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SURFACE MINING
LECTURE 1 INTRODUCTION
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
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%
MEA Feb 2007 6of 26
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)
Waste
Waste
0.8% Cu0.6% Cu
Ore
Unmined Underground
Ore
Overburde
n
Ore
Advancing
Benche
s
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
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
MEA Feb 2007 13 of 26
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.
Dragline
Spoil
Piles
Coal Pit
Strip mine. Note dragline, coal pit, ramps, spoil piles, drill-blast next strip, pre strip RHS.
Underground layout. Note shaft, levels, incline and access between levels.
MEA Feb 2007 16 of 26
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)
MEA Feb 2007 17 of 26
BASIC QUALITATIVE APPROACH
SURFACE MINES
Any shape, any dip,
OPEN PIT MINING
thick, 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
Development
Pit
Initial Ore
2D
Final Pit
SECTION
VIEW
Ore body
Development
Pit
PLAN
VIEW Haul Process
Road Plant
Initial Ore
Workshop
Final Pit
Decline
Shaft
2D SECTION
VIEW
Initial Ore.
Development
of openings
to mine
ore.