Supporting the Mining and Geothermal Industries Since 1994

Sims Professional Services

Sims Professional Services

Physical and chemical properties of ore and waste must be known in order to evaluate the potential of a property or to optimize a mining operation.


​Dr. Sims worked as a petrographer and supervised a lab that logged cuttings and performed x-ray diffraction at drill sites to conduct real-time geological evaluations that cannot be made without detailed mineralogy.  Today, Sims Geological Services' lab is equipped with petrographic microscope that is used to characterize ore and waste in metallic ore deposits and to evaluate aggregate potential, and Dr. Sims continues to work closely with other experts. 


Because aggregate and cement products are used for construction, their physical and chemical properties are regulated.  Dr. Sims performs field evaluations and petrographic examinations following ASTM standards.  If further analysis is warranted, he then works with the client to choose representative samples, engage the appropriate certified labs, and determine which tests should be performed to fully evaluate these resources. 





      

    Other project demands are not so standardized.  Examples of unique projects where Dr. Sims evaluated material properties for the benefit of his clients include:

    • Where a newly-operational base metal mine and mill was not meeting expected recovery rates, he logged core to define ore types and performed a comprehensive petrographic analysis.  Petrography indicated that some ore types contained ore minerals that were too fine-grained to be liberated.  This is an example of where prior testing failed to identify and sample the range of ore types and average test results did not apply as predicted. 
    • Where a new shale source was made necessary, he developed a model to explore for a new material source that included only altered shale that met trace element requirements and managed all exploration activities with successful results.  He also identified a silica source to supplement the shale product. 
    • Where a metal mine desired to dispose of waste rock, he conducted a petrographic and x-ray diffraction study to define critical physical and chemical attributes of various waste rock types and identify their potential uses.
    • ​At numerous sites, where structure and rock strength must be known for slope design, he developed comprehensive geological models that are suited for engineering analysis.

    1991

    Material Properties - Metals, Aggregate, Industrial Minerals​