Optimizing longwall mine layouts
Before spending the time to design an underground mine in detail, the mining engineer should be assured of the economic viability of the location of the layout. This has historically been a trial-and-error, iterative process. Traditional underground mine planning usually bases the layout on the geological characteristics of a deposit such as minimum seam height, quality, and the absence of faults. Whether one attempts to make a decision manually. or use traditional mine planning software, the process works something like this: First you build geological model. Then you impose a {open_quotes}best guess{close_quotes} as to which geological layers will become part of the mined product, or will influence mining. Next you place your design where you believe is the best location to make a mine. Then you select equipment which you believe will cost-effectively mine the area. Finally, you schedule your equipment selection through the design over the mine life, run financial analyses and see if the rate of return is acceptable. If the NPV is acceptable, the design is accepted. If the NPV is not acceptable, the engineer has to restart the cycle of redesigning the layout, rescheduling the equipment, and restudying the economics again.
- OSTI ID:
- 414945
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960663-; TRN: 96:004650-0015
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Longwall USA: international exhibition and conference, Pittsburgh, PA (United States), 4-6 Jun 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Longwall - USA: International exhibition & conference; PB: 223 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Design of an underground mine layout
Handbook of Industrial Engineering Equations, Formulas, and Calculations