Numerical Modeling of Variability Through Mining, Extraction and Tailings Management

所有加拿大人都希望以可持续和负责任的方式保护和发展自然资源。对加拿大和阿尔伯塔当地利益特别重要的是麦克默里地层的油砂。采矿工程历来关注的是探明储量并从经济上最优地开采这些储量。进入加工设施的材料的管理是重要的，但废物流的管理也越来越重要。尾矿池中必须有空间存放这些材料。污染物的浓度，固体的大小分布，材料的强度和其他特性必须被理解和管理。这需要工程和其他学科的广泛交叉。本研究处于地球科学表征与工程设计的交叉领域：地质变异性的量化及其贯穿整个过程的传递。本建议的重点是计算适合管理采矿作业中所有输入和输出物料流的数值模型。将处理场地的具体特征，包括法规要求、数据收集、信息价值和优化规划，以确保满足所有约束条件。

Natural resources are an endowment that all Canadians wish to preserve and develop in a sustainable and responsible manner. Of particular importance to Canada and local interest to Alberta are the oil sands of the McMurray Formation. Mining engineering has historically focused on understanding the reserves and economically optimal extraction of those reserves. The management of the material entering processing facilities is important, but the management of the waste streams is of increasing importance. There has to be room for the material in tailings ponds. Concentrations of contaminants, the size distribution of the solids, the strength of the material and other properties must be understood and managed. This calls on a wide cross section of engineering and other disciplines. This research lies in the interdisciplinary region between geoscientific characterization and engineering design: the quantification of geological variability and the transfer of that through the entire process. The focus of this proposal is the calculation of numerical models that are suitable for management of all input and output material streams in a mining operation. Site specific characteristics will be addressed including regulatory requirements, data collection, value of information, and optimization of planning to ensure all constraints are met. The anticipated outcomes of the proposal are primarily peer reviewed scholarly publications presenting methodologies for managing mined material through the entire process, improved multivariate geostatistical modeling techniques, case studies demonstrating multistream mine management and decision making under uncertainty. Equally important outcomes are the highly qualified students and researchers who will move into university positions, research labs and company settings to continue implementation and undertake further research. This research will be important to senior technical staff at mine operations, other researchers and government regulators. The innovative developments planned in this proposal will provide a framework for improved resource management, short and long term mine planning, and anticipating and mitigating against plant upsets. These developments will provide tangible economic benefits to mine operators and to Canada. The research will primarily benefit the mining industry; however, other industries such as the upstream oil and gas, environmental and hydrogeologic fields are likely to adapt certain results in research and application.