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.

当今采矿业的经济状况是这样的，主要的采矿公司正在增加大规模采矿方法的使用。这是该行业从传统露天矿向地下转移的一个步骤。因此，持续的研究必须通过创新来推动有前途的技术的极限仍然是这一领域研究的前沿。在可用的地下采矿方法中，崩落法因其低成本和高生产率而受到青睐。块洞开采是深露天矿关闭后继续运营的最佳解决方案之一;然而，由于影响收入、时间和成本的不利运营挫折，生产率可能会大幅下降。块体洞穴采矿作业对满足作业生产调度目标构成挑战。长期和中期计划的乐观沿着不确定性和操作层面失败的协同效应，导致生产计划目标发生重大偏离。另一方面，数据可用性和高计算能力的大幅提高，以及实时监控系统的创新，使采矿业的技术变革成为可能。 拟议的研究符合该倡议的目标，即避免项目中断，并制定可行和可靠的矿山开发计划，以吸引投资。拟议的研究计划建立在我们过去的研究和长期块洞矿山规划的调查结果，以制定一个综合框架，可以产生可行的，可靠的，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，法律的，和监管约束下运行。我们将在长期采矿计划和短期崩落法生产计划之间建立一致性，以便按计划实现采矿业务的战略目标。总体目标是将最佳战略采矿计划与短期生产计划联系起来，并荣誉所有技术采矿限制。这项研究直接有助于创造新的知识和创新技术的块洞短期生产规划。本研究的重点是应用运筹学，模拟和数据驱动的方法在地下矿山短期规划。预计这项研究将有助于负责任的资源开发，通过资源行业的原型开源软件应用程序向从业人员和最终用户转让知识。此外，这项研究将有助于培养高素质的矿业专业人员在加拿大的研究和实践，并将提供一种手段，以提高资源的经济效益和产品供应。