8/8/2019 Final Mining Method Selection
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Final Mining Method Selection
y Undertake a detailed comparison of the 2 mining methods and
select the most feasibleone at the end of the process that should
further be evaluated during the conceptual
phase. Process used to evaluate and eliminate should be
discussed (i.e. decision tree anddecision matrix). There should be
a continuous integration between the variousdisciplines that could
influence the decision making process. Factors to be consideredand
documented are:
o Placement of shafts (including shaft dimensions - production
and ventilationshafts);
o Type of access (opencast, decline, vertical shaft, etc.)o S
haft design;
S haft/s dimensions, taking into consideration the ventilation,
rock engineering, equipment and material, as well as production
requirements;
S haft infrastructure (services [water, compressed air, drinking
water,electricity supply, grout, etc.], personnel transportation,
rock hoisting [reef and waste], waste water from shaft bottom,
equipment and materialtransportation, winder requirements, safety
devices in shaft, etc);
S haft bottom (silos [reef and waste], settlers, dams, pumps,
etc.);o S tation layouts, level spacing, ore pass arrangements
(reef and waste), workshops,
refuge bays, etc.;o Production requirements (reef and waste);o D
evelopment end sizes and layouts (taking into consideration the
ventilation, rock
engineering, equipment and material, as well as production
requirements);o E quipment selection (track bound or mechanised or
a combination);o S toping dimensions and layouts;o L ogistics in
terms of flow of broken rock (reef and waste), material,
equipment,
explosives, personnel, etc.; E xplosive selection;o
Fragmentation distribution;o D etermine the following services
(where applicable);
E lectricity S ource, requirement, consumption and energy
savingstrategies/initiatives;
W ater S ource, license, consumption, re-cycling/re-use; C
ompressed air S ource, requirement, consumption and energy
saving
strategies/initiatives.o R ock engineering:
S haft pillars; S train and failure criteria for shafts,
pillars, excavations and geological
discontinuities; R ock mass rating ( RMR ) and rock mass
strength ( RMS ); ERR , ESS , AP S , U CS ; S upport selection
(active and passive); S upport design (temporary, permanent and
secondary); H ydraulic radius;
