392 THE GEOMETALLURGICAL BLOCK MODEL, A NEW TOOL FOR OPTIMIZING RECOVERY AND REDUCING COSTS IN METALLURGICAL BENEFICIATION PROCESSES *Samuel Canchaya1 1Department of Geology, National University of Engineering, Perú, 1General Manager of SAMPLING OK SAC (*Presenting author: canmoysa@gmail.com) ABSTRACT Currently, not even a preliminary drilling project can be conceived without at least a metallurgical feasibility study, which is why a fascinating new specialty called Geometallurgy has emerged in recent years. Unfortunately, this field has been limited to defining Geometallurgical Units (GUs) based on metallurgical tests of composites. As a result, when the mining operation begins, the parameters calibrated by these tests fail, sometimes drastically, because the composites, due to the way they are obtained, do not represent the heterogeneity of the deposits, which is only addressed when the mineral is being processed, when it is already quite late. This paper presents an alternative approach to generating a Geo-Metallurgical Block Model (GMBM). This approach provides each mining block with the critical information required, in addition to grade, lithology, and alteration, traditionally recorded in Geological Block Models. Each geometallurgical block also includes its clay content, acid-consuming minerals, cyanicides, minerals containing penalizable elements, etc. thus optimizing the knowledge of the inherent heterogeneity of ore deposits. Two examples of predictive MGMB are presented, one from a mesothermal Au deposit (San Gabriel-Moquegua) based on quantitative data of critical variables and another from a high-sulfidation epithermal Au deposit (Pucamarca-Tacna) based on geometallurgical logging of Mineralogical-Textural Assemblages (MTAs) and Geological Fragmentation Units (GFUs). Unlike conventional methods, the MGMB radically changes the modus operandi of mining operations, since: (a) It allows us to improve metallurgical treatment, optimizing recovery and lowering costs, the latter because dosage of additives will be done in a more specific way, based on critical minerals quantified block by block.
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