Mine planning

Computer techniques are used for mine planning and design and for the optimum deployment of mining equipment. The effects of geology, haulage distances, minimum acceptable ore grade (cutoff grade), and by-product revenue are considered. 

Heinold, D. Smith, D. Finding the weak links. Environ. Protection 2003, 14 (2), 56-65. Munshower, F.F. Microelements and their role in surface mine planning. In Coal Development Collected Papers, Volume IT, Coal Development Workshops in Grand Junction, Colorado and Casper, Wyoming, Bureau of Land Management, July 1983. 

After the decision to mine a clay site has been made, a mining plan is set up. This is based on the analyses of the drilling samples. Because clay is geologically seen deposited in more or less horizontal layers, it is mined in thin, vertical layers. In this way an average clay composition is obtained. The top layer can contain a lot of plant remains and is therefore often dug up and stored separately. After the clay has been mined this soil can be used to cover the site and recultivate the area. 

Huggins, P., Watterson, J., Walsh, J.J. and Childs, C. 1995. Relay zone geometry and displacement transfer between normal faults recorded in coal-mine plans. J. Struct. Geol., 17 1741-1755. 

The overall mine plan should include consideration of the requirements of reclamation and restoration. Placement of waste piles, tailings ponds, and similar materials should be carefully planned to minimize rehandling of material. 

Development is the preparation the facilities, equipment, and infrastructure required for extraction of the valuable mineral material. It includes land acquisition, equipment selection and specification, inlraslruclure and surface facilities design and construction, environmental planning and permitting, and initial mine planning. 

Although mine planning varies with site-specific conditions, the following points must be determined in the initial plan, and continually reevaluated throughout the life of the mine ... 

Initial mine planning will obviously take place concurrently with the environmental planning and permitting, and the consideration of environmental consequences of the initial mine plan will be included in this process. 

Reclamation practice varies widely, depending on the type of mine, its location, and the applicable legal requirements. In all cases, it is important from the beginning to include reclamation, and the required planning for reclamation, in the mining plan. As summarized by Ramani et al. and Riddle and Saperstein, there are four required planning steps ... 

R. V. Ramani et al., Pre-mining Planning for Environmental Control in Surface Coal Mines, Preprint No. 77-E-387, SME, New York, 1977, p. 25. 

Washouts are a major issue in mining operations—particularly in underground mining. Washouts can seriously reduce the workable area of coal and, therefore, the delineation of washouts is an important aspect of mine planning. Detailed interpretation of the sedimentary sequences may help predict the orientation of washouts. 

Modeling of depositional environments is gradually becoming more accepted as a better means of predicting what happens to the coal seam and adjacent rocks beyond the outcrops and drill holes. Not only does it allow the geologist to extrapolate the presence and thickness of seams, but also to predict the rock type that overlies and underlies the coal. All of this information is important for mine planning. 

Readily available geological data, accurate maps, and reasonable projections of reserves quality and quantity, all serve to reduce operational costs, assist in mine planning, and improve financial forecasts (Ruppert et al., 1999 Watson et al., 2001 Rohrbacher et al., 2005 Heriawan and Koike, 2008). Coal exploration has become a much more vital and valuable part of coal-mining operations and will continue to serve these needs in the future. 

Artifacts of historic sites will be destroyed unless they have been systematically investigated before being disturbed by mining. The mining plan should include the provision for systanatic archaeological studies of the area to be mined. Such studies by the mining industry often benefit the community and create an appreciation for historic values. 

Finally, aesthetic rehabilitation of mined lands should, and is, being done so that the land is aesthetically more pleasing after mining than before. The removal of overburden, however, is disruptive to the landscape and aesthetically repngnant for a temporary period until the lands are restored. From the community and regulatory viewpoint, it is beneficial if the mining company includes consideration of aesthetic values in the mining plan. 

Through the development of the mine plan, the overall requirements for use of the shaft as a ventilation path, whether upcast or downcast, will be established. Once established, the required clear cross-sectional area of the shaft can be established as well, based on standard convention for air velocities within shafts. 

Within the shaft, and at each main operating level (as dictated by the mining plan), there will need to be a full operating station within the shaft to enable the transfer of personnel, equipment and consumables onto and off of the level. 

The sand deposits, fine tails zones and release water zones act as sinks for the extraction tailings and process waters associated with the bitumen recovery. In commercial-scale plants, operating with zero discharge of process-affected waters, water management of both present and future inventories is a complex issue, as can be seen in Figure 31(a) [J39]. In the Syncrude operation, for example, there is, at present, an inventory of process waters in these various sinks of more than 700 Mm, Figure 31(b). It is projected that under present mine plans this stored volume will almost triple over the next 25 years of operation. 

The different phases of the engineering of a slurry pipeline are presented in this chapter. It is not always a straightforward process and may involve trade-off studies based on the rheology of the slurry, the budget restrictions, the size and capabilities of the equipment, and mining plans. 

If the mining plan was well developed, why were adequate reserves not available Because stripping of new reserves was way behind schedule. 

Heasley, K.A., and G.J. Chekan. 1999. Practical boundary element modehng for mine planning. In Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Coal Pillar Mechanics and Design. Vail, CO. NIOSH IC 9448. 73-88. 

One in-spector cited four examples of mine plans in different states. These plans demonstrate how safety documents reflect the individual personalities of district managers (Anon., Interview with former inspector, U.S., April, 1992). 

All rock contains faults. Faults can range from inches to hundreds of feet vertically and from inches to miles horizontally. These faults are particularly dangerous because they are, by definition, present in the rock before mining starts, but mines may not know a fault exists until they have committed to a mining plan. At other times, nearby mines know about faults but do not communicate information to other worksites. Mining practices can also disturb the.se faults, causing a massive roof fell. If engineers know the layout of faults, they can plan a roof support system in advance that will stabilize the strata... 

Administration Details, Defends Its Actions of Appalachian Surface Coal Mining Permits, 42 BNA Env. Rept. 1649 (2011) EPA Says 79 Surface Coal Mining Proposals Need More Review on Environmental Impacts, 40 BNA Env. Rept. 2193 (2009) Army Corps Plan Would Ban Permit for Mountaintop Mining in Appalachia, 40 BNA Env. Rept. 1444 (2009) John M. Broder, U.S. Revokes Permit for West Virginia Mining Plan, NYT, January 14, 2011, at A14. 

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