87 43.08 97.07
11.74 1.08 0.41 47.57
138.2
20.72 2.83 1.28 40.60 65.2920.00 21.00 14.20 1.38 0.52 45.50
109
13.30 1.83 1.00 46.15
115.2
21.00 22.00 14.49 1.98 0.87 45.56
104.8
22.00 23.00 11.36 1.40 0.52 46.87
138.7
15.71 1.34 0.67 43.64 94.86
13.13 1.61 0.56 48.23
123.6
16.94 2.15 1.58 42.59 83.5223.00 24.00 15.80 1.67 0.66 44.80
96.06
24.00 25.00 11.52 1.24 0.56 46.70
137
15.77 1.86 0.86 44.22
94.27
25.00 26.00 12.46 1.45 0.63 46.29
125.1
14.09 1.29 0.57 43.75 105.8
17.77 1.85 0.77 43.95
83.81
20.77 2.38 1.29 40.99 66.3226.00 27.00 11.65 1.26 0.47 47.43
137.8
15.83 1.80 0.72 44.31
94.45
27.00 28.00 10.85 1.23 0.52 47.43
147.4
16.21 1.74 0.76 44.01
91.81
28.00 29.00 10.28 1.21 0.44 48.16
157.9
11.93 1.44 0.51 45.99 129.8
18.73 2.32 0.82 42.14
75.64
24.10 2.91 1.43 39.20 54.5629.00 30.00 8.70 1.09 0.46 49.06
189.1
17.04 2.23 0.92 43.14
84.69
30.00 31.00 9.07 1.13 0.46 49.03
181.4
16.35 2.17 0.97 43.04
87.89
31.00 32.00 11.98 1.23 0.56 46.62
131.8
10.43 1.35 0.50 46.49 149.4
17.90 2.44 0.99 42.40
79.04
19.60 2.19 1.27 41.71 71.5632.00 33.00 8.57 1.13 0.40 49.10
191.9
18.67 2.41 0.98 42.29
75.85
33.00 34.00 9.25 1.05 0.40 49.12
179.3
18.22 2.47 0.98 42.49
77.87
34.00 35.00 11.05 2.29 0.39 46.92
138.4
10.41 1.07 0.40 47.00 153.2
23.90 4.00 2.06 37.14
50.89
25.14 3.55 1.78 38.14 50.3635.00 36.00 8.61 1.15 0.40 48.99
190.4
17.59 2.00 1.07 43.20
82.59
36.00 37.00 7.75 1.22 0.32 49.62
212.5
19.61 2.13 0.96 41.84
72.08
37.00 38.00 7.32 1.40 0.41 49.54
221
11.74 3.09 0.62 43.89 118.9
19.39 2.16 0.84 42.13
73.41
23.64 2.83 1.52 39.25 55.6638.00 39.00 8.37 1.35 0.41 49.11
194.1
20.05 2.48 0.99 41.43
69.39
39.00 40.00 8.44 1.38 0.41 49.13
192.5
20.38 2.20 0.93 41.62
69.06
40.00 41.00 7.86 1.32 0.41 49.36
207.1
10.21 1.40 0.44 45.99 150.7
20.56 2.14 0.87 41.01
67.61
22.71 2.49 1.23 40.31 59.8741.00 42.00 8.67 1.43 0.34 48.65
185.8
22.85 2.99 1.00 39.12
57.4
42.00 43.00 21.50 2.85 1.25 40.07
62.24
43.00 44.00 7.40 1.18 0.41 49.99
223.4
10.41 1.51 0.78 45.42 144.5
26.67 3.97 1.72 36.27
45.07
28.71 3.86 1.59 36.38 42.3144.00 45.00 7.41 1.37 0.36 49.55
219.3
26.47 3.47 1.27 36.87
46.65
45.00 46.00 8.67 1.52 0.63 48.45
183
33.68 4.55 1.61 32.14
31.91
46.00 47.00 8.04 1.54 0.67 48.67
196.5
9.61 1.29 0.52 46.75 162.5
31.37 3.91 1.40 34.29
36.73
23.98 2.56 1.32 39.53 55.6647.00 48.00 7.16 1.42 0.63 49.17
222.2
24.53 2.91 1.12 38.84
53.32
48.00 49.00 10.12 1.69 0.81 47.35
153.5
21.82 2.30 0.84 40.89
63.54
49.00 50.00 11.18 1.89 0.94 46.67
136.7 8.02 1.30 0.52 46.89 192.7
22.24 2.27 0.89 41.05
62.64 22.04 2.61 1.40 39.92 60.76
Mrinmoy Chakraborty
Mineral boundary
Subgrade
zone
Pit boundary
(limited reserves )
Pit boundary
(max reserves)
& subgrade
utilization)

17. Stages of a mining project
17-Aug-2018 | 17
Mineral Exploration & Delineation Mining
Stages of an Exploration project ( Modified from Eimon 1988)
Mrinmoy Chakraborty

18. Mineral Exploration
17-Aug-2018 | 18Mrinmoy ChakrabortyCoutresy Burgex INC
There are various stages involved in
an mineral exploration for a mining
project
1. Identification of mineral
evidence
2. Preliminary sampling
3. Exploration permit
4. Exploration program
5. Reserve estimation
6. Economic Feasibility
7. Mining permits
8. Mine production
“Mineral Exploration is a gamble
sometimes we win, sometimes we
loose”

19. Mining Operations- QA/QC
17-Aug-2018 | 19
Total blast hole :105 Nos
Total Analysis :29 Nos
Samples anlaysed = 27.62 %
Bench
wise
Average of
SiO2 (%)
Average of
Al2O3 (%)
Average of
Fe2O3 (%)
Average of
CaO (%)
Average
of LSF
1 18.88 2.62 1.70 40.45 70.95
2 13.01 1.83 0.98 44.55 115.57
3* 11.52 1.59 0.82 45.15 133.48
Grand
Total 13.91 1.94 1.10 43.77 110.97
No of
Samples
SiO2
(%)
Al2O3
(%)
Fe2O3
(%)
CaO
(%) LSF SM
Min 29 8.8 1.1 0.5 39.6 65.8 3.5
Max 29 19.6 3.0 2.7 46.2 173.2 7.2
Average 29 13.9 1.9 1.1 43.8 111.0 4.8
Median 29 13.2 1.9 1.1 44.4 110.9 4.7
Stdev 29 3.2 0.5 0.5 2.1 29.7 0.9
Variance 29 10.5 0.3 0.2 4.5 881.9 0.8
Avg dev 29 2.7 0.5 0.4 1.7 24.6 0.6
Avg as per CNA:
SiO2 % = 14.57,Al2O3% = 1.88,
Fe2O3 % = 1.29, CaO %= 44.50,
LSF = 101, SD = 5.8
( Converyor belt analyser)
*Limestone from 3rd bench was stocked for monsoon and not used in crusher feed
Mrinmoy Chakraborty

20. Optimized Pit for Mining
17-Aug-2018 | 20Mrinmoy Chakraborty
Ore body modeling & Ultimate pit Pit Optimization – LG algorithm
Optimized Pit for mining Final output results for mines

21. Mine Closure
17-Aug-2018 | 21Mrinmoy Chakraborty

22. ThankYou
17-Aug-2018 | 22
“Geology illustrates the past, sustains the present and promotes the future”