Singer Donald A.

doi:10.3799/dqkx.2011.021

Volume 36 Issue 2

Mar. 2011

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Singer Donald A., 2011. A Lognormal Distribution of Metal Resources. Earth Science, 36(2): 201-208. doi: 10.3799/dqkx.2011.021

Citation:

Singer Donald A., 2011. A Lognormal Distribution of Metal Resources. Earth Science, 36(2): 201-208. doi: 10.3799/dqkx.2011.021

Singer Donald A., 2011. A Lognormal Distribution of Metal Resources. Earth Science, 36(2): 201-208. doi: 10.3799/dqkx.2011.021

Citation:

Singer Donald A., 2011. A Lognormal Distribution of Metal Resources. Earth Science, 36(2): 201-208. doi: 10.3799/dqkx.2011.021

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A Lognormal Distribution of Metal Resources

doi: 10.3799/dqkx.2011.021

Singer Donald A.

U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA

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Author Bio:
Donald A. Singer, E-mail: singer@usgs.gov
Received Date: 2010-07-15
Publish Date: 2011-03-01

Abstract

Abstract

For national or global resource estimation of frequencies of metals, a lognormal distribution has commonly been recommended but not adequately tested. Tests of frequencies of Cu, Zn, Pb, Ag, and Au contents of 1 984 well-explored mineral deposits display a poor fit to the lognormal distribution. When the same metals plus Mo, Co, Nb₂O₃, and REE₂O₃ are grouped into 19 geologically defined deposit types, only eight of the 73 tests fail to be fit by lognormal distribution, and most of those failures are in two deposit types suggesting a problem with those types. Estimates of the mean and standard deviation of each of the metals in each of the deposit types are provided for modeling.
- mineral deposit model,
- spatial rule,
- grade and tonnage model

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References(18)

References

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