Journal article
Improving underground mine access layouts using software tools
M Brazil, P Grossman, JH Rubinstein, D Thomas
Interfaces | INFORMS | Published : 2014
Abstract
The authors have developed two software tools, PUNO and DOT, for optimally designing the layout of the system of tunnels in an underground mine, known as the access network for the mine. We recently applied these tools, which use principles from geometric optimization, to ore deposits at the Prominent Hill mine in South Australia and the Leeville gold mine in Nevada. When we compared the designs that the tools generated with the designs prepared by mining engineers, we found that our tools generated designs more quickly, were at least as cost efficient, and often revealed new design options by which the engineers' original designs could be improved. © 2014 INFORMS.
Grants
Awarded by Minmetals, through AMIRA
Funding Acknowledgements
The authors thank Martin Smith from MineSmith for organizing the project with Newmont and obtaining the preliminary information on Leeville and TURF that we used in the study. We also thank Charles Lilley from OZ Minerals and Norm Bisson from Newmont for sharing their expertise and providing helpful feedback. This work was financially supported by Newmont Mining Corporation. We also received support from Rio Tinto, Vale Inco, Xstrata Nickel, BHP Billiton, OZ Minerals, Barrick Gold Corporation, Newmont Mining Corporation, and Minmetals, through AMIRA [Project P884 (PRIMO)].