Life cycle impacts assessment of two gold extraction systems in Colombia: open-pit and alluvial mining

Purpose: Gold mining has historically and significantly contributed to the Colombian economy. Gold extraction in Colombia is mainly done through two techniques: open-pit and alluvial mining. In this study, the environmental impacts of both these mining systems were analyzed using the life cycle assessment (LCA) framework, including...

Stochastic analysis of dig limit optimization using simulated annealing

The results of dig limit delineation in open pit mining are never truly optimized due to gaps in the underlying data, such as insufficient sampling. Aside from the data uncertainty, there is also an influence on the final dig limit by either humans or by the heuristic character of an optimization method like simulated annealing. Several dig...

Development of a 3D Image Analysis Method to Measure Blast-Induced Fragmentation at the Leveäniemi Mine

The first size reduction stage in open pit hard rock mining is blasting and is fundamental for mineral resource extraction as it enables transportation of the rock. Consistent frag-mentation results are preferable as it can ease the loading, hauling and crushing stages. Fragmentation analysis assists in identifying areas where similar blast...

Dig-limit Optimization: Mixed Integer Linear Programming for grade control in open-pit mining

In open-pit mining on a bench level, the dig-limit optimization problem is deciding whether to classify a Selective Mining Unit(SMU) as waste or whether to classify it as ore. SMU’s with high ore grades are profitable for the mining operation, but due to equipment size a whole frame of SMU’s has to be classified as either ore or waste. In this...

Study on the Impact of Trolley Assisted Haul Trucks on Strategic Mine Planning in Open Pit Mines

Trolley assist is a system in which haul trucks in open pit mines are propelled by electric energy along a designated haul road segment. This can lead to high savings on fuel costs, productivity, CO2 emission and engine life, but is associated with limitations on mine planning. The purpose of this thesis is to determine how trolley assist can be...