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LERCHS-GROSSMAN METHOD

A Computer Assisted Method of Designing


Optimum Pit on a Vertical Section
Designing
Open Pits

Manual Computer
Method Method

Computer-
Automated
Assisted

LERCHS-
GROSSMAN
Lerchs-Grossman
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGE

it eliminates trial-and- ultimate pit resulting


error process of from the smoothing of
manually designing the
pit in each section all the vertical sections
is probably not optimal
it is convenient for
computer processing
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

1 -$2 -$2 -$4 -$2 -$2 -$1 -$2 -$3 -$4 -$4 -$3

2 -$5 -$4 -$6 -$3 -$2 -$2 -$3 -$2 -$4 -$5 -$5

3 -$6 -$5 -$7 $6 $13 -$2 -$5 -$4 -$7 -$4 -$6

4 -$6 -$6 -$8 -$8 $17 $8 $5 -$6 -$8 -$9 -$7

5 -$7 -$7 -$8 -$8 $6 $21 $5 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$7

6 -$7 -$9 -$9 -$8 -$5 $22 -$8 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$8

7 -$8 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$8 $10 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9

Figure 1. Vertical section showing the net value* of each block.

*net value if the block is mined and processed independently


STEP 1: Add the values down each column of blocks.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
1 -$2 -$2 -$4 -$2 -$2 -$1 -$2 -$3 -$4 -$4 -$3
2 -$5 -$4 -$6 -$3 -$2 -$2 -$3 -$2 -$4 -$5 -$5
3 -$6 -$5 -$7 $6 $13 -$2 -$5 -$4 -$7 -$4 -$6
4 -$6 -$6 -$8 -$8 $17 $8 $5 -$6 -$8 -$9 -$7
-2 -2
5 -$7 -$7 -$8 -$8 $6 $21 $5 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$7
-7 -6
6 -$7 -$9 -$9 -$8 -$5 $22 -$8 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$8
-13 -11
7 -$8 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$8 $10 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9
-19 -17
-26 -24
-33 -33
-41 -42
The upper value in each block represents the cumulative value
of the material from each block to the surface.
STEP 2: From the top block in the left column and working
down each column, put an arrow pointing to the left-adjacent
block with the highest bottom value.

-4
-2
3

-4
-2
3

-2
-4
3
STEPbottom
The 2: Fromvalue
the top
in each
blockblock
in the
represents
left columntheand
total
working
net value
of (1) material
down each column,
from put
the block,
an arrow
(2) pointing
the blockstoin
the
the
left-adjacent
column
and (3)with
block thethe
blocks
highest
in the
bottom
pit profile
value.to the left of the block.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
-2 -2 -4 -2 -2 -1 -2 -3 -4 -4 -3
x
-2 -2
-7 -6 -10 -5 -4 -3 -5 -5 -8 -9 -8
x
-8
-13 -11 -17 1 9 -5 -10 -9 -15 -13 -14
x
-19 -17 -25 -7 26 3 -5 -15 -23 -22 -21
x
-26 -24 -33 -15 32 24 0 -23 -31 -31 -28
x
-33 -33 -42 -23 27 46 -8 -31 -39 -40 -36
x
-41 -42 -51 -32 19 56 -17 -40 -48 -49 -45
x

Upper Value Bottom Value of the block


Bottom Value = of the block + pointed by the arrow
= -2 + 0
= -2
STEP 3: Trace the arrows back to get the outline of the pit
starting from the top row block with the maximum total
value.
0 0
1 0
2 0
3 40 50 60 70 80 90 0
10 0
11
-2 -2 -4 -2 -2 -1 -2 -3 -4 -4 -3
1x -$2 -2 -$2 -2 -$4 -4 -$2 -2 -$2 -2 -$1 -1 -$2 -2 -$3 2 -$4 -1 -$4 13 -$3 10
-7 -6 -10 -5 -4 -3 -5 -5 -8 -9 -8
2x -$5 -$4 -8 -$6-12 -$3 -9 -$2 -6 -$2 -3 -$3 5 -$2 3 -$4 17 -$5 8 -$5
-13 -11 -17 1 9 -5 -10 -9 -15 -13 -14
3x -$6 -$5 -$7-25 $6-11 $13 0 -$2 10 -$5 8 -$4 25 -$7 16 -$4 -$6
-19 -17 -25 -7 26 3 -5 -15 -23 -22 -21
4x -$6 -$6 -$8 -$8-32 $1715 $8 18 $5 34 -$6 31 -$8 -$9 -$7
-26 -24 -33 -15 32 24 0 -23 -31 -31 -28
5x -$7 -$7 -$8 -$8 $6 0 $2139 $5 46 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$7
-33 -33 -42 -23 27 46 -8 -31 -39 -40 -36
6x -$7 -$9 -$9 -$8 -$5 $2246 -$8 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$8
-41 -42 -51 -32 19 56 -17 -40 -48 -49 -45
7x -$8 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$8 $10 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9

The optimal pit for this example is $13.


These steps are repeated to all the vertical sections.

Smoothing, or fitting together of all the vertical sections is


done manually by the engineer.

End of Lecture

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