Conception of incorporating the deposit reserves cost in the estimation of admissible mineral losses in mining
The article describes methods of mineral reser ve cost estimation of deposits planned for the development and those already being mined. The methods are based on the cost formation with due account for the compensation of exploration costs, profit relating to these costs and excess profit or loss depending on geological conditions of deposits. Based on the reser ves costs the authors propose methods of the economic evaluation of planned mineral deposit development projects and geotechnologies used at mineral deposits already being developed. The Kovdorskoe phlogopite deposit case study is described proving the feasibility of the above mentioned methods, which have shown the variation of mined reserves cost and thereby of saleable production costs and profit of a mine depending on the mineral component losses and ore output dilution. By results of the economic evaluation of competing scenarios of deposit development with due account for reserves cost the most feasible scenario is approved, which indices of the quality and fullness of ore output mineral component recovery are in compliance with the most efficient technology of mineral deposit mining and can be advisable for standard setting.