MN 508 SURFACE MINE PLANNING AND DESIGN

CHAPTER 3

OPEN PIT MINE PLANNING

3.1 Introduction
Careful planning is required prior to and at all stages during mining activity. the principal
objectives of detailed planning are:
i. To establish the acceptable economic stripping ratio and hence define the shape of the
excavation and the limits of surface mining
ii. To maintain an adequate amount of ore uncovered at all times to meet production
targets.
iii. To develop and maintain access for equipment
iv. In variable quality deposits, to ensure that the working faces available can at all times
furnish the required average grade
v. To retain flexibility to change the shape of the final pit in the light of new geological
information or changing economic circumstance.

3.2 Pit Planning

The major engineering design task in the development of a surface mine is the planning of the pit.
There are three groups of factors involved (Hartman, 1987):
i. Natural and geologic factors: geologic conditions, ore types, hydrologic conditions,
topography, and metallurgical characteristics.
ii. Economic factors: ore grade, ore tonnage, stripping ratio, cutoff grade, operating cost,
investment cost, desired profit, production rate, and market conditions.
iii. Technical factors: equipment, pit slope, bench height, road grade, property lines, and pit
limit.

3.2.1 Objectives of Mine Planning

The following are some major objectives from the view point of feasibility:
i. Mine the orebody so that the production cost per unit of metal is a minimum
ii. Maintain operational viability (adequate bench width and ready haulage access for
equipment)
iii. Maintain sufficient exposure of ore to counter miscalculations or insufficient data from
exploration
iv. defer stripping requirements as long as possible without significant disruption of
production schedule
v. Follow a logical and achievable start-up schedule (for training, equipment, procurement
and deployment, logistics, etc.) that minimizes the risk of delays in positive cashflows.
vi. Maximise design pit slopes, while minimizing likelihood of bank failures (provide
safety berms, employ rock mechanics, etc)
vii. Examine economic merits of reasonable production rate and cutoff grade alternatives
viii. Finally, subject the favoured method, equipment and schedules to exhaustive
contingency planning before proceeding with development.

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MN 508 SURFACE MINE PLANNING AND DESIGN

3.2.2 Mine Planning

Long Range Mine Planning

The initial step in surface mine design is the compilation of a long-range mining plan or final pit design. In
reality, long-range mining plans usually change over time to reflect the effects of a changing economy,
increased knowledge of the orebody, and improvements in mining technology.
 life of mine
 25-year plan
 5-year plan
Short-range Mine Planning
Once a long-range plan has been established, it is essential to develop a series of short-range mining plans.
These plans define the intermediate steps required to ascertain the final pit limit under physical, operating,
and legal constraints. They also provide the pit boundary, ore grade, stripping ratio and anticipated profit
information necessary for future production forecasts and equipment needs.
 annual plan
Production Scheduling
 daily schedule
 weekly schedule
 monthly schedule
3.3 Stripping Ratio

The stripping ratio represents the uneconomic material that must be removed to uncover one unit of ore. Fig.
3.1 is an idealized open pit orebody, dipping at an angle .

Fig. 3.1 An Idealised Open Pit Orebody

The ratio of the total volume of waste removed during the life of the mine to the total volume of ore mined
in the same period. This is also the ratio that is derived from the ultimate pit limits.

The ratio of the volume of waste to the ore volume is defined as the overall stripping ratio, R:

Volume of waste removed to depth d ABD

R= = (1)
Volume of ore recovered to depth d BCED

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MN 508 SURFACE MINE PLANNING AND DESIGN

While the overall stripping ratio has a volume relationship, calculated in cubic yards/cubic yards (cubic
meters/cubic meters), it is commonly expressed in units of tons/tons. In mining certain mineral commodities,
the stripping ratio is expressed in units of cubic yards/ton (cubic meters/tonne) [1].

The overall stripping ratio may also be defined as the total volume of waste to the total volume of ore mined
during the life of the mine.

3.3.1 CUT-OFF STRIPPING RATIO

It is the stripping ratio at which the cost of mining the ore and waste is equal to the revenue from that ore.

3.3.2 Break-Even Stripping Ratio

The breakeven stripping ratio is that stripping ratio at which the net value of the last increment of ore is just
sufficient to pay for the cost of removing the waste to release the ore. This is widely used to obtain pit limits.
First the pit slope is determined from geotechnical and other considerations and then calculating the
stripping ratio. The cut-off or break-even stripping ratio is the one for which the costs of mining ore and
waste are matched by the revenue from the block of ore.

