A Pit Sequence Optimized

With Multi-Pit
2007 Dr. B. C. Paul
{Note The Name MineSight and the Program described are property of
Mintec Inc Tucson, Arizona}

Doing it Backwards
Conventional Wisdom
Get the ultimate pit
Develop Staged Pits that lead to the optimum

The Wang-Sevim Approach

Stage pits going forward
When you reach the limit of profitability then
finalize
Strictly the approach calls for maximum metal
pits but taking top X% of ore first approximates
the same effect and can be done with Multi-Pit

Mining Rate
As a practical limit around 80,000 to
100,000 tons per day is about the limit
Let our rate be 100,000 tons/day
If we run 320 days per year about a limit
Means run about 32 million tons/year
Know about 15,000 tons/block
About 2,133 blocks per year

1 Billion Tons of Ore Will go in about 32

years at this rate

Fire Up MineSight Economic Planner

Choose
MSOP to run

3D Block Model No Changes from

Previous Run

Some Adjustments on Limiting Surfaces

I will still use my
Optimize file 13

I will still start with

An unmined
Surface
I am not issuing
A command to
Stop at the
Ultimate pit for
This type of
Application
(choosing pit 50
As the limiting
Digging surface
Means you are not
Defining a limit).

Design Variable Screen No Change

I Leave a Bunch of Screens the Same

but I will set my Pit Slope to the working
slope.

I actually had it set this way

From my last run.

Select MultP as my Design Strategy

Set the MultP Screen

It will start calculating
Pits with the number
You say.
(my previous work
Went to pit 7)
Ill start with Pit 10
It will go step by step
Up to the number
Of pits you specify
(Im going for 40 years
Of design so I put in
49)

It calculates the
Maximum number of
Pit steps.

I Also Must Set the Range of Blocks to be

Considered

Im
Selecting
The full
Range of
Blocks in
The model.

I Need to Tell It the Proportion of Ore

Blocks to take in each step.

I will start with 2.5% and

Work up to 100% which
Surprise-surprise is 40 steps

You do need to be consistent and remember if you

Start by mining the top 0% of ore you will never mine
At all. ie this number better not be 0.

Set Your Number of Benches Down in a

Time Period and Minimum blocks moved
size
Im saying 3 benches down
Is my maximum for a year.
I picked 2133 for my
Minimum number of blocks
To take on a pushback.
(You remember my
Calculation a few slides ago).

Set My Output Instructions

I called this my
Multi-Pit Run

Order a Run

It Takes Off Running

This may take a while so go get yourself a snack (or go exercise)