Friedrich-Wilhelm Wellmer – författare

This book provides a conceptual framework, presenting a description and modelling of the regulating mechanisms of supply, demand and supply-demand dynamics, sketches the most relevant classification systems of phosphorus deposits and outlines how they are related and how they should be improved to provide reliable, comparable classification, which is accepted by mining companies, geological surveys, science, industry, politicians and the public. For anticipating how the phosphate reserves are increasing (by increasing market values of phosphorus), we use the Cumulative Availability Curve (CAC) approach. The presented data for supply and demand dynamics reveal that—given our current knowledge—due to the abundance of phosphate rock, sufficient phosphorus supply will be feasible for at least 1000 years. The book stresses desiderata in knowledge and technology development, particularly for the reduction of losses and thus a decrease of negative environmental impacts and an improvement of the use efficiency.  The book is designed as a fact book. For all essential statements e.g.: Mineral phosphorus will be available for at least a millienium rather than 300 years. The total use efficiency of phosphorus is less than 10%, the reader will find solid scientific references or calculations which can be used by researchers, mineral industry and business actors, policymakers, governmental institutions, NGOs, etc.

This textbook, now in its second English edition, is originally a translation of the G- man textbook “Rechnen für Lagerstättenkundler und Rohstoffwirtschaftler, Teil 1”, also translated into the Chinese and Russian languages. Compared to the previous English and German editions the chapters have been updated with new examples and in many cases amended. The textbook is intended for the economic geologist who deals with the evaluation of deposits at an early stage of development. Once an exploration project has reached the feasibility stage, the exact calculations that are necessary for a comprehensive te- nical and economic assessment will be performed by a team of geologists, mining engineers, metallurgists, and economists. In the early stages of exploration, however, any evaluator of deposits must be able to cover the whole spectrum himself. Since only order of magnitude parameters are available at this early stage, the c- culations can only yield order of magnitude results. Precise calculations would even be misleading, since the evaluation does not yet aim at accurate economic assessment but at making the right decision: should the investigation be abandoned or should it be continued at higher costs and with more detailed methods.

This textbook, now in its second English edition, is originally a translation of the G- man textbook “Rechnen für Lagerstättenkundler und Rohstoffwirtschaftler, Teil 1”, also translated into the Chinese and Russian languages. Compared to the previous English and German editions the chapters have been updated with new examples and in many cases amended. The textbook is intended for the economic geologist who deals with the evaluation of deposits at an early stage of development. Once an exploration project has reached the feasibility stage, the exact calculations that are necessary for a comprehensive te- nical and economic assessment will be performed by a team of geologists, mining engineers, metallurgists, and economists. In the early stages of exploration, however, any evaluator of deposits must be able to cover the whole spectrum himself. Since only order of magnitude parameters are available at this early stage, the c- culations can only yield order of magnitude results. Precise calculations would even be misleading, since the evaluation does not yet aim at accurate economic assessment but at making the right decision: should the investigation be abandoned or should it be continued at higher costs and with more detailed methods.

Statistical evaluations of exploration data are the basis for decisions to be made at various stages of an exploration project. In contrast to other geostatistical books, Statistical Evaluations in Exploration for Mineral Deposits focuses not only on theory, but examples are also given, frequently originating from experience in mineral exploration by the author who worked worldwide for a mining company. Together with its companion volume, Economic Evaluations in Exploration, the book illustrates methods used in exploration campaigns and mining activities. It is intended as a vademecum for geologists who are forced to make quick decisions regarding an exploration project. It also addresses scientists and students involved in teaching or in mineral economic evaluations, recommendations or decisions.