A fast stockpile simulation engine and its application in mineral ore handling

This paper presents structures and principles of a fast stockpile simulation engine that enhances automatic material process by providing accurate digital information of material quality distribution within stockpiles. Compared with traditional measurement-based approaches, our simulation technology reduces operation cost by eliminating frequent physical measuring; improves operation accuracy through all-time whole-area contour simulation (instead of measuring a few positions of material layers now and then); and speeds the process through fast simulation and instant response to quality information query. Based on simplified grain dynamics and cellular automata models, the technology can achieve real-time/super-real-time simulation, which is critical to be adopted by the industry. Application of the technology in analyzing mineral ores handling is also discussed.Tien-Fu Lu and Shihong X