Cost optimisation for underground mining networks

Abstract

In this paper we consider the problem of optimising the construction and haulage costs of underground mining networks. We focus on a model of underground mine networks consisting of ramps in which each ramp has a bounded maximum gradient. The cost depends on the lengths of the ramps, the tonnages hauled through them and their gradients. We model such an underground mine network as an edge-weighted network and show that the problem of optimising the cost of the network can be described as an unconstrained non-linear optimisation problem. We show that, under a mild condition which is satisfied in practice, the cost function is convex. Finally we briefly discuss how the model can be generalised..