Mine schedule optimisation with ventilation constraints: a case study

摘要

This paper describes a process for optimising mine schedules with ventilation constraints using the Schedule Optimization Tool (SOT), the Ventilation Constraint Module (VCM) and a ventilation network solver (Ventsim). The VCM was developed as a component of MIRARCO's SOT+ research project.Proper ventilation is critical for underground mines to operate safely, yet it is often not adequately considered early in the mine planning cycle. The need to account for ventilation early in the long-term planning cycle motivated the development of the VCM. The VCM generates constraints on the schedule of mining activities for each zone and for each stage of the mine life, based on available airflows. These constraints are intended to ensure that a mine schedule will be feasible from a ventilation perspective. Adhering to these ventilation-based constraints, as well as other constraints related to the project, SOT maximises the net present value (NPV) of the long-term schedule. The VCM will also assist the user in identifying opportunities to redistribute the airflow in the mine in ways that support higher-NPV schedules.A case study for a hypothetical underground mine will be presented, showing that the VCM supports the generation of optimised life-of-mine schedules that adhere to realistic ventilation constraints.