Bulk Density Determination Protocol

1.0 Introduction

Preparation of a systematic bulk density database is essential in any mineral project.

Sufficient bulk density data for the various rock types present in the deposit should be
collected, and the relationship between bulk density and the sample depth should be
properly established.

2.0 Recommended Density Determination Methods

AMEC recommends that bulk density be primarily determined by water displacement

on drill core, although other methods can be applied in addition: by volume calculation
on drill core (calliper) and by volume calculation on test pits (in situ determinations).
The first two methods may use the same samples.

2.1 Safety Considerations

Before starting the bulk density determination procedure, all personnel involved should
be provided with the required safety implements, so that the test is conducted in a safe
and secure manner. The supervisor and the workers should make sure that the safety
equipment is clean and in good working condition.

2.2 Water Displacement on Drill Core

Core Sampling:

- Every 15 m to 20 m in average, well trimmed (preferably cut with diamond saw),

15 cm to 20 cm long, pieces of compact HQ or NQ core should be taken for bulk
density measurement.
- The density samples should be bagged in plastic bags.
- Handling and transportation of density samples should be very careful, to avoid
core destruction or alteration.
- The density samples should be representative of all major rock types present in
the deposit.
- If cylindrical, the same sample may be used for the volume calculation with the
calliper method.

Equipment and supplies:

- A 3 kg to 4 kg ( 0.01 g) scale, equipped with an under hook weighing accessory

for density determination, or adapted for weighing density samples
- A thin cradle located below the scale (Photo 1)
- A plastic container nearly full of water, located below the scale
- A drying oven (gas or electric), with capacity for at least 30 samples and
automatic temperature control
- Sample bags
- Paraffin or thin plastic foil (as used for conserving food).

Procedure:
 - The sample should be dried at 105 C 5 C for as long as necessary. Tests
should be conducted to determine the complete drying time, by repeatedly
weighing the sample every 30 minutes, until constant weigh is obtained (until
weigh decreases less than 0.5% between successive measurements).
- The scale should be initially zero-ed, and the dry sample should be weighed on
air. The result of this measurement, the Uncoated Dry Weight on Air, will be
recorded as A (in grams).
- The dry sample will be well wrapped on thin plastic foil, not leaving any void
space, or coated with paraffin by submersion on melted paraffin; once the sample
is wrapped, or the paraffin is solid, the sample should be weighed again on air,
and the result of this measurement, the Coated Dry Weight on Air, will be
recorded as B.
- The samples will be then placed into the cradle under the scale (Photo 2), and
immersed into the water; the sample should remain completely submersed. The
Coated Dry Weight in Water will be recorded as C (in grams).
- Finally, the density
A sample will be returned to the core box in the same original

Dposition.
b
- B
The bulk density g/cm3) should be calculated as:
DbC(in
B C
Dc

Where:

Dc: Density of the coating material, paraffin or plastic (in g/cm3).

2.3 Volume Calculation on Drill Core (Calliper)

The calliper method may be used in case that density samples are cylindrical. This
method may use the same sample that is used for the density determination with the
water displacement method on drill core. The calliper method consists of the
estimation of the density by reporting the dry weight to the sample volume, which is
determined through repeated direct measurements of the sample diameter and length.

Equipment and supplies:

- A measuring tape with millimetres divisions

- A calliper.

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 Procedure:

- The sample should be dried at 105 C 5 C for as long as necessary. Tests

should be conducted to determine the complete drying time, by repeatedly
weighing the sample every 30 minutes, until constant weigh is obtained (until
weigh decreases less than 0.5% between successive measurements).
- The scale should be initially zero-ed, and the dry sample should be weighed on
air. The result of this measurement, the Dry Weight on Air, will be recorded as A
(in grams).
- The core length (L) should be measured (in centimetres) to the nearest
millimetre.
- The core diameter (d) should be measured (in centimetres, with 0.01 cm
precision) with a calliper. To obtain the d value, at least two measurements
should be conducted, on perpendicular sections, and subsequently averaged.
- The bulk density Db (in cm3) should be calculated as:
A
Db ( g / cm 3 )
0.25 d 2 L

2.4 Volume Calculation on Test Pits (in situ determinations)

These tests should be conducted on representative parts of the deposit, wherever

access to clean and undisturbed surfaces can be achieved. The results of in situ
determinations should be compared with the results of the other two methods. Two
methods can be used: by sand replacement and by water replacement.

