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Principles of a
Resource/Reserve Classification
For Minerals
L
Principles of a
Resource/Reserve Classification
For Minerals
1980
United States Department of the Interior
CECIL D. ANDRUS, Secretary
Geological Survey
H. William Menard, Director
Page
Introduction____________________________________________________________________ 1
Resource/reserve definitions ------------------------------------------------------- 1
Guidelines for classification of mineral resources --------------------------------------- 3
ILLUSTRATIONS
Page
FIGURE 1. Diagrammatic illustration of major elements of mineral-resource classification ----------------------------- 5
2. Diagrammatic illustration of reserve base and inferred reserve base classification categories ------------------- 5
iii
Principles of a Resource/Reserve Classification
for Minerals
2
(Undiscovered Resources- Continued) 5. The geographic area to which any
undiscovered resources may be divided into resource/reserve estimate refers must be defined.
two parts: 6. All estimates must show a date and author.
Hypothetical Resources. -Undiscovered re- 7. The reserve base is an encompassing
sources that are similar to known mineral resource category delineated by physical and
bodies and that may be reasonably ex- chemical criteria. A major purpose for its recogni-
pected to exist in the same producing tion and appraisal is to aid in long-range public and
district or region under analogous geologic commercial planning. For most mineral com-
conditions. If exploration confirms their modities, different grades and tonnages, or other
existence and reveals enough information appropriate resource parameters, can be specified
about their quality, grade, and quantity, for any given deposit or area, or for the Nation,
they will be reclassified as identified depending on the specific objectives of the
resources. estimators; therefore, the position of the lower
Speculative Resources.- Undiscovered re- boundary of the reserve base, which extends into
sources that may occur either in known the subeconomic category, is variable, depending
types of deposits in favorable geologic set- on those objectives. The intention is to define a
tings where mineral discoveries have not quantity of in-place material, any part of which
been made, or in types of deposits as yet may become economic, depending on the extrac-
unrecognized for their economic potential. tion plans and economic assumptions finally used.
If exploration confirms their existence and When those criteria are determined, the initial
reveals enough information about their reserve-base estimate will be divided into three
quantity, grade, and quality, they will be component parts: reserves, marginal reserves, and
reclassified as identified resources. a remnant of subeconomic resources. For the pur-
Restricted Resources/Reserves.- That part of any pose of Federal commodity assessment, criteria for
resource/reserve category that is restricted the reserve base will be established for each com-
from extraction by laws or regulations. For ex- modity.
ample, restricted reserves meet all the re- 8. Undiscovered resources may be divided in ac-
quirements of reserves except that they are cordance with the definitions of hypothetical and
restricted from extraction by laws or regula- speculative resources, or they may be divided in
tions. terms of relative probability of occurrence.
9. Inferred reserves and the inferred reserve
GUIDELINES FOR CLASSIFICATION OF base are postulated extensions of reserves and of
MINERAL RESOURCES the reserve base. They are identified resources
quantified with a relatively low degree of certainty.
1. All naturally occurring metals, nonmetals, Postulated quantities of resources not based on
and fossil fuels in sufficient concentration can be reserve/reserve-base extensions, but rather on
classified in one or more of the categories. geologic inference alone, should be classified as un-
2. Where the term reserves is used alone, discovered.
without a modifying adjective such as indicated, 10. Locally, limited quantities of materials may
marginal, or inferred, it is to be considered be produced, even though economic analysis has in-
synonymous with the demonstrated-economic dicated that the deposit would be too thin, too low
category, as shown in figure 1. grade, or too deep to be classified as a reserve. This
3. Definitions of resource categories can be situation might arise when the production facilities
modified for a particular commodity in order to are already established or when favorable local cir-
conform with accepted usage involving special cumstances make it possible to produce material
geological and engineering characteristics. Such that elsewhere could not be extracted profitably.
