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)