MINING SYSTEMS

SURFACE MINING
LECTURE 1 INTRODUCTION

MEA 2007 V 1.0 Feb 2007

 OVERVIEW OF LECTURE

Components of mine planning

Feasibility study stages
Parameters for mining method selection
Surface mining methods
Surface mining development
Parameters for mining system /
equipment selection

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 ELEMENTS OF MINE PLANNING
Geology Geotechnical Data

Drilling / Testing Mine and environmental

engineering design
Survey
Equipment specification (for
Geological model method, productivity,
reliability)
Geological reserves
Mining reserves
Market evaluation
Mine costing
Product
Mine scheduling
Price
Financial evaluation, risk
Quantity evaluation
On-going monitoring
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 MINE PLANNING PROCESS

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 STRIP RATIO

A D
G

Definition: Overburde
Ratio of, n
volume (or weight) of overburden (waste) : weight of ore
E H
Examples: 10 bm3 : 1 t Ore
B C
4t:1t F I

Overall strip ratio Marginal (or incremental) strip ratio

ABECD volume, bm 3 = bm 3 : t (tonne) GHCD volume, bm3 = b 3 :tm
(BECF / density of ore), t (HIC / density of ore), t

Overall strip ratio Strip ratio

(ABECD / density of overburden), t = t : t (GHCD / density of ore), t =t:t
(BECF / density of ore), t (BECF / density of ore), t

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 SWELL FACTOR
Swell: Defined as the change in volume from in-situ to broken material through blasting, handling and
dumping.
A A1

B1

B4 B3 B2
By volume: A3 A2
B, B1, B2, B3, B4 (broken) > A, A1, A2, A3 (in situ)
B, B1, B2, B3, B4 = Swell factor
A, A1, A2, A3
Increase or decrease is a measure of swell (normally increase)
Expressed as:
Example: For an increase of 20%
Swell factor = 1.2
Swell percentage = 20%
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 ESTIMATE PRODUCTION
(CAPACITY PER YEAR)
Note: LCM = Loose Cubic Metres
BCM = Bank Cubic Metres
Output per year (LCM) = operating hours x cycles per hour x
tray capacity (LCM)

Output per year (BCM = LCM /swell factor) = operating hours

x cycles per hour x tray capacity (BCM = LCM /swell
factor)

Output per year (tonnes = BCM / bank density) = operating

hours x cycles per hour x tray capacity (BCM / bank
density)

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 STAGES OF MINERAL RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENT
Prospecting
Exploration
Feasibility studies
Development
Production

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 FEASIBILITY STUDY STAGES
Conceptual feasibility study
Justification for further investigation
Pre-feasibility feasibility study
Justification for further investigation
Final feasibility study
Justification for approval to develop
Scope document for construction and
development of the mine and facilities
Based upon approved feasibility study

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 OPEN PIT MINING SECTION

Waste
Waste

0.8% Cu0.6% Cu
Ore
Unmined Underground
Ore

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 QUARRY MINING SECTION

Overburde
n
Ore

Advancing
Benche
s

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 STRIP MINE SECTION

Box Cut
Spoil
Strip Cut
Spoil
Highwall

P er s- t
Strip Cut O ev r r pi
b udre n
Unmined D ar g l
in
Lowwall O ev br uer
den
Box Cut
Width Strip
Width Co
a lSe a m

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 SELECTED EXAMPLES OF OPEN PIT, STRIP
MINING AND ALLUVIAL OPERATIONS
Mine Mining Location Mineral Grade (as Ore mined Waste mined Waste: ore Total movement
Method mined) per year per year strip ratio per year (Mt
equivalent)
Black Thunder D/L strip mine Wyoming, Coal Domestic 30M (ST) 43M (bcm) 1.4bcm:1S 120*
USA Steaming T
Raw Hide Sh/tr open pit Wyoming, Coal Domestic 12M (ST) 24M (bcm) 2bcm:1ST 60
USA Steaming
Goonyella D/L strip mine Qld, Australia Coal Export 10Mt raw, 60M (bcm) 6bcm:1t 130
Riverside Coking 7Mt product
Blair Athol D/L strip mine Qld, Australia Coal Export 9Mt 9M (bcm) 1bcm:1t 27
Steaming
Yallourn BWE open pit Vic, Australia Brown Coal Steaming 50Mt 24M (bcm) 0.5bcm:1t 100
Gold Quarry Sh/tr open pit Nevada, USA Gold 2g/ST 45M (ST) 45M (ST) 1ST:1ST 80
KCGM Sh/tr open pit WA, Australia Gold 2.7g/T 7Mt 42Mt 6t:1t 49
Ok Tedi Sh/tr open pit PNG (BHP) Copper, Gold 0.7% Cu, 30Mt 40Mt 1.3t:1t 70
0.6g/t Au
Bingham Sh/tr open pit Utah, USA Copper 0.6% Cu 60M (ST) 50M (ST) 1.2ST:1ST 100
Canyon
Sierrita open pit Sh/tr Arizona, USA Copper 0.3% Cu 38M (ST) 36M (ST) 1ST:1ST 67

Escondida Sh/tr open pit Atacama, Copper 2% Cu 16M (ST) 32M (ST) 2ST:1ST 44
Chile (BHP)
Chuquicaimata Sh/tr open pit Atacama, Copper 1.2% Cu 56M (ST) 224M (ST) 4ST:1ST 260
Chile
Whaleback Sh/tr open pit WA, Australia Iron Ore 62-64% Fe 22Mt 80Mt 3.6t:1t 102
Consolidated Alluvial Qld, Australia Illmenite, 1.25% 0.5Mt 39.5Mt 79t:1t 40
Rutile dredging Rutile, Zircon (Il, Ru, Zi)
Weipa Sh/tr, train, Qld, Australia Bauxite 55% AL20 12Mt 4Mt 0.3t:1t 16
open pit
Abreviations:
D/L = Dragline Sh/tr = shovel/truck BWE = Bucket Wheel System ST = Short tons (USA) * = 340,000 t per day
t = Tonnes (metric, Australia) = bcm * specific gravity g = grams bcm = band (or prime) cubic metres
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 BASIC MINING METHODS
OPEN PIT

Example of
Haul
Road
Large open pit. Bingham Canyon, USA. 1km across, about
0.5 km deep. Note benches, haul road and final pit.

