Estimate and Incorporation of Metallurgical Data in a Mineralization Model

Highly variable milling procedures within a geologically complex porphyry copper deposit owned by Kennecott Corp. in Nevada made it necessary to estimate copper recovery and concentrate grade in areas where actual test data was lacking. Estimation was made by first determining the relationships between desired metallurgical properties and the ore's petrology-copper mineral type, rock type, and copper grade. This relationship was then combined with previously estimated rock type, mineral type, and copper grade data in the mineral block model to predict milling properties.