6.2.

PIT PLANING AND DESIGN

Open pit mining is a method of operating a Surface mine that is simple in concept
but complex in its cost and efficiency requirement. Recall the earlier discussion in
section 6.1 about the amount of waste mineral; it is evident that open pit mining
must be carefully planned and executed to keep unit costs to a minimum.
Accordingly, the average open pit mine is heavily engineered even be considered in
the initial planning. The following are based on information provides by
Atkinson(1983):

1. Natural and geologic factors: geologic conditions, ore types and grades,
hydrologic conditions, topography. Metallurgical characteristics, climate and
environmental variables of the site.
2. Economic factors: ore grade, ore tonnage, stripping ratio, cutoff grade,
operating cost, investment cost, desired profit margin, production rate,
processing and/or smelting cost and market conditions
3. Technological factors: equipment, pit slope, bench height, road grade,
property lines, transportation options and pit limits.

The pit planning team will most likely strive to optimize the pit design in respect to
the technological factors. Most of the other factors are beyond their control and
became part of the constraints.

The overall plan for the pit is them studied, including both the overall pit limit and
the sequence is conducted without disrupting production or cash flow, Mathieson
(1982) makes the point that the initial cash is very important, as the income
general during the first five or ten years of exploitation is more apt to make or
break the mine than the economics of the long-term mine plan. In this regard, he
lists a number of number of objectives that apply to pit planning in most open pit
operations:

1. Mine the ore body so that the production cost per lb.(kg) of metal is a
minimum (i.e., mine the “next best ore” to generate income as early as
possible)
2. Maintain proper operating parameters (adequate bench width and haul
roads)
3. Maintain sufficient exposure of ore to overcome miscalculations or delays in
drilling and basting.
 4. Defer stripping as long as possible without constraining equipment,
manpower, or the production schedule.
5. Follow logical and achievable star-up schedule (for training, equipment
procurement and deployment, etc.) that minimizes the risk delays in the
initial cash flow.
6. Maximize pit slope, while maintaining reasonably low likelihood of slope
failure (provide safe berms, employ good rock mechanics, implement good
slope monitoring systems, etc.).
7. Examine the economic merits of various production rates and cutoff grades.
8. Subject the favored choice of method, equipment and pit sequence to
exhaustive contingency planning before proceeding with development.

To accomplish these goals, the mine planning department may analyze the overall
economics of the deposit and is extraction using several different alternatives. Most
companies divide this task into the following three methods:

1. Long-range mine planning

2. Short-range mine planning
3. Production scheduling

The following sections outline these functions.

6.2.1 LONG-RANGE MINE PLANNING

There are no formal definitions for long-range mine planning, but common practice
is to apply this term to the general extraction plan for a mine with emphasis on the
entire life of the mine or a major portion thereof. To accomplish this task, the mine
is normally evaluated by dividing the deposit into relatively large geometric blocks
and assigning values to each block based on the estimated ore grade within it. The
possible extraction sequences are then analyzed to provide an estimate of the
overall pit limits and the gross sequence of exploitation. A long- term mine plan is
subject to change over the lifetime of the mine as the market and technological
conditions change. However, it forms the basic plan of attack on the deposit and is
important to the overall economic success of the mine.as a result, the long-range
plan should be updated at regular intervals.

Ordinarily, the long-range mine plan will result from the evaluation of many
possible pit limits, using the ore grades determined rom the exploration drillholes.
The economic determination of the maximum allowable stripping ratio ( SR max )
is generally used to determination the pit limits(Pana and Davey.1973). this ratio,
determined solely by economics, establishes the ultimate boundary of the pit
where breakeven occurs, that is, where the profit margin is zero. Mathematically, it
is computed as follows:

value of ore− productioncost

SR max=
stripping cost

The unit in this equation are normally $/ton($/tonne) in the numerator and $/
yd 3 ($/ m3 ) in the dominator. The SR max value is then provided in yd 3
/ton( m3 /tonne¿ . The numerator is often called the stripping allowance because
it represents the amount of income that can be applied to the stripping function
per ton(tonne) of ore mined without creating an economic loss.

In today’s world, a long-range plan is normally produced by computer software

that carefully evaluates all the block of ore in the deposit and determines which
contribute to the profitability of the mine. Figure 6.3 shows a three-dimensional
representation of an ultimate pit that may have been determined in a long-range
mining plan. However, because the market price of the minerals and the costs of
exploitation change over time, the ultimate pit limit determined in a long-range
plan is dynamic in nature. It is therefore necessary to update a long range plan
periodically to guide the overall mining process. Note alse that surface mining
profitability of a given deposit does not methods. It may be that the underground
methods are appropriate for the deposit if stripping ratios are high. In addition, it
may be economically optional to operate an open pit for the upper part of the ore
body and an underground mine for deeper portion of the ore zone. Nilsson(1992)
provides insights on methods of analyzing the surface-versus-underground
decision.

Illustration 1 computer simulation of pit boundaries of surface mine, three dimensional depiction.(by
permission from ACS Inc, Dallas, TX.)
6.2.2. short-range mine planning

Once a long-range surface mining plan has been completed, it is the ususal

practice to develop a series of short-range mining plants to better guide

the minig process (pana and davey, 1973). A short-term plan ordinarily

outlines a sequence of mining that dictates the blocks of ore and

overburden to be mined a few months to 10 or more years in advance. In

this plan. More attention is paid to better defining the ore and waste

blocks as to grade and metallurgical characteristics. Smaller blocks of ore

are normally utilized in this stage, and additional drillholes may be required

to better estimate the block grades. Computerized grade determination is

the norm; geostatistics may play an important part in the estimation of the

block grades.

In determining a short-term mining plan, several of the

objectives(Mathieson, 1982) listed in secction 6.2 will be key to the

process. Of particular interest will be maintaining cash flow, stripping

sufficiently ahead to keep new production faces available, and maintaining a

constant ore grade to the processing facilities. The sequencing of the ore
block is important, and the ability to analyze this problem may be quite

complex. Operations research techniques such as mathematical

programming, dynamic programming critical path scheduling and other

methods may be used o aid in the establishment of a short- term mine plan.

6.2.3. production scheduling

Although there is no universally accepted definiton of how a production

schedule differs from a short-range mine plan, thr term production

scheduling generally used to mean the assignment of production equipment

to blocks in the pit on an hour-to hour or shift-to-shift basic. Normally, the

production shedule is draw up for periods of less than a month or so, with

emphasis on what is to be accomplished in the next few shifts. The

production plan must work within the constraints of the short-range mine

plan and is altered daily, or more often, to accommodate changes in the

availability of the equipment and the new block of ore and waste that are

prepared for mining(Kim 1979).

Production sheduling is now more useful than ever before because of the

ability of mining companies to segregate mined material withi a given block

into various producets to be hauled to different destinations. This is

particularly true in metalliferous mining but is practiced in other mine

types as well. Scheduling at this level often requires improving the grade

estimates by analysis of the cuttings from the production drillholes,. This

allows a mine prodcution plan to divide the material broken in a blast into

several categories. For example the loader operator can identify ore, leach,

and waste material and load them into separate haulage vehicles. In

addition, the muck pile can be divided into subcategories to be processed in

different metallurgical recovery systems. Production scheduling becomes a

powerful tool when used in this manner.