The Break-even Stripping Ratio (BESR) is given by equation (2):

Recoverabl e value per ton ore - Production cost per ton ore
Break-even Stripping Ratio (2)
Stripping cost per ton waste

Or Break-even Stripping Ratio is also that at which:

Ro - Co = Cw (3)

Ro = revenue from a tonne of ore

Co = production cost to market (excluding stripping cost) of a tonne of ore
Cw = cost of waste removal per tonne of ore

This ratio is applied only at the surface or of the FINAL pit.

The controlling factors in the choice between open pit mining and underground mining are mining cost, ore
recovery and dilution [2]. In an open pit mining operation, mining cost include the cost of removing the
waste overburden and waste in the slopes of the pit. The ratio of the waste to the ore is therefore the
controlling factor in the comparative cost of mining an orebody by open pit versus underground method.

With fluctuating commodity prices, increasing mining costs and the introduction of more sophisticated
mining techniques, the overall stripping ratio can change over the total life of any mine.

Example: Assume an underground mining cost of $2.00/ton of ore for a particular orebody. assume open pit
mining costs $0.30/ton for ore and $0.35/ton for waste removal. The indicated stripping ratio for an open pit
mine operation that results in a break-even cost differential between the two mining methods is determined
as follow:

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MN 508 SURFACE MINE PLANNING AND DESIGN
Undergroun d mining cost/ton ore - Open pit mining cost/ton ore
BESR =
Open pit stripping cost/ton waste

2.00 - $0.30
= = 4.86 tons waste: 1 ton ore
$0.35
Only that part of the orebody where the stripping ratio does not exceed 4.86 tons waste: 1 ton ore should be
mined by open pit methods.

For this reason, it is necessary to update the long-term plan of the mining project at regular intervals. Having
determined the final pit limits and overall stripping ratio, the mining plan may be executed in a number of
ways.

(C) Declining Stripping Ratio Method

Fig. 3.2 illustrates this method. The method requires that each bench of the ore be mined in sequence and all
the waste on a particular bench is removed to the pit limit.

Fig. 3.2 Declining Stripping Ratio Method

Advantages

The advantages of the method include:

1. Large operating working space available.
2. The accessibility of the ore on the subsequent bench.
3. All equipment working on the same level.
4. No contamination from waste blasting above the ore.
5. Minimum equipment requirements towards the end of mine’s life.

Disadvantage

The disadvantage of the method is that there are maximum overall stripping costs during the initial years of
operation when maximum profits are required to handle interest and repayment of capital [1].

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MN 508 SURFACE MINE PLANNING AND DESIGN
(D) Increasing Stripping Ratio Method

In this method the stripping is performed as needed to uncover the ore (see Fig. 3.3). The working slopes of
the waste faces are essentially maintained parallel to the overall pit slope angle.

Fig. 3.3 Increasing Stripping Ratio Method.

Advantages

• Maximum profit during the initial years of operation.

• Greatly reduces the investment risk in waste removal for ore to be mined at a future date

Method is popular where the mining economics or cut-off stripping ratio is likely to change on very short
notice.

Disadvantages
The disadvantage of the method is the impracticality of operating a large number of stacked, narrow benches
simultaneously to meet production needs.

(E) Constant Stripping Ratio Method

This method attempts to remove the waste at a rate approximated by the overall stripping ratio (Fig. 3.4).
The working slope of the waste starts very shallow but increases as the mining depth increases until the
working slope equals the overall pit slope.

The method combines the advantages of the increasing and declining stripping ratio methods and removes
the extreme conditions under the said methods. Equipment fleet and labour requirements are constant
throughout the life of the mine. In reality, the best stripping sequence for a large orebody is one in which the
rate is low during the initial stages and towards the end of the mine life. The advantages include:
1. A good profit can be generated initially to increase cash flow.
2. The labour and equipment fleet may be increased to maximum capacity over a period of time.
3. The labour and equipment requirements decrease gradually toward the end of the mine’s life.
4. Distinct mining and stripping areas can be operated simultaneously, allowing for flexibility in planning.
In reality, most mining companies try to minimize the amount of waste stripping at the beginning in the
early stages of the mine life as well as at the end of the mine life (Figs. 2.6 and 7.4).

Fig. 3.5 shows a sketch of phased stripping sequence while Fig. 3.6 shows the graph.

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MN 508 SURFACE MINE PLANNING AND DESIGN

Fig. 3.4 Constant Stripping Ratio Method

Fig. 3.5 Section of a Pit showing different Phases in Mining

Fig. 3.6 Phased Mining Stripping Sequence