Mineral processing refers to the science and technology of processing a solid mineral’s run-of-mine (ROM) using a combination of unit operations to obtain an upgraded form called concentrate which is suitable for further industrial processing such as for smelting to produce metals and their alloys. The technology of mineral processing is the third step in the relay race which commences with geological exploration and proceeds to mining, mineral processing, extractive metallurgy and terminates in production metallurgy/engineering to produce finished metallic and non-metallic products.

Mineral processing is a branch of science and technology dealing with processing of natural and synthetic mineral materials as well as accompanying liquids, solutions and gases to provide them with desired properties. It is a part of technical sciences, although it contains elements originating from other fields of knowledge, especially natural sciences. Mineral processing is based on separation processes and is involved in performing and description of separations, as well as their analysis, evaluation, and comparison.

Risk in project evaluation involves the probability of estimates
failing. There are few more risk prone businesses than mining.
Burmeister (1989) reviewed 35 Australian gold operations which were initiated in the period 1984 to 1987 and found that two-thirds of them had not achieved targeted gold production in the first full year of operation. For those that did exceed target, the overriding reason was a higher than anticipated plant throughput. Only two out of the 35 achieved their projected recovered grade. Burmeister observed that the reasons for the shortfall in grade included excessive dilution, inappropriate estimation techniques, inadequate geological interpretation, unreliable assays and inadequate drilling.  <...>

Монография Австралазийского института горного дела и металлургии посвящена описанию и обобщению самого передового опыта в области оценки минеральных ресурсов и рудных запасов. Настоящее издание состоит из 9 глав и 79 статей, написанных известными в мире учеными и практиками, в которых рассматривается широчайший спектр вопросов, касающихся в той или иной степени очень сложной и актуальной для любой горной компании проблемы оценки ресурсов и запасов. В книге можно найти много полезных сведений о новациях, иногда коренным образом отличающихся от российской зарегламентированной действительности в этой сфере. Книга будет полезна специалистам, работающим в геологической и горнодобывающей отраслях, а также аспирантам и студентам горных вузов.