Investigation on the relationship between ore grade and size fraction in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder region

Project completed by CRC ORE: Optimising Resource Extraction which receives allocation of MRIWA funds.

Report title: Grade Deportment by Size: Initial characterisation of deposits in the Western Australia Gold Fields at the small scale

The Challenge

Large scale testing of grade by size amenability can be challenging and expensive.

Development and validation of inexpensive, simple methods to assess the potential for further testing and implementation of screening will increase likelihood of uptake in the industry.

The Solution

• Deposits vary in their response to grade by size testing, even between those with similar general geological characteristics.
• Care should be taken in sampling as provenance is important, response may vary significantly across a deposit.
• Some gold deposits showed wide ranging responses from the sample sets, while the nickel ores had greater internal consistency.
• Reverse Circulation (RC) chips require further testing to determine the legitimacy of the data and an appropriate analysis method.
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Proposed Benefit to WA

This work displays the potential for using small scale samples for indicative testing as to the grade by size potential of an ore.