Automated Open Pit Mine Design Optimizing Ore Recovery and Waste Volume
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Solution Overview
Problem
Open pit mine designs often require excessive waste removal, leading to increased costs and operational inefficiencies, as existing methods fail to optimize ore extraction while minimizing waste.
Innovation Solution
An automated open pit mine design system that utilizes a computer-based approach to generate designs with the least amount of waste removal necessary to retrieve the targeted ore, incorporating geological and engineering data to optimize slope information, haul road construction, and vehicle utilization, thereby reducing ancillary costs and ensuring structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional open pit mine design methods are used, then ore extraction can be achieved, but excessive waste removal is required leading to increased costs and operational inefficiencies
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of geological data, ore distribution, and waste characteristics before finalizing the mine design. By pre-calculating optimal pit configurations and waste removal paths, the system identifies designs that minimize waste removal while ensuring maximum ore recovery, thereby resolving the contradiction between ore extraction and waste removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The system varies multiple design parameters including pit shape, slope angles, bench heights, and waste dump locations to find the optimal configuration. By systematically changing these parameters and evaluating their impact on both ore recovery and waste removal, the system identifies configurations that maximize ore extraction while minimizing unnecessary waste removal.
2Quantity of substance
If more waste is removed to ensure complete ore retrieval, then ore recovery increases, but operational costs and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and identifies the minimum necessary waste removal required to access and extract all target ore. By determining optimal excavation sequences and waste removal paths in advance, the system eliminates unnecessary operational steps and reduces the time required for both waste removal and ore extraction operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system designs continuous ore extraction paths and minimizes interruptions in the mining process. By ensuring that ore retrieval operations can proceed continuously without unnecessary stops for repositioning equipment or navigating through excessive waste material, the system reduces operational time while maintaining high ore recovery rates.
3Quantity of substance
If aggressive mining designs are used to maximize ore extraction, then ore recovery increases, but structural integrity and safety are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system systematically varies slope angles, bench heights, and pit configuration parameters to identify the optimal balance between ore recovery and structural stability. By evaluating how each parameter change affects both extraction efficiency and slope stability, the system determines designs that maximize ore recovery while maintaining safe structural integrity throughout the mine lifecycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates stability analysis and geotechnical feedback into the design optimization process. By continuously evaluating slope stability, rock mass strength, and potential failure modes during the design phase, the system adjusts configurations to ensure structural integrity is maintained while achieving maximum ore recovery. This feedback mechanism prevents overly aggressive designs that would compromise safety.
Data Source
AI summary
An area-based open pit mine designer is disclosed. One example includes an economic shell receiver module to receive an economic shell. In addition, a user input module receives a user parametric input denoting an open pit mine shape based on the economic shell. The open pit mine designer module automatically develops an open pit mine design based on the user parametric input.