KATSENZI CRUISE W

R1813370J

ASSIGNMENT 1

MINE PLANNING AND DESIGN

5.1

Assignment1: At the mine you were attached explain how the following key elements of mine
planning are generated:

1. Overall cutoff grade

At Hiltouch Invesments (Chikonga) Gold Mine a sublevel open stoping mining method is used to

recover gold since it is a lower dilution method. For the overall cut off grade, it is determined by

considering the mining costs as well as the expected revenue for each block. At Chikonga mine,

Net Profit Value criterion was used as the mining process went on. NPV was estimated from

sampling the deposit and projecting into this. To reduce the financial impact of dilution, the cut

off grade was lowered to ensure that all relevant values from the orebody are obtained at maximum.

Break-even grade principle to selected mining areas of the mine was also used. The dilution of ore

and waste material was controlled to achieve the required quality grade. Grade control was done

using the sorting method, whereby we separated ore to ore pass and waste to waste pass. Waste

material was selected manually from the ore Revenue and derived from the recovered gold,

planned gold price and expected rates. An average grade for the 3 different shafts at Chikonga

mine was estimated and the estimated value was used as the cut off grade. The cut off grade was

3g per tonne, and per day we produced 15t.

Different sampling methods were practiced at Chikonga mine which includes channel sampling,

chip sampling, grab sampling and bulk sampling. Bulk sampling was mostly done since the

focused on tonnage most.

The knowledge is determined with respect to the assayed samples. Conventional methods of

modelling where used at Chikonga mine. Methods under conventional techniques include

polygonal, triangular, sectional, random stratified grid and contouring methods. Samples were

collected from stopes, drives, raises and draw points for the purpose of planning, monitoring and

controlling grade. We make use of geological plan of the mine during the sampling process. These

were used as base for planning for future mining operations and controlling mining operation.

Channel and chip sampling were employed in the x,y,z plane of the reef.
The number of blocks in each coordinate axis direction is usually specified to define the full

potential model framework.

The most common block model types encountered are Datamine, Vulcan, Surpac, Micromine and

MineSight.

Datamine format models was the best and most used format ,since many of the geological

modeling packages therefore support exporting their models as Datamine models. During the

process of creating a Datamine block model, sub-blocks are created along boundaries so that a parent block

can have any number of child blocks, and they can be of any size. A major limitation with the Datamine

file format is that it stores all text in ASCII format, which falls apart when you are trying to work in a

symbolic language like Russian, Polish,etc.

The mining method sublevel open stoping does not require any artificial support. It make use of
natural supporting. The rock mass was a very type of Igneous rock.
The underhand sublevel stoping method leaves 5m vertical pillar for ground support and

mining was done from the breaking face approaching the pillars. This is quite economic for

the mine in the long term run. Open stoping underground method was used where orebody

strength vary from moderate to strong with low discontinuities. Hang wall and foot wall

strength need to be good and does not require more than incidental support. In open stoping

method, first of all levels were created which act as a haulage road and divides the orebody in

stoping blocks. Stoping blocks were extracted according to the sequence method used and

mainly depends on the orientation and thickness of the orebody. For extraction of the stoping

blocks, they were divided into panels and the ore pass and raises are created for access between

them. . The main characteristic feature of sublevel stopping method is that it utilizes more

sublevels between main levels and that in the process of extraction ore the stop is left open

and only supported using natural pillars. Along the strike the stoppes separated by pillars while

along the dip it is separated by crown pillars. The method is very effective in that it offers high

safety standards to the drilling and blasting personnel since these operations are carried out

from within the sublevel drifts and not in an open stop. The figure below shows typical sub-

level open stoping and associated parameters.

The production plan seeks to meet the requirements of supplying gold at the required grade of

98% through sub level open stopping. Sublevel open stopping will be carried out when mining of

the orebody through underground method which is economically feasible.

At different sublevels, jackhammers were used for short hole drilling, drilling directly

upwards into the roof. These holes were then charged with explosives and blasted. Use of

willbarows to transport the muck, loosened rocks, to an ore pass where the rocks are lifted to

the surface. Drilling and blasting take place at different underground levels of the mine at the

same time. As the blasted rock, muck, was continuously transported to the ore pass. The

production cycle employs unit operations that are normally grouped in two functions: rock

breakage and materials handling. Rock breakage includes a variety of mechanisms but is

usually accomplished by drilling and blasting, Materials handling generally encompasses

loading and haulage (horizontal transport), with hoisting (vertical). Extraction of ore in the

stope was mainly achieved by use of short hole drilling from sublevels using either parallel

or fan drilling. The length of holes was generally determined by interval of sublevel and shape

of the ore-body. Usually, they were in the range of up to 30 to 32 m. The choice of drilling

pattern, equipment and drilling locations depend on the drill ability of ore which is influenced

by rock hardness, abrasiveness, fractures, expected fragmentation characteristics; the make

and accuracy of a drilling machinery; orientation and spacing of drill holes; hole size and hole

length.
Thus the production cycle in mining consists of unit operations as shown below.

Drilling and
blasting

Hand lashing

wheel
barrow
Tramming

Ore hoisting