MINE PLANNING AND

DESIGN
LECTURE 1
INTRODUCTION

MINING ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT – MINE PLANNING AND DESIGN

2023
Course Obejctives And Outcomes
By the end of the course you should be able to:
• Understand the geological orebody modelling process as a basis for
mine planning and design
• Understand the open pit optimisation and design process
• Understand the underground planning and design process
• Ascertain the technical and economic viability of mining projects
• Come up with practical mining schedules from which the long term,
medium term and short term production plans are derived

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 Roles and tasks of a Mine Planninng
Engineer
• Design, plan and schedule the exploitation of a deposit
• Mine the resource at optimal volumes and grades at the lowest cost
possible while maintaining the strategic/ business plan of the company
Routine Tasks
▪ Producing short, medium, long term mineral extraction layout and
production schedules, which incluse resources and equipement
requirements
▪ Determine the risk associated with the execution of the short and medium
term mine plans
▪ Analyse production results againt planned schedules and recommending
corrective action (reconciliation)

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 Required Resources

• Hartman, HL, 2002. Introductory Mining Engineering, 2nd edition. Wiley, New York.
• Hustrulid, W and Kuchta, M, 2006. Open Pit Mine Planning & Design, Balkema, Rotterdam.
• Kennedy, BA (ed.), 1990. Surface Mining, 2nd edition, SME, Littleton, Colorado, USA. ISBN 0–87335–102–9.
• Noakes, M and Lanz, T. 1993. Cost Estimation Handbook for the Australian Mining Industry, Monograph No:
20/ Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
• Hustrulid, WA, and Bullock, R. (eds.), 2001. Underground Mining Methods: Engineering Fundamentals and
International Case Studies, SME, Littleton, USA.
• Gertsch, RE and Bullock, RL (eds.), 1998. Techniques in Underground Mining, SME, Littleton, USA. • Malone,
E. 2011 The Cadia Valley Mines – A Mining Success Story. The AusIMM Spectrum Series 19.
• Kennedy, BA., Editor, 1990. Surface Mining, 2nd edition, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration,
Littleton, Colorado. ISBN 0–87335–102–9
• Rankin, WJ. (ed) 2013. The Sir Maurice Mawby Memorial Volume Third Edition, Vol1 & 2. The AusIMM.

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 Basic Definitions

1.ORE
• A nautural aggregation of one or more solid minerals that can be mined, processed and
sold at a profit. ( Hustrulid et al 2013)
• The materials within a mineralised body that is to be extracted and treated from the
remainder or the material extracted for treatment. (Lane 1988)
• The key concept is « EXTRACTION FOR PROFIT »
• The cut off grade ensures the material to be extracted will lead to profit
Profits = Revenues – Cost
Revenues = Materials sold (units) x Price/ unit
Costs = Materials sold (units) x Cost/ unit
Profits = Materials sold (units) x (Price/ unit - Cost/ unit)
Ore ≡ Profits ≡ Jobs

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 Basic Definotions
2. EXPLORATION
• The search for mineral deposits (prospecting) and the subsequent
investigation of any deposit found until and orebody have been established
3. DEVELOPMENT
• Work done on a mineral deposit, after exploration has disclosed ore in
sufficient quantity and quality to justify extraction, in order to make the
ore available for mining
4. PRODUCTION
• The mining of ores, and as required, the subsequent processing or
extracted ore into products ready for marketing
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 Basic Definitions
5. POLICY
• Decison made in every period (i.e decison on cut off grade is a cutoff grade policy). Important operating policies include those to do with
material quantités to be moved, mill grinding size etc
• if a decision remain unchanged, it is a constant policy, if not it is a variable policy
6. STRATEGY
• A group of policies
7. OPTIMIZATION PROCESS
• A way of making decisions to achieve project objectives
• eg : A cut of grade optmization process will optmise the cutoff grade policy so that the NPV is maximised
• Note: decisions, policies and strategies are optmised (not maximised) and NPV or Cash flow is maximised
8. STRATEGIC PLANNING
• The process of making a number of operating decisions over the project life in order to achieve project objectives

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Mine Planning Principles

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Mine Planning Phases

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Mine Planning Phases

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Conceptual Map

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Visit the provided handouts
and check the refered books
for more information
Thank you