Cut-off grade is perhaps the least understood driver of value for a mining operation. Many believe that it is determined relatively easily by knowing the mining and extraction costs, metallurgical recovery and an estimate of the price for the metal/s under consideration.

This manual documents the methods for generating stope-shapes using Version 5 of the Stope Shape Optimiser developed by Alford Mining Systems.

The Stope Shape Optimiser engine (also referred to as "SSO" in this manual) is available in commercial products that are marketed and supported by the mining software suppliers - Datamine, Maptek and Deswik have an established client base and several new suppliers have been added with the release of Version 3 (Hexagon, Geovia, RPM Global). The look and feel of the Stope Shape Optimiser product on each vendor platform will conform to the interface standards and functionality available in each environment. Additional capabilities may have been added by the vendor to fully integrate the Stope Shape Optimiser with the proprietary platform.

This book describes the fundamental and theoretical concepts of optimization algorithms in a systematic manner, along with their potential applications and implementation strategies in mining engineering. It explains basics of systems engineering, linear programming, and integer linear programming, transportation and assignment algorithms, network analysis, dynamic programming, queuing theory and their applications to mine systems.

Slope movements are expected at the Bingham Canyon Mine due to the challenging slope angles mined to minimise strip ratios and maximise ore recovery. Trigger action response plans (TARPs) are a critical aspect of managing these movements in a mining operation. An effective TARP must balance production while safely managing the risk of mining in areas of slope movement.

В монографии дана характеристика новых перспективных направлений исследований по проблемам устойчивости и оптимизации конструкции бортов глубоких карьеров и приведены теоретические результаты, полученные в области геомеханики открытых горных выработок. Представлены результаты практического применения разработанных авторами методик для решения задач геодинамического мониторинга, прогноза устойчивости и оптимизации параметров карьерных массивов.
Для научных и инженерно-технических работников, занятых в области горного дела.

Изложены методы расчета параметров системы исполнительный орган — привод проходческо-очистных комбайнов для добычи калийных руд. Описана методика выбора оптимальных диаметра (высота), а также конструктивных (геометрических), кинематических и режимных параметров планетарно-дискового исполнительного органа. Приведены динамические и математические модели привода исполнительного органа, способ определения его собственных частот. Алгоритмы решений реализованы на ЭВМ, разработан пакет прикладных программ.
Для научных работников, занимающихся созданием горных машин.

Resource evaluation drilling is usually on a regular pattern; the pattern spacing should be optimised to maximise profit from mining, accounting for the cost of drilling and the value of additional information from increased density of drilling, and also to reduce risk in mined ore tonnes and grades to an acceptable level. Conditional simulation methods for determining optimum drilling spacing are more powerful than traditional methods, and simulation methods can take into account local variability in grade. Mining profit functions can consider profit and density of evaluation drilling so that profit can be maximised.

Detailed spatial models generated by conditional simulation provide a powerful tool for case-specific optimization of sampling designs. The entire process of sampling, estimation, and decision can be simulated on such a model by a Monte-Carlo approach. Optimization can be based on economic functions or on decision quality constraints rather than simple minimization of estimation variance.

В народном хозяйстве отраны исключительно важная роль принадлежит горнодобывающей промышленности, поскольку её продукция является необходимой базой для нормального функционирования ведущих отраслей народного хозяйства - металлургической, энергетической, промышленности строительных материалов и сельского хозяйства (производство минеральных удобрений).