Uncertain production scheduling optimization in open-pit mines and its ellipsoidal robust counterpart

Abstract

The block extraction sequence is among the most challenging and important issues that should be regarded through whole mining operations to reach the maximum amount of profit. Such open-pit production scheduling problems can be solved under either deterministic or non-deterministic states. This study aims to model the problem applying robust counterpart linear optimization that uses the ellipsoidal set based counterpart. Block economic value as the objective function coefficient, and block weights and operational capacity as the constraints coefficients, are considered as uncertainty sources. Besides the exact mathematical modelling, a genetic algorithm is applied to solve the nonlinear ellipsoidal counterpart. The model, which was solved in deterministic and uncertain conditions, terminated in results with some differences in scheduled plans. The price of robustness is obtained at different conservative levels.

Keywords:

• Open-pit mine
• production scheduling
• robust optimization
• uncertainty

JEL Classification:

• C60
• C61
• C63
• C65

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Erratum