Abstract
It is important for the team members of any mining project, particularly the decision makers, to have a clear understanding of the mine design process and the stages of mine development. This course reviews and discusses the principles of open pit mine design, using examples and practice exercises. Some of the most important aspects of mine design are introduced and explained.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course begins by explaining the stages of mining projects and is followed by defining strategic mine planning as a crucial evaluation tool for open pit projects. It demonstrates how, by using strategic mine planning techniques, it is possible to uncover project opportunities and risks.
Open pit mine design techniques are introduced including the Lerchs-Grossmann (LG) pit optimization algorithm. Design input parameters and constraints for mine design are introduced and explained. The effect of input parameters on the economics of projects is explored. Additional concepts introduced are mill production rate determination, mining dilution, cut-off grade analysis, stockpiling, mine production scheduling, and NPV optimization. Some of the topics include case studies and examples of real-life projects. To further develop a good understanding of the concepts, example exercises will be undertaken in the workshop. So please bring your laptop to class.
OBJECTIVES:
This course will help you and your team achieve the following objectives:
- Learn the principles of pit optimization and mine planning for those who are involved in the decision-making process for mining projects.
- Become familiar with the procedures, terms, conditions, limits, and critical inputs of mine design.
- Help readers of technical reports and investors better understand and interpret mine design reports.
- Discuss key mine design terms and concepts (e.g., best case, worst case, base case, cut-off and cut-over grade, strip ratio, metal equivalent, and dilution).
- Review and discuss certain mine design techniques (e.g., LG algorithm and production scheduling).
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
- Engineers and geologists involved in mining projects
- Managers and directors of exploration and mining companies
- Bankers, financial professionals, and investors
- Project managers who are not familiar with mine design
“TAKE-AWAYS”
- Understanding the steps of open pit mine design
- Becoming familiar with the procedures, terms, conditions, limits, and critical inputs
- Grasping a bigger picture of the stages for open pit mine development
- Gaining a better understanding of fundamental concepts in mine design such as cut-off grade, dilution and optimization
- An excel file to practice with