Mining Tools Ore Cutoff Grade Calculator

Ore Cutoff Grade Calculator

Estimate break-even cutoff grade from metal price, recovery, mining cost, processing cost, and G&A.

Supports unit conversion, price scenario comparison, sensitivity analysis, PDF export, and multilingual use across regions.

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Calculate break-even cutoff grade instantly

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Compare Low / Base / High side by side

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Built for multilingual and decimal-comma users

What this tool covers

Supports unit conversion, price scenario comparison, sensitivity analysis, PDF export, and multilingual use across regions.

Instant calculation

Normalize prices and costs, then calculate the break-even cutoff grade immediately.

Unit conversion

Convert g/t, %, ppm, oz/t, and kg/t to absorb differences in regional notation.

Scenario comparison

Compare Low / Base / High cases by changing metal price only.

Easy to share

Save the result as a PDF from the browser print dialog and use it in meetings right away.

How to use

  1. 1 Enter the metal price currency, unit, and recovery.
  2. 2 Align mining cost, processing cost, and G&A to the same ore basis unit.
  3. 3 Add scenario rows if needed and review the sensitivity span.
  4. 4 Check the cutoff grade and export it by CSV or PDF.

Examples

Gold

Input / Output

Input

2400 USD/oz, recovery 90%, mining 18 USD/t, processing 14 USD/t, G&A 8 USD/t

Output

cutoff grade about 0.576 g/t (about 0.0185 oz/t, 0.0000576%, 0.576 ppm)

Copper

Input / Output

Input

4.10 USD/lb, recovery 88%, mining 22 USD/st, processing 12 USD/st, G&A 8 USD/st

Output

cutoff grade about 0.479% (about 4,790 ppm)

Silver scenario comparison

Input / Output

Input

24 / 27 / 30 USD/oz, recovery 85%, total cost 40 USD/t

Output

Low: about 61.1 g/t / Base: about 54.2 g/t / High: about 48.2 g/t

Glossary

cutoff grade
The minimum grade used as a break-even reference.
recovery
The share of metal recovered from the ore.
G&A
Short for General & Administrative expense.
ppm
In this tool, ppm uses the same number as g/t on a metric-tonne basis.
st / lt
Short ton and long ton. Ambiguous ton is not accepted.

Formulas

Metal price / g = metal price ÷ grams per price unit
Total cost / t ore = (mining cost + processing cost + G&A) × ore basis factor
cutoff grade (g/t) = total cost ÷ (metal price / g × recovery)
g/t → % = g/t ÷ 10000
g/t → oz/t = g/t ÷ 31.1034768

FAQ

What is cutoff grade?

It is the minimum grade used as a break-even reference. It changes with metal price, recovery, and cost assumptions.

Does this tool handle payability?

Not in the first version. It assumes 100% payable and uses recovery only.

Are ppm and g/t the same?

Yes, on a metric-tonne basis this tool uses the same number for ppm and g/t. It treats 1 ppm = 1 g/t.

Can I use short ton and long ton?

Yes. Enter t, st, or lt explicitly. Ambiguous ton is not accepted.

Can I save PDF output from the browser only?

Yes. The tool provides a print layout and uses the Chrome / Edge / Safari print dialog for PDF saving.

Notes

  • This tool is for quick reference only and does not replace JORC / NI 43-101 / technical reports.
  • Dilution, mining loss, payability, royalties, taxes, and freight are not part of the core calculation.
  • Enter metal price and cost in the same currency.
  • All calculations stay inside the browser and are not sent to the server.