Scribd
Upload
145 views

Surface Mining Lecture 1

This document provides definitions and explanations of key concepts related to surface mining technology. It begins by defining important terms like ore, exploration, development, production, resources and reserves. It then discusses factors that influence the selection of surface mining methods like the ore body characteristics and overburden handling methodology. Specific methods covered include open pit mining, strip mining, terrace mining and the unit operations involved. Key considerations for open pit mine design such as bench geometry and haul roads are also outlined.

Uploaded by

George Mudzimu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
145 views

Surface Mining Lecture 1

This document provides definitions and explanations of key concepts related to surface mining technology. It begins by defining important terms like ore, exploration, development, production, resources and reserves. It then discusses factors that influence the selection of surface mining methods like the ore body characteristics and overburden handling methodology. Specific methods covered include open pit mining, strip mining, terrace mining and the unit operations involved. Key considerations for open pit mine design such as bench geometry and haul roads are also outlined.

Uploaded by

George Mudzimu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 40

SURFACE MINING TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

1
THE MEANING OF ORE
• What is the definition of ore?
• What must be done when Profit < 0?
• Ore → Profit →Jobs.
Some important definitions
• Exploration
– The search of a mineral deposit and the subsequent investigation of any
deposit found until an ore body has been established (if it exists).
• 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.
• Production
– The mining of ores, and as required, the subsequent processing into products
ready for marketing.
Important definitions contd…
• Resource
– Concentration of naturally occurring matter in and/or on the Earth’s
crust such that its form and/or amount renders its economic extraction
to be currently or potentially feasible.
Important definitions contd…
• Measured resource
– Detailed sampling (i.e. Through analysing outcrops, trenches,
workings and diamond drilling) is done to compute grade and tonnage
of the mineralisation. The sites for inspection, sampling and
measurements are so closely spaced that the geological character is
well defined. Therefore size, shape, depth and mineral content are
well established.
Important definitions contd…
• Indicated resource
– Tonnage and grade are computed from data similar to that used for
Measure Resources but the sites of inspection, sampling and
measurements are farther apart or are less adequately spaced. Despite
the lower geological confidence than that for Measured Resource, it is
still high enough to assume geological continuity between observation
points.
Important definitions contd…
• Inferred resources
– Estimates may not be supported by sampling/measurements but the
inference must be supported by reasonable geo-scientific data (i.e.
geological, geochemical, geophysical etc.). The assumed geological
continuity is of a lower confidence than for measured and indicated
resources.
Important definitions contd…
• Reserve
– That part of the resource that meets minimum physical and
mineralogical criteria related to the specified mining and production
practices such that it can be economically and legally extracted at the
time of determination. It also signifies that extraction facilities are
in place and operative.
Important definitions contd…
• Proven reserve
– That part of a measured resource that satisfies the conditions to be
classified as a reserve.
• Probable reserve
– That part of an indicated resource that satisfies the conditions to be
classified as a reserve.
Fundamental considerations in selection of Surface
Mining methods
• Ore body type, size, shape, orientation and depth below
surface.
• Overburden waste handling methodology (i.e. in-pit or ex-pit).
• Material conveyance systems (i.e. continuous or
discontinuous/cyclic).
• The objective is to determine the most cost-effective extraction
method which maximises resource utilisation, safety and
health.
Stripping Ratio
• It is defined as:

• Stripping ratios do not remain constant over the entire mine life
because they are affected by production schedules and geology
of both ore and waste.
• Material mined = 5.4 million tonnes per yr. And 2.1 million
tonnes is send for processing. What's the SR? 1.57
• (5.4-2.1)/2.1
Break-even stripping ratio
• It is given by:

Where: F = Percentage of ore mined that is eventually sold


(%);
r = Selling price per tonne of ore;
A = Costs of excavating one tonnage of ore;
B = Costs of excavating one tonnage of waste.
Break even stripping ratio
• It establishes the ultimate limits of mining.
• The overall stripping ratio must be less than the BESR.
Open Pit Mining (OPM)
• Definition:
– Near-surface excavation of an ore deposit using one or more
horizontal benches, to extract the ore, while dumping overburden and
tailings at a dedicated site outside the final pit boundary.
Typical deposits amenable to OPM
• Surface or near-surface;
• Characteristically large deposits with low stripping ratios (i.e. minimal
amount of waste has to be moved to expose the ore body);
• Morphology:
– Stratabound, Stratiform (e.g. Western Australia Iron and Zambian copper belt
deposits);
– Diatremes typical of Kimberlites (e.g Jwaneng in Bostwana, Murowa in
Zimbabwe);
– Carbonatites (e.g. Palabora in South Africa);
– Stockworks (e.g. Kalgoorlie in Western Australia).
Multiple operations in an OPM
Chuquicamata Pit (Chile)
Udachny Pit (Russia)
Typical OPM Geometry
Types of Benches
• Benches:
– Working benches are those which are in the process of being excavated;
– Inactive benches are remnants of working benches left to maintain pit slope
stability;
– Catch benches are those which are left between main benches to prevent
cascading material from compromising safety in active areas of operation.
• Bench heights typically lie around 15m, while bench widths vary.
• However, these dimensions are mainly dictated by equipment size
and type of bench.
Working Bench Width
• Working benches should at least be wide enough to
accommodate the turning radius of the largest haul truck plus
safety berm (a.k.a. windrows).
• However, ideally the working bench should be wide enough to
allow the largest haul trucks to clear the excavator under full
acceleration (i.e. 2.5 dimensional widths of the widest mobile
equipment at the mine).
Catch bench width
• Typically ranges between 3m to 5m but can vary with overall
bench height.
• A small catch berm (1m to 1.5m in width) is usually included at
the edge of the catch bench to improve its effectiveness of
containing bench-scale rockfalls.
Safety berm height
• The acceptable practice is a height equal to the axle height of
the largest truck or at least half of the wheel height.
• This will adequately stop backing over the edge of a crest.
Haul roads
• A key element of an OPM. Provides main haulage route of ore
and waste from active areas to the pit rim and beyond.
• 2 types: Zig-zag and Spiral Haul Roads
Mining method selection methodology
Unit operations of surface mining methods
• Preparing the surface
• Drilling
• Blasting
• Overburden removal
• Loading the deposit
• Haulage of the mined deposit
• rehabilitation
Strip mining
• Definition:
– Commonly referred to as Opencast mining, is the systematic and
selective extraction of overburden and mineralised zones which have
near-surface depth and shallow dip angle.
Deposits amenable to Strip mining
• Shallow and low dip angle tabular deposits (e.g. coal seams).
• Relatively horizontal mineralisation while the strike length is
wide enough to allow mining to be done in a series of strips or
cuts.
Strip mining terminology
Stripping with dragline and rope shovel
Overburden handling by dragline
Terrace mining
• Definition:
– It is a modification of Strip mining which uses benches or terraces to
reach deeper and more complex ore bodies in order to systematically
extract the mineralised zones through the use of equipment such as
shovels, bucket wheel excavators and intermediate cyclic/continuous
transport.
Deposits amenable to Terrace mining

• Thicker overburden.
• Dipping, faulted seams.
• Multiple seams.
• In all situations which make dragline side casting complicated.
Terrace mining terminology
BUCKET SHOVEL
BUCKET WHEEL EXCAVATOR
BUCKET WHEEL EXCAVATOR
Dump truck

You might also like