Exploration & Mining Glossary

RAB drilling - RAB stands for 'Rotary Air Blast Drilling' and is a method for drilling which uses a pneumatic hammer or rotary blade. The compressed air is forced down through the ground and brings rock chip samples to the surface via a tube on the outside of the main compressed air flow. This drilling approach is more inexpensive and faster compared to RC and Diamond drilling. However the sample quality is less and drilling is limited to shallow depths (~125m depending on the ground; dense and resistant rocks such as granites would be highly challenging to drill through).

Radiometric (Geophysics) - Is a geophysical method also known as gamma-ray spectrometric method. This uses the radioactive decay of radioactive isotopes (potassium (K), uranium (U) and thorium(Th)), and measures the gamma-rays emitted during their decay, which is used to calculate the relative concentrations of those elements near the surface. Each element has a unique gamma-ray signature in their energy measurement, so the element can be determined. The presense of above background potassium could indicate potassic alteration in the form of sericite alteration, which is a very common alteration halo around mineralised zones.

RC drilling - A method of drilling which uses dual wall drill rods that consist of an outer drill rod with an inner tube. These hollow inner tubes allow the drill cuttings to be transported back to the surface in a continuous, steady flow. RC drilling is a fast and inexpensive method of drilling, particularly compared to diamond drilling.

Recovery - The percentage of valuable metal in the ore that is recovered by metallurgical treatment.

Rehabilitation - The restoration of land and environmental values to a surface mine site after the mineral is extracted. The process includes restoring the land to its approximate original appearance by restoring topsoil and planting native grasses and ground covers.

Resource - Mineral deposits that are potentially valuable, and for which reasonable prospects exist for eventual economic extraction.