Journal of Software Engineering and Applications, 2011, 4, 329-334
doi:10.4236/jsea.2011.45037 Published Online May 2011 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/jsea)
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JSEA
329
Calculation and Management for Mining Loss
and Dilution under 3D Visualization Technical
Condition
Weijing Wang1, Shaofeng Huang2, Xiaobo Wu2, Qingfei Ma2
1University of Science & Technology, Beijing, China; 2China National Gold Group Corporation, Beijing, China.
Email: huangshf@chinagoldgroup.com
Received April 13th, 2011; revised April 26th, 2011; accepted May 5th, 2011.
ABSTRACT
The mining loss rate and dilution rate are the key indicators for the mining technology and management level of mining
enterprises. Aiming at the practical problems such as the large workload but inaccurate da ta of the trad itional loss and
dilution calculation method, this thesis introduces the operating principle and process of calculating the loss rate and
dilution rate at the mining fields by adopting geological models. As an example, authors establishes 3D models of ore-
body units in the exhausted area and mining fields in Yangshu Gold Mine in Liaoning Province, and conduct Boolean
calculation among the models to obtain the calculation parameters of loss and dilution, and thereby calculate out the
dilution rate an d loss rate of the mining fields more quickly and accurately.
Keywords: Calcul at i on and Management, Mining Loss and Dilution, 3D Visualization Introduction
1. Introduction
The mining loss rate and dilution rate not only are the
major technical ba sis for the production organizatio n and
management of mines, but also are the key indicators for
embodying the mining technical levels of mines. The
sizes of the mining loss rate and dilution rate reflect the
utilization ratio of mineral resources; furthermore, they
directly influence the economic benefit of the mining
enterprises. Therefore, the calculation and management
of mining loss rate and dilution rate have been being
treated as the central work of mining industry over a long
time and also is the technical subject for a lot of supervi-
sory engineering staffs to study and solve constantly [1].
The traditional statistical method of loss and dilution is:
After every a certain mining height (scope), the geologic
surveyors will conduct acceptance check, actual meas-
urement and sampling works in the mining fields,
whereafter, they will draft the surveyed drawing of ac-
ceptance and calculate the loss rate and dilution rate of
every layer of minerals according to the acceptance
check, actual measurement and sampled data every time.
Inevitably, the traditional statistical method of loss and
dilution indicators has such problems as large workload
and inaccurate data exits and usually, which can not re-
flect the practical development and utilization degree of
the mineral resources in the mines and influences the
scientific production of mines.
It is an inevitable trend to promote the mining infor-
mation management for quickly and accurately working
out the dilution rate an d loss rate of the mining fields. In
this thesis, the authors 1) take the Yangshu Gold Mine in
Liaoning Province as a example and conduct the applica-
tion study and the software Micromine according to the
operating principle and method of loss rate and dilution
rate; 2) process the exploration in the calculatio n method
for mining loss rate and dilution rate in mines according
to the operating principle and method of loss rate and
dilution rate at mining fields by establishing geological
models, to provide a kind of more convenient and effi-
cient management method for loss rate and dilution rate
and offer beneficial explorations for improving the utili-
zation efficiency of resources[2].
2. Working Theory and Method
2.1. Concept of the Loss and Dilution
As for the calculation and management for traditional
loss and dilution during the mining process, explored
geologic resources can not be completely extracted and
utilized due to the restriction of such factors as orebody
Calculation and Management for Mining Loss and Dilution under 3D Visualization Technical Condition
330
occurrence conditions, mining process, metallurgical
processing technology and production management. The
quantity of un-extracted ores or extracted and
un-discharged ores in the balance sheet that are left be-
hind under the ground is called ore loss, which can be
divided into mining loss and non-mining loss. The for-
mer refers to the un-extracted ores or extracted but
un-discharged ores that are left in the mining field; the
latter refers to the safety pillars left due to geological and
hydrogeological factors as well as for protecting shaft
building structur es. Loss rate is generally adopted to rep-
resent the variation degree of ores from quantity during
the mining process. Loss rate is the percentage of lost ore
quantity or metal quantity to industrial reserve or metal
quantity during the mining process. Ore loss shall be
examined by two different indicators. One is the indus-
trial ore quantity loss rate (hereinafter referred to as ore
loss rate) for calculating the ore loss in the mining field,
mining team or work area.
The other is the ore quantity loss rate in the balance
sheet, for calculating the ore loss of orebody. Industrial
ore quantity refers to the ore quantity to be extracted ac-
cording to the design in the balance sheet; its loss rate is
one of the important indicators to reflect mining and
technical management level.
