ORIGINAL PAPER
Simultaneous integrated optimization for underground mine planning: application and risk analysis of geological uncertainty in a gold deposit
1
University of Science and Technology Beijing, China
Submission date: 2018-10-14
Final revision date: 2019-01-12
Acceptance date: 2019-01-28
Publication date: 2019-06-28
Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi – Mineral Resources Management 2019;35(2):153-174
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
Optimization of resources and reserves managementEffective mineral deposits exploitationStrategy and methodology of mineral prospecting and exploration
ABSTRACT
The main optimized objects in underground mines include: stope layout, access layout and production
scheduling. It is common to optimize each component sequentially, where optimal results
from one phase are regarded as the input data for the next phase. Numerous methods have been developed
and implemented to achieve the optimal solution for each component. In fact, the interaction
between different phases is ignored in the tradition optimization models which only get the suboptimal
solution compared to the integrated optimization model. This paper proposes a simultaneous
integrated optimization model to optimize the three components at the same time. The model not
only optimizes the mining layout to maximize the Net Present Value (NPV), but also considers the
extension sequence of stope extraction and access excavation. The production capacity and ore quality
requirement are also taken into account to keep the mining process stable in all mine life. The model
is validated to a gold deposit in China. A two-dimensional block model is built to do the resource estimation
due to the clear boundary of the hanging wall and footwall. The thickness and accumulation of
each block is estimated by Ordinary Kriging (OK). In addition, the conditional simulation method is
utilized to generate a series of orebodies with equal possibility. The optimal solution of optimization
model is carried out on each simulated orebody to evaluate the influence of geological uncertainty on
the optimal mining design and production scheduling. The risk of grade uncertainty is quantified by
the possibility of obtaining the expected NPV. The results indicate that the optimization model has
the ability to produce an optimal solution that has a good performance under the uncertainty of grade
variability.
METADATA IN OTHER LANGUAGES:
Polish
Zintegrowany model optymalizacji planowania robót górniczych w podziemnych kopalniach: analiza ryzyka i niepewności geologicznej w złożach złota
kopalnia podziemna, planowanie robót górniczych, zintegrowana optymalizacja, niepewność geologiczna, programowanie całkowitoliczbowe
Główne optymalizowane obiekty w kopalniach podziemnych to parametry struktury przodka
wybierkowego, optymalnego udostępnienia oraz planowanie robót górniczych. Powszechne jest optymalizowanie każdego komponentu po kolei, przy czym optymalne wyniki jednej fazy są uważane
za dane wejściowe dla następnej. Opracowano i wdrożono wiele metod w celu uzyskania optymalnego
rozwiązania dla każdego komponentu. W rzeczywistości interakcja między różnymi fazami
jest ignorowana w tradycyjnych modelach optymalizacji, które prowadzą do nieoptymalnych
rozwiązań w porównaniu ze zintegrowanym modelem optymalizacji. Niniejszy artykuł przedstawia
zintegrowany model optymalizacji optymalizujący trzy komponenty w tym samym czasie. Model
nie tylko optymalizuje układ wydobywczy, aby zmaksymalizować wartość bieżącą netto (NPV),
ale także uwzględnia parametry przodka wybierkowego oraz wkopu udostępniającego złoże. Aby
utrzymać proces wydobycia na stałym poziomie przez cały czas trwania eksploatacji, pod uwagę
brane są również zdolności produkcyjne oraz wymagania dotyczące jakości rudy. Omawiany model
jest opracowany na potrzeby złoża złota w Chinach. Powstały dwuwymiarowy model blokowy do
oszacowania zasobów ze względu na wyraźną granicę między skrzydłem wiszącym a spągowym.
Grubość i akumulacja każdego bloku jest szacowana za pomocą krigingu zwyczajnego (OK). Dodatkowo
wykorzystywana jest warunkowa symulacja w celu generowania szeregu złóż rudy. Optymalny
model optymalizacji jest przeprowadzany na każdym symulowanym złożu w celu oceny wpływu
niepewności geologicznej na optymalne planowanie robót górniczych i produkcji. Ryzyko odnośnie
do niepewności jakości złoża jest kwantyfikowane przez możliwość uzyskania oczekiwanej wartości
bieżącej netto (NPV). Wyniki wskazują, że model optymalizacji ma zdolność do tworzenia optymalnego
rozwiązania w warunkach niepewności.
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