Water Replacement

Equipment and supplies:

- A 20 kg ( 0.01 kg) scale

- A drying oven (gas or electric), with automatic temperature control
- Large, thin plastic bags
- Airtight sample bags
- Graduated vessels (with up to 1 mL divisions).

Procedure:

- The surface where the sample will be taken should be levelled and cleaned.
- A roughly 30 cm diameter hole (not necessarily cubic, but with neat surfaces)
should be dug at the bottom of the pit, and all extracted material should be
carefully collected and seal-bagged.

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 - The hole should be lined with a thin plastic bag, larger than the cube, and water
should be carefully poured until the water level reaches the level of the bottom of
the pit.
- The water volume should be measured with a graduated vessel, and should be
recorded as V (in cubic centimetres).
- The entire sample should be placed into the drying oven and dried at 105 C 5
C for enough time to ensure that drying has been completed.
- Tests should be conducted to determine the complete drying time, by repeatedly
weighing a couple of compact fragments every 30 minutes, until constant weigh
is obtained (until weigh decreases less than 0.5% between successive
measurements).
- The dry sample should be weighed, and the dry weight should be recorded as A
(in grams).
- The bulk density Db (in cm3) should be calculated as follows:
A
Db ( g / cm 3 )
V

Sand Replacement

In principle, this method is similar to the previous one, but instead of water, sand of
known density (Ds) is poured into the hole.

Equipment and supplies:

- A 20 kg ( 0.01 kg) scale

- A drying oven (gas or electric), with automatic temperature control
- Airtight sample bags
- A cylinder with enough sand, provided with a valve to allow a gradual release of
the sand (Photos 3 and 4) .

Procedure:

- The surface where the sample will be taken should be levelled and cleaned.
- A roughly 20 cm to 30 cm diameter hole should be dug, and all extracted material
should be carefully collected and seal-bagged.
- The cylinder full of sand should be weighed, and the resulting initial weight will be
recorded as A (in grams).
- The small cylinder should be placed over the hole, and sand should be carefully
poured until the sand level reaches the level of the surface.
- The cylinder should be weighed again, and the resulting final weight will be
recorded as B (in grams).
- The entire sample should be placed into the drying oven and dried at 105 C 5
C for enough time to ensure that drying has been completed.
- Tests should be conducted to determine the complete drying time, by repeatedly
weighing a couple of compact fragments every 30 minutes, until constant weigh

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 is obtained (until weigh decreases less than 0.5% between successive
measurements).
- The dry sample should be weighed, and the dry weight should be recorded as C
(in grams).
- The bulk density Db should be calculated as follows:

C
Db ( g / cm 3 )
( A B ) / Ds

2.5 Additional Considerations

Whatever the method used, when conducting bulk density determinations the lithologic
and/or facies type should be carefully registered, and the samples should be either
assayed, or returned to the box to be sampled together with the rest of the core.

3.0 References

ASTM, 1999. Standard Test for Laboratory Determination of Water (Moisture) Content
of Soil and Rock by Mass. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
Designation D 2216 98.
Lipton, I. T., 2001. Measurement of Bulk Density for Resource Estimation. In: Mineral
Resource and Ore Reserve Estimation-The AusIMM Guide to Good Practice (Ed.
A. C. Edwards), pp. 57-66. The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy,
Melbourne.

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Photo 1. Scale adapted for density measurements.

Photo 2. Weighing the dry coated sample on water.

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Photo 3. Small cylinder for density determination by sand replacement.

Photo 4. Scheme of the small cylinder.

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