RESOURCE CALCULATOR

Resource Value Calculator

Estimate the theoretical amount of contained material in a mineral resource and calculate a rough gross reference value using tonnage, grade, recovery, and a value per unit.

Use this tool for Metals · Minerals · Ore Deposits · Resource Estimates

CALCULATION FLOW

From Ore to Reference Value

Separate geological quantity from recoverable material and gross reference value.

01 Deposit Tonnage

→

02 Grade Concentration

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03 Contained Resource

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04 Value Reference

Gross resource value is not the same as mine or project value.

ENTER RESOURCE DATA

Calculate Resource Value

Resource Enter the metal or mineral being evaluated.

Ore or Deposit Tonnage

Total quantity of ore, rock, or mineralized material.

Resource Grade

Example: 0.8% copper, 2.5 g/t gold, or 1,200 ppm lithium.

Recovery Assumption Optional

Estimated percentage of contained material that may be recovered. Enter 100% to calculate theoretical contained quantity without a recovery reduction.

Reference Value

Enter your own reference value. This field is not presented as a live commodity quote.

ESTIMATED RESULTS

Copper Resource Estimate

Based on the figures entered into the calculator.

THEORETICAL CONTAINED RESOURCE 8,000 metric tonnes Based on 1,000,000 tonnes at 0.8% grade.

ESTIMATED RECOVERABLE RESOURCE 7,200 metric tonnes Using a 90% recovery assumption.

GROSS REFERENCE VALUE $67.46 million Based on recoverable material and the reference value entered.

This is not a mine valuation.

The result does not subtract mining, processing, transportation, capital, operating, financing, environmental, tax, royalty, permitting, infrastructure, marketing, or other project costs.

HOW IT WORKS

The Calculation Behind the Tool

The calculator converts grade into a quantity of contained material, applies the recovery assumption, and converts that material into the unit used for the reference value.

Contained Resource

Ore Tonnage × Grade

Estimates the theoretical quantity of the target material contained within the entered ore tonnage.

Recoverable Resource

Contained Resource × Recovery %

Recovery represents the proportion of contained material assumed to be recovered during processing.

Gross Reference Value

Recoverable Quantity × Reference Value

The recoverable quantity is converted into the selected pricing unit before the reference value is applied.

GRADE UNITS

Different Resources Use Different Grade Formats

Percent

Common for bulk and base-metal deposits such as copper, nickel, zinc, iron, and some lithium resources.

Example: 0.8% copper

g/t

Grams per Tonne

Commonly used for precious metals where economically meaningful concentrations may be relatively small.

Example: 2.5 g/t gold

ppm

Parts per Million

Used for lower-concentration elements and selected mineral-resource reporting.

10,000 ppm = 1%

ppb

Parts per Billion

Used for very low concentrations, particularly in geochemical sampling and analytical results.

1,000 ppb = 1 ppm

WORKED EXAMPLE

1 Million Tonnes of Ore at 0.8% Copper

A hypothetical deposit containing one million metric tonnes of ore at an average copper grade of 0.8% would theoretically contain 8,000 metric tonnes of copper before recovery losses.

If a 90% recovery assumption were applied, the estimated recoverable quantity would be 7,200 metric tonnes.

STEP 1 1,000,000 t × 0.008 = 8,000 tonnes contained copper

STEP 2 8,000 t × 90% = 7,200 tonnes recoverable copper

STEP 3 Convert tonnes into pricing unit Then multiply by the entered reference value

IMPORTANT CONTEXT

Gross Resource Value Is Only the Beginning

Multiplying contained material by a commodity reference value can produce a very large number. That number should not be interpreted as the value of the mine, company, property, or investment.

Economic value depends on whether the resource can actually be extracted, processed, transported, permitted, financed, and sold at a cost below the revenue it generates.

What Makes One Mineral More Valuable Than Another? →

Mining Recovery Not every tonne of geological resource reaches the processing plant.

Processing Recovery Not all contained material can be economically recovered.

Operating Costs Labor, energy, processing, maintenance, and transportation matter.

Capital Costs Mines may require substantial infrastructure before production begins.

Taxes & Royalties Government and ownership obligations reduce project revenue.

Market Conditions Realized prices may differ from headline commodity references.

USE WITH RESOURCE PROFILES

Put the Calculator in Context

Resource profiles provide the geology, supply, processing, market structure, and real-world uses a calculator alone cannot show.

Gold

Precious-metal grades, supply, mining, uses, and resource-value context.

Copper

Ore grades, electrical demand, production, processing, and global supply.

Lithium

Resource forms, battery demand, chemical processing, and strategic supply.

Uranium

Uranium grades, nuclear fuel markets, mining, conversion, and global supply.

RELATED TOOLS

Continue With Resource Calculations

Ore Grade Calculator

Calculate grade using total ore and contained material.

Open Tool → 02

Contained Metal Calculator

Calculate theoretical contained metal from tonnage and grade.

Open Tool → 03

Resource Unit Converter

Convert tonnes, kilograms, pounds, ounces, and grams.

Open Tool →

View All Resource Tools

Educational Use

This calculator provides simplified mathematical estimates from user-supplied inputs. Results should not be used as mineral reserve statements, feasibility studies, property valuations, securities analysis, investment advice, engineering conclusions, or financial projections.

EARTH VALUE INDEX

Numbers Matter More When They Have Context

Use Earth Value Index resource profiles, tools, Resource Uses, country information, and market references together to understand what natural resources are worth and why they matter.

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