Ore Value Calculator
Estimate contained metal, recovered ounces, revenue, costs, and net value for a mining block or production run.
What this ore calculator does
This calculator ore tool helps you quickly estimate whether a section of ore is likely to be profitable. It combines geology and economics in one view: tonnage, grade, recovery, metal price, and processing cost.
In real mining operations, decision-making happens fast. Engineers and geologists often need a first-pass estimate before moving into detailed mine planning. This calculator is perfect for that first-pass screening.
Core mining terms (simple definitions)
Head grade (g/t)
Head grade is how much metal is in each ton of ore before processing. If ore is 2.0 g/t gold, each ton contains 2 grams of gold on average.
Recovery (%)
You rarely recover 100% of contained metal. Recovery measures the percentage you can actually extract in the plant.
Dilution (%)
Dilution happens when waste material mixes with ore. It lowers effective grade, reducing recovered metal and project value.
Moisture (%)
Moisture lowers the dry ore mass used for contained metal calculations. Wet tonnage and dry tonnage are not the same.
Break-even grade
Break-even grade is the minimum grade required to cover processing cost at a given price and recovery. If actual grade falls below this level, margin can disappear.
How the formulas work
- Dry tonnage = tonnage × (1 − moisture)
- Effective grade = head grade × (1 − dilution)
- Contained grams = dry tonnage × effective grade
- Contained ounces = contained grams ÷ 31.1035
- Recovered ounces = contained ounces × recovery
- Revenue = recovered ounces × metal price
- Operating cost = tonnage × cost per ton
- Net value = revenue − operating cost
Practical ways to use this calculator
- Compare multiple ore blocks quickly.
- Run sensitivity checks on metal price assumptions.
- Understand how dilution damages project economics.
- Estimate the effect of metallurgical improvements in recovery.
- Support cutoff-grade discussion with transparent numbers.
Scenario testing ideas
1) Price downside test
Lower metal price by 10% to 20% and see if the block still stays positive. This helps assess risk in volatile commodity markets.
2) Recovery improvement test
Increase recovery by 1% to 3% and measure added value. Small process gains can create major upside over large tonnage.
3) Dilution control test
Reduce dilution assumptions (for example from 12% to 8%) and compare results. Better ore control usually has immediate economic impact.
Important limitations
This is a simplified estimate tool. It does not include royalties, transport, refining charges, sustaining capital, taxes, discount rates, strip ratio, or blending strategy. For investment or feasibility decisions, use a full discounted cash flow model and detailed mine plan.
Final thought
A good ore calculator gives clarity quickly. Use it to ask better questions: Which variables matter most? Where is the risk? Which operating lever creates the highest return? Fast answers to those questions are often the difference between a marginal plan and a strong one.