Course outline

• Overview and introduction: Application of 3D Software to Open-Pit and Underground Mining Operations — Core Concepts and Workflow
• Setting up RecMin Free and Pro versions
• Project setup, data structuring, and spatial referencing
• Loading and visualisation of borehole data
• Building and calibrating block models
• Geometry elements: lines, surfaces, and T3 solid bodies
• Terrain representation: topography, triangulation networks, and orthophotography
• Construction of three-dimensional deposit models
• Fundamentals of geostatistics and variogram analysis in RecMin
• Anisotropic spatial interpolation and result interpretation
• Estimation of Geological Resources and Mineral Reserves
• Open-pit optimisation using the floating cone approach

Learning outcomes

• Participants will gain a working understanding of block models as a tool for mineral deposit characterisation
• They will develop hands-on proficiency with RECMIN, a freely available software platform built over three decades of continuous development, capable of modelling ore deposits and supporting the design of both underground and surface mining operations
• Students will be introduced to applied geostatistics, with emphasis on variogram computation and interpretation within the RecMin environment
• By the end of the course, participants will have constructed a full 3D model of a mineral vein from raw borehole data, performed spatial interpolation, and derived tonnage and grade estimates for the modelled resource
• The floating cone method will be used to calculate reserves.