Feasibility of Volumetric Coal Estimation by Trend-Surfaces: Harbour Seam of Sydney Coalfield, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada

Trend-surface equations are proposed for volumetric coal estimation in collieries of Sydney Coalfield, Nova Scotia. The statistical technique was first tried on Harbour coal in #20 Colliery investigating resulting residuals for abnormalities. The trend model is accepted as probably being correct as a result of that investigation. Indeed, higher degree polynomial trend- surfaces account for over 80% of the total map variability; these are encouraging statistical results, backed-up by geological knowledge about the coal seam, suggesting that the trend model has economic significance for an off-shore colliery developed to exploit the Harbour coal several kilometers east of #20 Colliery. Specifically, the need for additional offshore drill holes for the new colliery (excepting quality assessment holes) should be considered in light of a developed estimating model for the new colliery. The trend model also finds application in coalfields structurally more complex than Sydney Coalfield.