The invention discloses a method for determining surface mine exploiting limit, and belongs to the field of mine exploiting design. The method comprises the steps that 1, the economic reasonable stripping ratio is determined according to the economic rationality; 2, feasibility, safety and reliability of the technology serve as principles, and open mine final slope forming elements are determined according to existing design specifications and safety procedures; 3, on a topographical and geological map and a geological section map of a deposit serving as a design basis, an upper port of an open mine final realm is delimitated along a mining right range line, and the mining right range line forms a bench edge of a first step; 4, according to the open mine slope forming elements determined in the second step, the steps are delimitated in sequence from top to bottom; 5, in the process of delimitating the final exploiting realm, the exploiting realm is optimized, and meanwhile a transportation system L is arranged and exploited; 6, the layered ore-rock volume and the average stripping ratio Np in the open mine exploiting realm are calculated. The method for determining the surface mine exploiting limit reduces workload, the design efficiency is high, the method is simple, and the practicability is good.