Mineral Resource Estimation: an Evaluation of Responses’ from Northeast British Columbia

The Mineral Potential Project is an initiative that provides predictions of resource abundance in the province and has been described by Kilby (1995). Ian this project, resource assessment is carried out on specified tracts of land, referred to as mineral assessment tracts. These tracts are generalizations of contiguous geological tracts that share a common tectonic history and metallogeny and whose boundaries reflect differences in lithology, stmctme and geological history (see Gnmsky er al., 1994; Church, 1995; Massey, 1995). Areas that have been covered to date include: Vancouver Island, Kcotenay region, Cwiboo region. SkeenaNass region. Mid-,coast, Thompson-Okanagan region, and northeast British Columbia (see Kilby, 1995, Figure 1). The Mineral Potential Pmject adapted an approach similar to the methodology of the IJS. Geological Survey three-part assessment method as outlined by Singer (1993). The modified methodology used in British Columbia consists of: l Creation of mineral assessment tracts; l Grade and tonaage models arc used that reflect the types of deposits that, are expected in the area; l An estimate of expected undiscovered deposits based on the grade and tonnage data. In contrast to a purely statistical assessment based on a grid-cell approach, the mineral assessment tracts were created to reflect areas that contain specific characteristics related to metallogeny. The assessment is based on subjective probability applied to the prediction of undiscovered resources and known resources. The subjective approach to resource estimation requires that geologists make estimates on the likelihood of finding deposits, based on their knowledge of the geology and other information within each tract. These assessments were carried out in Mineral Resource Assessment Workshops.