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 BASIC MINING METHODS
STRIP MINE

Dragline

Spoil
Piles

Coal Pit

Strip mine. Note dragline, coal pit, ramps, spoil piles, drill-blast next strip, pre strip RHS.

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 BASIC MINING METHODS
UNDERGROUND

Underground layout. Note shaft, levels, incline and access between levels.
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 APPROACH TO MINING METHOD
SELECTION
Qualitative
Use as first pass (conceptual
feasibility study)
Quantitative
More definitive in technical and
cost estimates
Leads to selection of preferred
option for detailed engineering
and costing (final feasibility study)
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 BASIC QUALITATIVE APPROACH
SURFACE MINES
Any shape, any dip,
OPEN PIT MINING
thick, large size

Tabular or massive, any

QUARRYING
dip, thick, moderate size
Any strength,
MECHANICAL
consolidated
Tabular, low dip, thin,
STRIP MINING
large size

Tabular, flat, thin,

AUGERING
remnant
Shallow SURFACE
Tabular, flat, thin, small
HYDRAULICKING
size

Tabular, flat, thick, large

DREDGING
size
Unconsolidated
AQUEOUS
or permeable
Any shape, any dip,
BOREHOLE MINING
thick, large size

Any shape, steep, thick,

LEACHING
large size
DEPOSIT

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 BASIC QUALITATIVE APPROACH
UNDERGROUND MINES
DEPOSIT
Tabular, flat, thin, ROOM & PILLAR
large
size MINING

Tabular, flat, thick, STOPE & PILLAR

large
size MINING
Strong to
UNSUPPORTED
moderate,
Tabular steep, thin, any
SHRINKAGE STOPING
size

Tabular, steep, thick,

SUBLEVEL STOPING
large size

Variable shape,
steep, CUT & FILL STOPING
thin, any size
Deep UNDERGROUND
Moderate to
Tabular, steep, thin,
weak, SUPPORTED STULL STOPING
small size
incompetent

Any shape, any dip,

SQUARE SET STOPING
thick, any size

Tabular, flat, thin,

large LONGWALL MINING
size

Moderate to Tabular or massive,

CAVING SUBLEVEL CAVING
weak, cavable steep, thick, large
size
Massive, steep, thick,
BLOCK CAVING
large size

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 DEVELOPMENT OF
OPEN CUT MINE

Development
Pit
Initial Ore
2D
Final Pit
SECTION
VIEW
Ore body

Development
Pit
PLAN
VIEW Haul Process
Road Plant
Initial Ore
Workshop

Final Pit

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 DEVELOPMENT OF
UNDERGROUND MINE

Decline
Shaft
2D SECTION
VIEW

Initial Ore.
Development
of openings
to mine
ore.

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 DESCRIPTION OF MINE DEVELOPMENT
AND EXPLOITATION
What is mine development? What is exploitation?
Work done prior to ore Production of required
production ore tonnages and grade
Done within approved As per approved
feasibility study feasibility study
Remove waste, uncover
ore
At minimum cost
Provide access for With safety practices to
transport of ore and waste protect all work force
from injury
Provide processing
facilities
Provide services e.g.
power and water
Provide safe working
conditions
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 FACTORS IN MINE DEVELOPMENT
AND EXPLOITATION
Geometry, characteristics of ore body
Depth
Extent
Shape
Rock strength properties
Geometry
Depth
Extent
Rock properties ore and
waste
Geometry of mine layout
Ore grade distribution
Ore processing properties
Minimise cost of extraction
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Mining equipment
For waste removal
For ore removal
Type
Rubber tyred
Tracked
Rail
Conveyor
Dimensions, capacity
Note that development equipment
may be different to mining equipment.
 MINE DEVELOPMENT
COMPONENTS
Access to ore Type (continued)
Provision of facilities Accommodation
Life Temporary camp

Temporary Permanent e.g. camp,

town
(construction)
Power
Permanent (ore
production) Water
Type Potable (drinking)

Workshops and Processing

equipment Sewerage
Warehouse, spare Roads and drainage
parts, offices
Rail
Ore handling and
processing plant Airstrip

Are for waste dumps Communications

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 MINE DEVELOPMENT
SYSTEM / EQUIPMENT SELECTION
COMPONENTS
Maintenance
Output per year Transport distance
Workshop
Mine production per year Height, width, length dimensions
Coal Preparation
Ore Plant Flexibility to move quickly
between loading faces
Waste Coal Pit
Offices
Power electric, diesel, diesel-
Production hours/year
electric
Tray/bucket capacity Ramp
Main Haul Mine life
Cycles Road
per production hour
Equipment replacement life
Hours x capacity x cycles per
Capital and operating costs
hour = productivity per year
Compatibility with existing
Broken rock properties (size,
equipment
density, swell, handling,
abrasiveness) Site availability of maintenance
and operating skills
Floor conditions
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