Quantitative Mineral Resource Assessments: An Integrated Approach.: DONALD A. SINGER and W. DAVID MENZIE. Pp. 232. 2010. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-539959-2. Price US$74.00.

Abstract

This book is the result of almost 40 years of effort the authors have made to develop an integrated approach to mineral resource assessments, principally working with the U.S. Geological Survey. The authors’ goal was to provide information valuable to users or practitioners of these types of assessments and, overall, they have done a fine job with this book. Although they emphasize the importance of quantitative mineral resource assessments (QRAs) and the details about how they are developed, principally being focused on the needs of government decision makers, the value of the book for exploration managers is much more than the authors intended. The QRAs have been developed to provide a rational, fact-based analysis of the potential for discovery of mineral resources on public lands. This information is important to people making informed decisions about land use and policy. The authors have developed a stepwise, three-part approach to QRAs: (1) using models of tonnages and grades to estimate possible tonnages and grades of undiscovered deposits, (2) …