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Contained Metal Calculator: Tonnage × Grade

Calculate arithmetic contained metal by converting ore tonnage to mass, converting grade to a dimensionless mass fraction, and multiplying the two. With matched metric inputs, ore tonnes multiplied by grams per metric tonne gives grams of contained metal. One thousand metric tonnes at one gram per tonne therefore contains an arithmetic 1,000 grams, one kilogram, or approximately 32.1507466 troy ounces. The calculator also accepts U.S. short tons and grades in parts per billion, parts per million, percent by mass, grams per metric tonne, milligrams per kilogram, kilograms per metric tonne, or troy ounces per short ton. Outputs include grams, kilograms, metric tonnes, troy ounces, and avoirdupois pounds. Values remain in the browser. Analytics retain only bounded action, tonnage-unit, and grade-unit categories—never tonnage, grade, analyte, contained mass, recovery, dilution, cutoff, sample, interval, model, project, location, owner, price, value, laboratory, certificate, or notes. Tonnage and grade must describe the same material, spatial domain, estimation support, classification, cutoff, reporting boundary, effective date, moisture and density basis, depletion state, and treatment of dilution and mining loss. Do not multiply an isolated high-grade sample, selected interval, concentrate grade, recovered-product grade, or unweighted average by a broader tonnage. Do not mix gross wet tonnes with a dry-basis grade without a supported moisture correction. Preserve the source model, estimation method, support, units, significant figures, uncertainty, QA/QC, assumptions, exclusions, version, effective date, and reviewer. Contained metal is in-place mass arithmetic only. It applies no mining recovery, dilution, ore loss, processing or metallurgical recovery, concentrate terms, smelter deductions, penalties, royalties, payability, transport, price, exchange rate, tax, capital cost, operating cost, or time value. It does not establish a mineral occurrence, deposit, exploration target, resource, reserve, production forecast, ownership interest, compliant public disclosure, or economic significance. Consequential estimates require appropriate geological evidence, domain and estimation work, modifying factors, applicable reporting standards, documented assumptions, uncertainty analysis, and qualified professional review.

Verification resources

Cross-check terminology, classification, methods, and safety with these authoritative external resources.

  • undefined. Publishes the mass-balance relationship that percent metal multiplied by metric ore tonnage yields metric tonnes of contained metal.
  • undefined. Explains grams per metric tonne as parts per million by mass and the troy-ounce-per-short-ton assay convention.
  • undefined. Provides conversion factors for troy ounces, avoirdupois pounds, metric tonnes, and 2,000-pound short tons.
  • undefined. Documents the kilogram as the SI mass unit and 1,000 kilograms as one metric tonne.
  • undefined. Requires geological confidence, data quality, technical and economic information, and modifying factors for resource and reserve classification beyond arithmetic tonnage and grade.

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Common questions

How do I calculate contained metal from tonnage and grade?
Convert ore tonnage to mass and grade to a mass fraction, then multiply them. Metric tonnes multiplied by grams per tonne gives grams of contained metal.
How many troy ounces are contained in 1,000 tonnes at 1 g/t?
The arithmetic result is 1,000 grams, 1 kilogram, or about 32.1507466 troy ounces before mining loss, dilution, processing recovery, or payable deductions.
Does contained metal mean recoverable or payable metal?
No. Contained metal is in-place mass arithmetic. Recoverable and payable quantities need supported mining, processing, metallurgical, commercial, and other assumptions.
Can I use average grade and total tonnage from different domains?
No. Grade and tonnage must describe the same material, support, classification, cutoff, moisture and density basis, date, and reporting boundary.
Does this calculator establish a mineral resource or reserve?
No. It does not establish continuity, reasonable prospects for economic extraction, modifying factors, resource confidence, reserve status, value, or compliant disclosure.

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