MNGN312 - Surface Mine Design
Designation:
Required
Catalog Description:
Analysis
of elements of surface mine operations and design of surface mining system
components with emphasis on minimization of adverse environmental impact
and maximization of efficient use of mineral resources.
Prerequisites:
MNGN210 and MNGN300. The students need to have introduction to basic open pit mining terminology, resource and reserve estimation methods, and basic knowledge of open pit mining equipment before they are enrolled in this class.
Textbook and/or other required material:
Supplemental texts and material useful for the course may be found in:
The course notes by Dr. Kadri Dagdelen
SME’s Mining Engineering Handbook, Hartman, H. L., 1992
SME’s Surface Mining, Kennedy, B. A., 1990
Open Pit Mine Planning and Design, Hustrulid, W. and Kuchta, M., 1993
Course Objectives:
Teach students how to estimate mineable reserves, design an open pit mine by considering all the relevant environmental impacts, and determine mining sequence, equipment to be used and all the related costs. In this course, we also teach students how to analyze and evaluate economics of an open pit mining project by way of economics of ore and cash flow analysis.
Topics covered include:
Open pit mining terms and definitions
Pit limit analysis and optimization
Phase, haul road and dump designs
Fundamentals of unit operations including
Drilling and blasting
Loading and hauling
Crushing and conveying
Equipment selection and cost estimation
Mine reclamation and closure
Cash flow calculations and project evaluation
Class/Laboratory Schedule:
This three-hour course meets for 5 hours per week. Two of these hours, Tuesday and Thursday 9 to 10 am, consist of lectures based on assigned readings from the handouts and supplemental text and covers open pit mining fundamentals outline above. The remaining 3 hours are hands on laboratory work where, during the first part of the semester, the students engage in design exercises using MineSight mine planning software package on a real life data coming from McLaughlin open pit gold mine. During the second part the semester, the students work on equipment selection and cost estimation exercises using Caterpillar’s FPC and DOZSIM programs.
Contribution of course to Meeting Professional Component:
This course contributes three credit hours to the engineering and design topics.
Relationship of Course to Program Outcomes:
This course relates most closely to Program Objectives A) Our graduates will be able to apply knowledge of basic sciences and engineering, economics, and geology to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems fundamental to Mining Engineering; B) Our graduates will have a fundamental understanding of the behavior of earth (rock) materials under varying excavation conditions and its impact on engineering design and mine operations; C) Our graduates will be able to design excavations pertinent to the exploitation of mineral resources by both surface and underground mining methods and possess a fundamental understanting of production sequencing, mine optimization, and equipment selection; D) Our graduates will be able to analyze and evaluate the economics of mining and excavation projects, including economic feasibility, mine evaluation, and cash flow analysis, and understand the economic implications towards mine design and operations; E) Our graduates will posses the ability to solve open-ended engineering problems and will demonstrate an awareness of the impact of mining activities and engineering decisions on employee health and safety, environment, and society. This includes a strong appreciation of mining in a global and societal context, and the professional and ethical responsibilities that this entails; F) Our graduates will demonstrate an ability to effectively communicate in professional context, through oral presentations and written technical reports, as well as successfully work in group-oriented projects; G) Our graduates will possess the fundamental skills associated with project management, supervision, and decision-making processes. This includes an appreciation of the interdisciplinary nature of the profession and social and economic factors that influence the mining industry.
Person Preparing Description and Date of Preparation:
Kadri Dagdelen (April, 2006)