Chapter 4

Determination of the Size and

Shape of the Open Pit Mine
Dr.Ohn Thaik
Professor
Department of Mining Engineering
 Introduction
• Ore Reserve
• the ultimate (final) pit limits
• Techniques used in designing an ultimate pit
(1) hand methods,
(2) computer methods, and
(3) computer assisted hand methods
• The size and shape of the pit depends upon
economic factors and design/production
constraints.
 Data for designing an Ultimate Pit
• (1) vertical sections, (2) horizontal sections for
each level, (3) stripping curve, (4) bench
height,(5) bank slope angle between levels, (6)
level berm width, (7) roadway width, (8) pit
slope angles at ultimate pit limits (estimated
average including roads and ramps and
between roads and ramps), and (9) minimum
width of pit bottom.
Hand Method
 Basic Concepts

Figure. Cross-section through an idealized orebody.

• the width of the slice has been selected as 1.4
units (u) and the thickness of the section (into
the page) as 1 unit. Beginning with strip 1 the
volumes of waste (Vw) and ore (Vo) are
calculated. The volumes are:
• Assuming that the net value from selling one unit volume of ore (that money
remaining after all expenses have been paid) is $1.90 and the cost for mining and
disposing of the waste is $1/unit volume, the net value for strip 1 is

Figure. Diagrammatic representation of the final pit outline on this section

• If the process is now repeated for strips 2, 3
and 4, the results are as given below:
• the net value changes from (+) to (−) as the pit
is expanded. For strip 3, the net value is just
about zero. This pit position is termed
‘breakeven’ since the costs involved in mining
the strip just equal the revenues. It is the
location of the final pit wall.
• The breakeven stripping ratio which is strictly
applied at the wall is
• Since the net value of 1 unit of ore is $1.90
and the cost for 1 unit of waste is $1, one can
mine 1.9 units of waste to recover 1 unit of
ore

Figure. Final pit outline showing ore-waste distribution

• The overall stripping ratio (OSR) for this
section is calculated as

This is compared to the instantaneous stripping ratio at the pit

boundary
ISR (pit limit) = 1.9
The OSR must always be less than the ISR (pit limit).
The net value for the section (assuming unit thickness) is
NV = Ore area × Net ore value −Waste area ×Waste removal cost
= B × $1.90 − A × $1 = 62 × $1.90 − 50 × $1 = $68
Figure.Stripping ratio – ore grade curve used for pit limit determinations
(Koskiniemi, 1979)
Figure. Pit limit determination with bottom in waste (Koskiniemi, 1979).
• Bottom in waste: pit limit guess #1 (Line G1)
• Bottom in waste: pit limit guess #2 (Line G2).
• Bottom in waste: pit limit guess #3 (Line G3)
• Bottom in waste: pit limit guess #4 (Line G4)