Production Scheduling and Waste Disposal Planning for Oil Sands Mining Using Goal Programming

In oil sands mining, timely provisions of ore and tailings containment with less environmental footprints are the main drivers of profitability and sustainability. The recent Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board Directive 074 requires oil sands waste disposal planning to be an integral part of mine planning. This requires the development of a well integrated strategy of directional mining and tailings dyke construction for in-pit and ex-pit tailings storage management. The objectives of this paper are to: 1) determine the order and time of extraction of ore, dyke material and waste that maximizes the net present value; 2) determine the destination of dyke material that minimizes construction cost; and 3) minimize deviations from the production goals of the mining operation. We have developed, implemented, and verified a theoretical optimization framework based on mixed integer linear goal programming (MILGP) to address these objectives. This study presents an integration of mixed integer linear programming and goal programming in solving large scale mine planning optimization problems using clustering and pushback techniques. Application of the MILGP model was presented with an oil sands mining case. The MILGP model generated a smooth and uniform mining schedule that generates value and provides a robust framework for effective waste disposal planning. The results show that mining progresses with an ore to waste ratio of 1:1.5 throughout the mine life, generating an overall net present value of $14,237M. This approach improves the sustainable development of oil sands through better waste management

Production Scheduling of an Open-pit Mining Complex with Waste Dump Constraints

The research work aims to solve the production scheduling problem for open pit mining complexes. It establishes a Mixed-Integer Programming (MIP) model that maximises the net present value of future cash flows and satisfies reserve, production capacity, mining block precedence, waste disposal, stockpiling, and pit sequence constraints. The model is validated and implemented with real-world case

Incorporating cut-off grade optimization and stockpiling into oil sands production scheduling and waste management.

In achieving maximum benefit in oil sands mining, the long-term production schedule should have the time and sequence of removing ore, dyke material and waste from the final pit limit. An optimum cut-off grade profile and stockpiling will ensure the segregation between these materials meet economic and regulatory requirements. In-pit waste management strategy for oil sands mining requires dyke construction to occur simultaneously with the advancement of mining operations. This research seeks to determine: 1) the optimum life of mine cut-off grade profile and its corresponding tonnages; 2) the time and sequence for removal of ore, dyke material and waste to maximize NPV; 3) the dyke material schedule for dyke construction to minimize construction costs; and 4) the associated impacts of stockpiling and stockpile reclamation with limited time duration. Cut-off grade optimization was used to generate an optimum grade schedule which specifies the cut-off grade, duration of mining of the grade and tonnage mined during the mine life. A heuristic framework, referred to as the Integrated Cut-Off Grade Optimization (ICOGO) model was developed in this research. It generates an optimum cut-off grade policy and a schedule for mining ore and waste, as well as overburden, interburden and tailings coarse sand dyke material for long-term production planning. Subsequently, a mathematical programming framework based on Mixed Integer Linear Goal Programming (MILGP) model was developed to generate a detailed production schedule for removal of ore, waste and dyke materials from the final pit limit. Stockpiling scenarios investigated during the study include: i) no stockpiling; ii) stockpiling and reclaiming at the end of mine life; and iii) stockpiling for one year or two years prior to reclamation. The developed models were applied to two oil sands case studies to maximize the Net Present Value (NPV) of the operations. In both case studies, the NPV generated by the ICOGO model for one year stockpiling scenario was higher than other stockpiling scenarios. For the MILGP the NPV generated for the two year stockpiling scenario was higher than the one year stockpiling scenario. In comparison, whereas the ICOGO model solved the optimization problem faster, the MILGP model results provide detailed mining-cut extraction sequencing for mining.Master of Science (MSc) in Natural Resources Engineerin

Information Systems and Technology as Strategic Business Partner: Using the Business Disruption Impact Assessment Methodology to Uncover Teck Highland Valley Copper\u27s Technology Needs

There is a consensus that Information Systems and Technology (IS+T) needsto become a partner of the business by understanding its needs and expectations and offering solutions that create value. At Teck’s Highland Valley Copper (THVC)—one of Teck’s largest mines and Copper producer mixed perceptions about the value delivered by Teck’s Enterprise IS+T exist. Although users understand the importance of utilizing the services and expertise from Enterprise IS+T, solutions are seen as being implemented without fully understanding the Site’s “customer” needs. On the other hand, Enterprise IS+T sees the actions by THVC as failing to align with Teck’s strategic focus and misusing resources. This situation has created a complex IS+T environment that is difficult to sustain and with tangible risks for the Teck Resources Ltd. IS+T environment. The goal of this thesis is to respond to the question of how to best meet THVC’s IS+T needs with the services provided by Enterprise IS+T so that the effort, cost, and quality of the solutions proposed are best suited to THVC. To respond to this question a detailed and objective examination of THVC’s Business Critical Functions, Critical Applications and Technologies, and users’ needs was conducted using the Business Disruption Impact Assessment methodology. The results of this assessment uncovered a number of areas that Enterprise IS+T focus on and provide practical recommendations for THVC. The findings of this thesis may be used as an example by other IS+T professionals to uncover the actual needs and expectations of their businesses as a means to position IS+T as a true business partner

