Advanced Analytics for Mining Method Selection

CHAPTER DESCRIPTION

The selection of the mining method is one of the most crucial decisions in the design stage of mine that mining engineers have to make. Selecting a mining method for mineral resources is completely dependent on the uncertain geometrical and geological characteristics of the resource. It is necessary to the unique characteristics of each mineral resource be taken into account to select the suitable mining method for the extraction of a certain resource so that the utilized method would have the maximum technical-operational congruence with the geological and geometrical conditions of the mineral resource. To make the right decision on mining method selection, all effective criteria related to the problem should be taken into account. Increasing the number of evaluation criteria in the decision-making problem makes the problem more complex, but also the rightness of the decision increases. Therefore, there is a need for alternative methods, which can consider all known criteria related to surface and underground mining methods selection in the decision-making process. The sensitivity of this decision has led to different solutions introduced by different researchers. Advanced analytics has been introduced as one of the practical tools to decide to select the mining method. This chapter provides a comprehensive investigation of the use of advanced data analytics to compare the underground and surface mining methods. This investigation can open a new door in Infront of mining engineers and managers to make better decisions to select the mining method.

CHAPTER CONTENT

• Introduction to Mining Method Selection
• Evaluation of Mining Methods and Systems
• Mining Methods Classification System
• Selection Process for Hard-Rock Mining
• Selection Process for Underground Soft-Rock Mining
• Comparison of Underground Mining Methods
• Comparison of Surface Mining Methods
• Summary