Application of a long term excavation scheduling software in an opencast iron ore mine using operations research techniques

摘要

This paper describes the application of a long term mine excavation scheduling software, that has been developed in-house and being implemented in a large opencast iron ore mine in India. Long term excavation schedules for a period of 3 months and beyond are prepared automatically, which specify the location of the areas to be worked at several working benches. It seeks to achieve a per defined goal for the run of mine output, which comprises a number of quantities, of varying degrees of importance, that affect the productivity of the downstream plants. The procedure that is adopted in the software is generic in nature, and can be applied to any open cast mine. Optimal production schedules are generated based on all the relevant constraints, including equipment, haul distances, lithology and quality parameters.