Ore grade reduce due to mixture of waste ore and loss
of rich ore powder during the mining process is called
dilution. Dilution rate is generally adopted to represent
the variation degree of ores from quality during the min-
ing process. It is the reduced percentage of ore grade
during the mining process.
Loss and dilution indicators are invo lved in a series of
problems such as utilization of mineral resources, prod-
uct quality and quantity, technology rationality, cost as
well as management level. They must be attached great
importance to as they directly influence the economic
benefits of enterprises.
2.1.1 Traditional Loss Rate and Dilution Rate
Calculation
Calculating unit of mining loss rate and dilution rate is
usually the loss and dilution during the whole mining
process from mining preparation and cutting of mining
field, stoping, filling, ore drawing until transporting ore
to pithead (or opencast mining field).
As for underground mine, the loss rate and dilution
rate in the whole mining field shall be calculated accord-
ing to the stoping procedures, chambers and pillars by
using one mining field as a calculating unit, starting ac-
tual measurement with each stoping layer, as well as ac-
cumulating the calculated results of each layer [3]. As for
the opencast mine, loss rate and dilution rate shall be
calculated respectively according to the stope face, and
then steps and ore bl ocks.
There are various calculation methods for loss rate and
dilution rate according to different functions [4], and
direct method and indirect method therein are usually
adopted at present.
1) When direct method is adopted for calculation,
during the process of stoping, catalog, sampling and ac-
tual measurement of layer (generally, 3 ~ 5 m is a stoping
layer) shall be conducted timely, geological plan view of
layer shall be compiled, orebody shall be delineated ac-
cording to the laboratory data, extracted ore quantity,
waste ore quantity and un-extracted ore quantity of layer
shall be calculated according to the mining design, and
then loss rate and dilutio n rate of layer sh all b e calcu lated
[5] (namely, primary loss rate and dilution rate).
Calculation formula of loss rate: P = D/Q × 100%,
where,
P—Loss rate %;
D—Lost ore quantity t;
Q—Geological ore reserves t.
Calculation formula of dilution rate: r = R/T × 100%,
where,
r—Dilution rate, %;
R—Total quantity of waste ore mixed into the mining
field, t;
T—Total quantity of extracted ores and waste ore in
the mining field, t.
2) When indirect method is adopted for calculation,
ore output grade and ore output quantity as well as cor-
responding geological ore quantity and geological grade
shall be calculated through the continuous statistic data
of ore output sampling (hopper and ore car in the mining
field) and ore output metering (direct metering and ore
car metering) in the mining field, and then loss rate and
dilution rate shall be calculated according to the calcula-
tion formula (when wall rock is possessed of a certain
grade, wall rock grade shall be calculated).
Calculation formula of indirect method:
PIndirect= (1 – T/Q) × (C – C2) / (C1 – C2) ×100%,
where,
PIndirect—Metal loss rate in the mining field, %;
T—Total quantity of ore output in the mi ning field, t;
Q—Geological ore quantity in the mining field, t;
C—Geological ore quantity grade in the mining field,
g/t;
C1—Ore output grade in the minin g field, g/t;
C2—Grade of wall rock mixed into the mining field,
g/t;
When wall rock is without grade, it can be simplified
to the following formula:
PIndirect = (1 – T × C1/Q × C) ×100%
rIndirect =(1 – C1/C) × 100%,
where, rIndirect—Dilution rate of mining field calculated
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Calculation and Management for Mining Loss and Dilution under 3D Visualization Technical Condition331
by indirect method, %;
C—Geological grade of extracted ore;
C1—Ore output grade in the mining field.
Loss rate and dilution rate shall be calculated by mid-
section (stage) and pithead (mining field) according to
the mining methods and stoping procedures, on the basis
of nugget as the calculation unit.
2.1.2. Acquisition of Calculation Parameters for
Underground Mining Loss R at e an d
Dilution rate
As for the calculation parameters acquired through direct
method, specialized technical personnel (geological,
measuring and mining) as well as production manage-
ment personnel shall enter into the blasting layer of the
mining field, collect and measure various data, calculate
loss rate and dilution rate according to the layer of the
mining field, instruct the mining operation, as well as
find out the positions and reasons that cause loss and
dilution. It is featured by higher accuracy (refers to pri-
mary dilution rate and mining loss rate) and timely cal-
culation. It is mainly applied to the mining field stoped
by such mining methods as short-hole shrinkage stoping,
filling method, full mining method and room-and-pillar
method [6].
All calculation parameters of loss rate and dilution rate
shall be designed on the mining design drawing. Extrac-
tion and inbreak scope shall be designed according to the
delineation scope of orebody, measured with ruler and
planimeter, and then calculated according to the formula.
