A Theoretical Paradigm Shift for Compliance of Strategic and Short-term Block Caving Mine Plans towards Sustainable Mineral Development

战略和短期崩落采矿计划合规性的理论范式转变，实现可持续矿产开发

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-03276
• 负责人: Pourrahimian, Yashar
• 金额: $ 1.89万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=749098
• 关键词: Theoretical; Paradigm; Shift; Compliance; Strategic

The economics of today's mining industry is such that the major mining companies are increasing the use of massive mining methods. It is a step-change for the industry, from the traditional open-pit to a move underground. Therefore, continuous research must push the limits of promising technologies by innovation remains the forefront of research in this area. Among the underground mining methods available, caving methods are favored because of their low cost and high production rates. Block-cave mining is one of the best solutions for continuing the operation after shutting down the mine in deep open-pit mines; however, the production rate can drastically decrease due to adverse operational setbacks affecting revenue, time, and cost. A block cave mining operation constitutes challenges to meet operational production scheduling targets. The optimistic long-term and medium-term plans along with uncertainty and the synergistic effect of the failures in operational levels, cause a significant deviation from production plan targets. On the other hand, the substantial increase in data availability and high-computing power, and innovations in real-time monitoring systems enable the technological transformation of the mining industry. The proposed research aligns with the initiative's objective to avoid project disruptions and create feasible and reliable mine development plans to attract investment. The proposed research program builds on our past research and findings on long-term block-cave mine planning to develop an integrated framework that can produce feasible, reliable, and achievable block-cave mine plans to avoid project disruptions; improve operational efficiencies to generate maximum economic returns; and operate within acceptable social, legal, and regulatory constraints. We will establish alignment between long-term mine plans and short-term production scheduling in block caving so that the strategic objectives of the mining operation can be realized as planned. The overall objective is to link the optimal strategic mine plans to short-term production schedules and to honor all the technical mining constraints. This research directly contributes to creating new knowledge and innovative technologies for block-cave short-term production planning. This research focuses on applications of operations research, simulation, and data-driven approaches in underground mine short-term planning. It is anticipated that this research will contribute to responsible resource development by transferring knowledge to practitioners and end-users through prototype open-source software applications in the resources industry. Also, this research will contribute to training highly qualified mining professionals for research and practice in Canada and will provide a means to enhance resource economic performance and product supply.

当今采矿业的经济学是，主要的采矿公司正在增加大规模采矿方法的使用。从传统的开放位置到地下移动，这是一个行业的步骤变化。因此，持续的研究必须通过创新来推动有前途的技术的局限性，仍然是该领域研究的最前沿。在可用的地下采矿方法中，由于其低成本和高生产率而受到洞穴方法的青睐。在将深处矿山关闭矿山后，块洞挖掘是继续操作的最佳解决方案之一。但是，由于影响收入，时间和成本的不利运营挫折，生产率可能会大大降低。块洞穴采矿业务构成了满足运营生产计划目标的挑战。乐观的长期和中期计划以及不确定性以及操作水平上的失败的协同作用，导致与生产计划目标的显着偏差。另一方面，数据可用性和高计算能力的大幅增加以及实时监控系统中的创新实现了采矿业的技术转变。 拟议的研究符合该计划避免项目中断的目标，并制定可行可靠的矿山开发计划以吸引投资。拟议的研究计划基于我们过去的研究和关于长期砌块式矿山计划的发现，计划开发一个综合框架，该框架可以产生可行，可靠且可实现的块洞矿山计划，以避免项目中断；提高运营效率以产生最大的经济回报；并在可接受的社会，法律和法规限制内运作。我们将建立长期矿山计划与短期生产计划之间的一致性，以便可以按计划实现采矿业务的战略目标。总体目标是将最佳战略矿山计划与短期生产计划联系起来，并尊重所有技术采矿限制。这项研究直接有助于创建新知识和创新技术，以用于洞穴短期生产计划。这项研究重点是在地下矿山短期计划中采用操作研究，模拟和数据驱动方法的应用。可以预料，这项研究将通过资源行业的原型开源软件应用程序将知识转移给从业人员和最终用户，从而为负责任的资源开发做出贡献。此外，这项研究将有助于培训高素质的采矿专业人员在加拿大的研究和实践，并将提供一种增强资源经济绩效和产品供应的手段。