modified definitions for particular commodities will Where such production is taking place, the quanti-
be given in forthcoming government publications. ty of in-place material shall be included in the
4. Quantities, qualities, and grades may be ex- reserve base, and the quantity that is potentially
pressed in different terms and units to suit producible shall be included as a reserve. The
different purposes, but usage must be clearly profitable production of such materials locally,
stated and defined. however, should not be used as a rationale in other
3
areas for classifying as reserves, those materials such as bituminous coal as distinct from lignite,
that are similar in thickness, quality, and depth. may be separately quantified when they have
11. Resources classified as reserves must be con- different characteristics or uses.
sidered economically producible at the time of 15. The amount of past cumulative production is
classification. Conversely, material not currently not, by definition, a part of the resource. Never-
producible at a profit cannot be classified as theless, a knowledge of what has been produced is
reserves. There are situations, however, in which important to an understanding of current re-
mining plans are being made, lands are being ac- sources, in terms of both the amount of past pro-
quired, or mines and plants are being constructed duction and the amount of residual or remaining
to produce materials that do not meet economic in-place resource. A separate space for cumulative
criteria for reserve classification under current production is shown in figure 1. Residual material
costs and prices, but would do so under reasonable left in the ground during current or future extrac-
future expectations. For some other materials, tion should be recorded in the resource category
economic producibility is uncertain only for lack of appropriate to its economic-recovery potential.
I detailed engineering assessment. The marginal- 16. In classifying reserves and resources, it is
!reserves category applies to both situations. When necessary to recognize that some minerals derive
~economic production appears certain for all or their economic viability from their coproduct or
some of a marginal reserve, it will be reclassified as byproduct relationships with other minerals. Such
reserves. relationships must be clearly explained in foot-
12. Materials that are too low grade or for other notes or in an accompanying text.
reasons are not considered potentially economic, in 17. Considerations other than economic and ge-
the same sense as the defined resource, may be ologic, including legal, regulatory, environmental,
recognized and their magnitude estimated, but and political, may restrict or prohibit the use of all
they are not classified as resources. A separate or part of a deposit. Reserve and resource quan-
category, labeled other occurrences, is included in tities known to be restricted should be recorded in
figures 1 and 2. the appropriate classification category; the quanti-
13. In figure 1, the boundary between subeco- ty restricted and the reason for the restriction
nomic and other occurrences is limited by the con- should be noted.
cept of current or potential feasibility of economic 18. The classification system includes more divi-
production, which is required by the definition of a sions than will commonly be reported or for which
resource. The boundary is obviously uncertain, but data are available. Where appropriate, divisions
limits may be specified in terms of grade, quality, may be aggregated or omitted.
thickness, depth, percent extractable, or other 19. The data upon which resource estimates are
economic-feasibility variables. based and the methods by which they are derived
14. Varieties of mineral or energy commodities, are to be documented and preserved.
4
RESOURCES OF (commodity name)
[A part of reserves or any resource category may be restricted from extraction by laws or regulations (see text)]
AREA: (mine, district, field, State, etc.) UNITS: (tons, barrels, ounces, etc.)
!------+---- 1-------- -
+ -
MARGINALLY Inferred
ECONOMIC Marginal Reserves Marginal Reserves
~---+---
Demonstrated
1 - - - - - - - --
Inferred + -
SUB- Subeconomic
ECONOMIC Subeconomic Resources Resources
I I
Other
Occurrences Includes nonconventional and low-grade materials
Author: Date:
FIGURE 1.- Major elements of mineral-resource classification, excluding reserve base and inferred reserve base.
RESOURCES OF (commodity name)
[A part of reserves or any resource category may be restricted from extraction by laws or regulations (see text)]
AREA: (mine, district, field, State, etc.) UNITS: (tons, barrels, ounces, etc.)
ECONOMIC
Inferred
Reserve
- _:_ - - 1-
+ I
-
Reserve
MARGINALLY
ECONOMIC
Bas a Base
- - - - -
+ -
SUB-
ECONOMIC ----~---t-----
I
Author: Date:
FIGURE 2.- Reserve base and inferred reserve base classification categories.