As for the calculation parameters acquired through in-
direct method, specialized technical personnel (geologi-
cal, measuring and mining) as well as production man-
agement personnel can not or need not enter into the
mining field to directly measure such parameters as ex-
tracted ore quantity, wall rock quantity and waste ore
quantity. The method for calculating dilution rate and
loss rate by comparing extracted rock quantity and grade
measured with indirect method with the calculated in-
dustrial ore quantity and grade is called indirect method.
Indirect method can be used to calculate the dilution
rate and loss rate of any mining method. The reliability
of calculated results adopted through indirect method is
poor due to large workload, long operation time as well
as the influence of human factors and mineralization
nonuniform.
2.2. Working Theory and Method of the
Calculation and Management for Mining
Loss and Dilution under 3D Visualization
Technical Condition
The development of the image simulation technology and
the 3D-GIS technology in late 1980s promoted the de-
velopment of the three-dimensional visualization tech-
nology of mining industry, a large number of CAD sys-
tem softwares and geologic mining softwares were pub-
lished successively and they were extensively used in the
geologic and mining areas by the western developed
countries. Currently, the commonly-used mining soft-
wares are: Minesight of American Mintec Company,
Micromine of Australia, Surpac of Surpac Software In-
ternational (SSI), Datamine & Guide of British MICL
Company, as well as the domestic Dimine software in-
dependently developed by Digital Mine Corporation.
In order to give full play to the function of modern
mining software, during the application study process of
mine production technology informatization, the authors
utilize the 3D model of geological resources and produc-
tion mining system, as well as explore calculation and
management for mine production loss and dilution under
3D visualization technical conditions according to the
theory and method of loss and dilution, to improve cal-
culation and management level for loss and dilution,
simplify the calculation process, reduce work load, as
well as release engineering technical personnel from
complicated drawings and data collection and calcula-
tion.
3. Example of Calculation
As an example, authors choose Yangshu Gold Mine in
Liaoning Province to research calculation and manage-
ment for loss and dilution under 3D visualization condi-
tions.
3.1. Brief Introduction of Yangshu Gold
Deposit
Yangshu Gold Deposit lies in the east of Qingchengzi
nappe slip surface, the plunging end of Bangzigou
plunging anticlin e, to the south is Dad ing zi granite, to the
east is Jianshanzi fracture. Gaojiapuzi Yangshu Gold
Deposit bullion polymetallic deposit occurred in the in-
terbedding zone around the contact zone of Dashiqiao
formation top and Gaixian formation. No. I gold orebody
is mainly occurred at the top and bottom of dolo-
mite marble, extended partially to the g arnet mica granu-
lite at the top of .Laminarization and stratification of
orebody are skew in small angles. Orebody is output in
the shape of “~” due to the control of stratum fold. Con-
tinuous total length of orebody is 600 m; vertical thick-
ness is 2 ~ 24 m; depth expansion of controlled incline is
260 m. Gold mine rocks are mainly silicified crushed
alteration rocks. As the boundary between orebody and
wall rock is obscure, it shall generally be delineated by
samples. Mine production scale is 500 t/d. When under-
ground mining method is adopted, development method
is vertical shaft development, and mining method is full
mining method.
5
3
d
4
3
d
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Calculation and Management for Mining Loss and Dilution under 3D Visualization Technical Condition
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3.2. Establishment of Model
3.2.1 Establishment of Geologic Model
In the establishment of geological models, although all
the above softwares are different in the format of file
data, the four most basic files applied in them are: Collar
file, Survey file, Analysis file and Lithologies file. The
process of establishment of geological models is follow:
Firstly, the database is created by using the four files.
According to idea of geology and mineralization, sec-
tional interpretation is necessary to create the model.
Three-dimensional geological models of orebody can be
established with function of mining software. The sec-
ondary delineatio n of orebody is carried out by using the
data of sinking and driving engineering during the pro-
duction and mining process, thereby the grade III
three-dimensional models of mine quantity and the nug-
get models in production and mining can be formed.
Based on this, the authors designed the mining method
and submitted the production department to organize the
production and mining according to the characteristics
ands of mining process. During the mining and produc-
tion process, the data in geology, measurement as well as
the mining and production engineering, geology and ore
output shall be collected so as to accumulate data infor-
mation for the three-dimensional management of loss and
dilution.
3.2.2. Formati on of Three -D i mensi onal Models
of Exhausted Ar ea and Orebody Unit
The tie lines of the frame of exhausted area are the inter-
pretation line series of exhausted area formed from the
acceptance survey data of mining field, the coordinates
of the line knee po in ts will be logg ed in a Ex cel tab le, the
file of the interpretation line series in Miromine will be
lead in. As shown in Figure 1.
