For many years, mining companies have been able to save time and add value to open pit projects through the application of optimisation tools such as Whittle 4X. However, due to the inherent complexity of underground operations, no such tool has been available ... until recently.
Snowden has developed an optimisation tool that allows users to quickly assess the strategic direction of underground mining projects, resulting in considerable study time and cost savings.
Stopesizor is a strategic underground design tool that generates a series of mining outlines for a range of cut-off grades.
Each mining outline honours user-defined minimum mining dimension and geometry constraints.
For each Stopesizor outline, Evaluator generates consistent life-of-mine production and cost schedules using user-defined production and revenue parameters.
Evaluator models the interdependence of production parameters such as mining method, production rate and activity sequence to arrive at the optimum outcome.
The company’s strategic planning tools have an application in every underground mine, irrespective of size, commodity or stage in its lifecycle.
For feasibility studies, the company can provide analysis of a range of mining approaches and provide preliminary mining shapes and optimum cut-off grades, processing rates and an extraction sequence that maximises project value within the client’s cost and production targets.
For producing operations, the current life-of-mine plan can be quickly validated and alternative strategies tested and evaluated.
N Snowden
08 9213 9213
perth@snowdengroup.com
www.snowdengroup.com