Optimization study of a Surface Mine and Grade Monitoring using SURPAC

Abstract

As the world is developing, the raw materials demand has been increasing day by day. To fulfill both supply and demand, a more technologically advanced and automated method of production is required. Since the raw materials are nonrenewable and have taken million years to form, so these resources should be used rationally, and maximum level of extraction should be acquired with least mining waste side by side maintaining all safety and regulations judiciously. This paper aims at estimating the reserve of a typical iron ore mine using different techniques, such as solid modeling and block modeling techniques. Different optimization methods are used for monitoring the grade of the ore body by using SURPAC software. Moreover, the ultimate pit limit has also been determined with the help of which the shape of the pit has been optimized using different slice plans through this software so that the pit does not cross the lease boundary of the mine. Besides this an attempt has been made to mine the blocks of the ore body graphically followed by generation of a work order in which the required tonnage of ore production ordered by the mine management can be fulfilled at any point of time during the development of the pit.