A simulation-based algorithm for solving surface mines’ equipment selection and sizing problem under uncertainty

ABSTRACT

Delivering a robust long-term mine plan depends on the precise prediction of mining fleet productivity and the estimation of the required fleet’s size over the mine life. In open-pit mining, fleet productivity and the required fleet’s size are directly related to the tonnage of moved material and the time and distance it takes for the trucks to move the mined material. All the above-mentioned parameters are associated with inherent uncertainties. Thus, incorporating these uncertainties is required in the prediction and estimation procedure to predict fleet productivity and subsequently estimate the required fleet size. This article presents a new simulation-based algorithm to predict fleet productivity and estimate the required fleet size in open-pit mines. Implementation of the developed simulation-based algorithm at an operating open-pit mine provided a considerable improvement over the existing method, with a slight (negative 2%) deviation in predicting fleet productivity compared to historical data.

RÉSUMÉ

La mise en œuvre d’un solide plan minier à long terme dépend de la prévision précise de la productivité du parc minier et de l’estimation de la taille du parc pendant la durée de vie de la mine. Dans les mines à ciel ouvert, la productivité du parc et la taille requise du parc sont directement liées au tonnage de matières transportées et au temps et à la distance qu’il faut aux camions pour déplacer les matières extraites. Tous les paramètres susmentionnés sont associés à des incertitudes inhérentes. Par conséquent, il faut tenir compte de ces incertitudes dans la procédure de prévision et d’estimation pour prévoir la productivité du parc et, par la suite, estimer la taille du parc nécessaire. Cet article présente un nouvel algorithme basé sur la simulation pour prédire la productivité du parc et estimer la taille requise du parc dans les mines à ciel ouvert. La mise en œuvre de l’algorithme de simulation développé dans une mine à ciel ouvert en exploitation a apporté une amélioration considérable par rapport à la méthode existante, avec un léger écart (négatif de 2 %) dans la prévision de la productivité du parc par rapport aux données historiques.

KEYWORDS:

• Fleet productivity
• Open-pit mining
• Simulation
• The size of the required fleet
• Tonne per gross operating hour (TPGOH)

MOTS-CLÉS:

• exploitation minière à ciel ouvert
• productivité du parc
• simulation
• taille du parc requis
• tonne par heure brute d’exploitation (TPGOH, de l’anglais tonne per gross operating hour)

Additional information

Notes on contributors

S. P. Upadhyay

Shiv Upadhyay is a Mine Planning Engineer at CNRL. Prior to his position, he worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Alberta. He holds a Ph.D. in Mining Engineering from the University of Alberta, Canada, and B.T. in the same field from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India.

M. Tabesh

Mohammad Tabesh is a Senior Data Scientist with Teck Resources Limited. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Alberta. He holds a Ph.D. in Mining Engineering from the University of Alberta, Canada, and M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from University of Tehran and Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.

M. M. Badiozamani

Mohammad Mahdi Badiozamani is a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Alberta. Prior to his current position, he worked as a Productivity Manager in Solico Group. He holds a Ph.D. in Mining Engineering from the University of Alberta, Canada, and M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from Sharif and Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.

A. Moradi Afrapoli

Ali Moradi-Afrapoli is a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Alberta. Prior to his current position, he held a Mine Planning Engineer-In-Training role with CNRL. He obtained his Ph.D. in Mining Engineering from the University of Alberta, Canada, and M.Sc. and B.Sc. in the same field from Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.

H. Askari-Nasab

Hooman Askari-Nasab is a Professor at the University of Alberta, Canada. He conducts research into planning and simulation of mining systems. He is a registered professional engineer in Alberta and has more than two decades of operational, consulting, and research experience in the area of open pit mine planning and simulation modeling. [email protected]