Multi-stage dumping sequence : a feasible waste management alternative for open pit mining

Waste management and environmental aspects are progressively gathering attention in the mining industry. Mine planners must deal with increasingly complex tasks to balance between ore block schedules, waste disposal, operational cost and environmental reclamation. The mine incomes are generally related to mining and processing of the ore, thus most optimization researches regarding strategic mining usually focus mainly on ore extraction. Nevertheless, waste sequencing and disposal play an important role given that, in several situations in open pit mining, waste volumes are generally larger than ore volumes and must be moved to reach the buried and deeper ore bodies. In some cases, a significant percentage of operational costs is represented by waste haulage and disposal. Thus a careful planning strategy must be considered to minimize unnecessary expenses. Selecting locations for waste dumps is also a challenge. Many operational and technical aspects must be considered, not to mention the increasingly limiting environmental constraints. This definition can be very time consuming, and if it is not properly studied, may negatively impact the mine operation during its lifetime. This article investigates a new approach for mine waste management called the multi-stage dumping sequence (MSDS), suggesting the use of temporary waste dumps along the way to the final dump destination. Although this method requires material re-handling, which is considered a paradigm in mine industry, it certainly provides additional time to design and permit the final waste dump site and, if well planned, might even result in profit increases by reducing haulage distances in the first years of operation

Guidance for the integrated use of hydrological, geochemical, and isotopic tools in mining operations

This paper summarizes international state-of-the-art applications and opportunities for employing and deploying hydrological, geochemical, and isotopic tools in an integrated manner for investigations of mining operations. It is intended to aid formulation of more integrated approaches for evaluating the overall sustainability of mining projects. The focus is particularly on mine waters, including: environmental water sources, mine water dynamics, and as a source and vector for pollution in the wider environment. The guidance is generic to mining projects and not just reflective of a particular extraction (e.g. coal, metalliferous, uranium) industry. A mine life cycle perspective has been adopted to highlight the potential for more integrated investigations at each stage of a mining operation. Three types of mines have been considered: new (i.e. those in the planning stage), active (i.e. working mines), and historical mines (i.e. inactive and abandoned mines). The practical usage of geochemical analyses and isotopic studies described here emphasise characterisation, dynamics, and process understanding for water quality considerations in tandem with water resource and environmental impact implications. Both environmental (i.e. ambient) and applied (i.e. injected) tracers are considered. This guide is written for scientists (including isotope specialists) who have limited or no mine water experience, environmental managers, planners, consultants, and regulators with key interests in planned, active, and legacy mining projects.The authors thank the IAEA for inviting us to collate an initial report on guidelines from 2018-06-25–28 in Vienna. We thank Chris Gammons for allowing us to use one of his fgures. We especially thank Umaya Doss Saravana Kumar, Lucia Ortega, and Araguás-Araguás from IAEA for assistance, and Andrea Nick for input during the meeting. Special thanks to our reviewers who substantially helped improve the structure and content of this guidance document

Investigating the effect of Iron ore wastes transportation and environmental pollution in Chadermalo

Mines have a considerable role in polluting the environment. Greenhouse gases and wastes mainly cause pollution. In this regard, trucks that carry ores in a mine are a primary source of these pollutants. Selecting trucks with low fuel consumption can help to reduce pollution. The present research seeks to evaluate the effects of the objectives (Cost objectives, Production objectives, and Environmental objectives) in mines on the type of trucks to select and the routes they take, as well as the effect of the duration of stone transportation on pollution. The study's data were obtained from the Chadormalu iron mine in Yazd Province. As the results showed, the objectives set in the mine affect the CO2 level, and the goals followed with human health concerns induce lower CO2 emissions. It found that the time ores are transported by trucks affects the CO2 level. However, only the objective type affects the waste level resulting from tailings, not the speed of trucks. It is recommended that the duration of truck loading and unloading and the time the trucks waste waiting in lines be reduced to the extent possible to lower CO2 emission

Green Low-Carbon Technology for Metalliferous Minerals

Metalliferous minerals play a central role in the global economy. They will continue to provide the raw materials we need for industrial processes. Significant challenges will likely emerge if the climate-driven green and low-carbon development transition of metalliferous mineral exploitation is not managed responsibly and sustainably. Green low-carbon technology is vital to promote the development of metalliferous mineral resources shifting from extensive and destructive mining to clean and energy-saving mining in future decades. Global mining scientists and engineers have conducted a lot of research in related fields, such as green mining, ecological mining, energy-saving mining, and mining solid waste recycling, and have achieved a great deal of innovative progress and achievements. This Special Issue intends to collect the latest developments in the green low-carbon mining field, written by well-known researchers who have contributed to the innovation of new technologies, process optimization methods, or energy-saving techniques in metalliferous minerals development