Other Distributions for the Evaluation of Mineral Deposit Data

Abstract

The analytical data for mineralization or mineral deposits as well as geochemical exploration programmes have been evaluated, insofar as mathematically defined distributions were used, on the basis of the normal and the lognormal distribution. It was previously mentioned that there is no geological or geochemical reason why populations or sample data sets of analytical data should abide by a particular, mathematically defined, distribution such as, for example, the normal or the lognormal distribution. Experience shows only that, for most cases, the application of normal or lognormal distributions does yield usable results for the evaluation of data sets. However other distributions have been applied, for example the binomial distribution. This will not be discussed any further with respect to the treatment of populations of analytical data, since it is of only subordinate importance.