The three-dimensional model of exhausted area is
formed according to its interpretation lines (Figure 2,
Figure 3). Whereafter, the line frame of this formed
model of exhausted area will be checked. The lin e frame
Figure 1. Distribution diagram of Grade-III ore quantity in
orebody.
(a) (b)
Figure 2. Line series of exhausted area. (a) Measured line
series of exhausted area for the first time. (b) Ultimate
formed line series of exhausted area.
Figure 3. Three-dimensional model of exhausted area.
at the ore pillar part may be completed by breaking and
connecting the tie lines to form a bifurcate line frame.
According to the physical geologic boundary of min-
ing field, the secondary delineation will be conducted to
the orebodies to form the tie lines of unit orebodies and
establish the unit models of blocks in the mining field
(Figure 4).
Figure 4. Unit model of orebody in mining field.
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Calculation and Management for Mining Loss and Dilution under 3D Visualization Technical Condition333
Figure 5. Model of extracted ore.
3.2.3. Form a tion of Model of Ex pl oi table Ore
The solid model of exploitable ore shall be calculated
through solid intersection operation with the models of
exhausted area and blocks based on the solid intersecting
function of Boolean calculation (Figure 5).
The solid line frame of waste ore shall be formed
through the solid intersection operation with model of
exhausted area and the wall rock at hangingwall and
footwall based on the solid intersecting function of Boo-
lean calculation (Figure 6 and Figure 7).
The model of waste ore quantity shall be formed
through solid difference operation with the models of
nugget and extracted ore based on the solid difference
function of Boolean calculation.
3.2.4. Calculation of Extracted Ore, Waste Ore and
Ore Loss
According to the models of orebody unit and the func-
tions of the software, extracted ore, waste ore and ore
loss, the ore quantity of nugget unit, waste ore quantity,
ore loss and the gross amount of ore-bearing rocks shall
be calculated in turn(Table 1),The calculation results are:
Figure 6. Model of Waste Ore.
Figure 7. Model of ore loss.
Ore reserve of nugget: 39 ,291.68 t.
Extracted ore quantity: 29,353.01 t.
Gross amount of ore-bearing rocks is the sum of the
extracted ore quantity and the waste ore quantity at the
hangingwall and footwall.
The extracted waste ore quantity at hangingwall:
701.72 t.
The extracted waste ore quantity at footwall: 893.9 t.
Gross amount of extracted waste ore
= quantity of hangingwall waste ore + quantity of
footwall wast e or e
= 701.72 + 893.9 = 1595.62 (t)
Gross amount of ore-bearing rocks
= quantity of extracted ore + gross amount of extracted
waste ore
= 29353.01 + 1595.62 = 30948.63 (t)
Ore loss:
Ore loss = ore quantity of nugget – quantity of ex-
tracted ore = 39291.68 – 29353.01 = 9938.67 (t)
3.2.5. Calculated Loss Rate and Dilution Rate
The loss rate of ore is directly calculated by using the
percentage between the ore loss and the ore quantity of
the actually delineated nugget with direct method.
Ore loss
Loss rate100%
Ore quan t it y o f nu g get
9938.67 100% 25.3%
39291.68
P

Table 1. The calculation results of Loss/dilution Parame-
ters.
Type WF-NAME Tonnage (t)
Loss/Dilution 610 Nugget 39,291.68
Loss/Dilution 610 Extracted Ore 29,353.01
Loss/Dilution Ex t rac t ed H anging Wal l Roc k 701.72
Loss/Dilution Extracted Foot Wall Rock 893.90
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Calculation and Management for Mining Loss and Dilution under 3D Visualization Technical Condition
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334
Similarly, the dilution rate also is directly calculated
by using the p ercentag e between th e qu an tity of ex tracted
waste ore and the gross amount of ore-bearing rocks with
the direct method.
Dulution rate
Quantity of extracted waste ore100%
Gross amount of ore-bearing rocks
1595.62 100% 5.16%
30948.63
Q

precise database when establishing the three-dimensional
models of the orebody units in exhausted area and min-
ing field so as to accurately obtain the physical boundary
of exhausted area as well as the lo ss and dilu tion qu antity
during the mining process, and the precise calculation of
the loss and dilution indicators of mining fields is real-
ized through the Boolean calculation among models.
REFERENCES
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4. Discussion and Conclusions
It is practical to establish the geological models of vari-
ous phases by using the actual geologic and mining data
of mines and to calculate the loss rate and dilution rate of
the mining fields with these models and modern mining
softwares. Compared with the traditional method, the
characteristics are 1) parameter calculation will not be
different due to human factors (namely, arrangement and
drawing), so parameter calculation will be more accurate;
2) no matter what mining method is, direct method can
be used for calculating loss and dilution with modern
measuring technology; 3) work load of technical person-
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obviously. It is worth the promotion and application of
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