Integral Traffic Analysis in Open Pit Mining, Application to the Node 3500 Project at Andina Division

摘要

Transportation costs can account for 45 % to 55 % of the total costs of an open pit mine. This paper addresses an innovative integration of mining and transport engineering disciplines. Through a joint approach and state-of-the-art technology integrating both disciplines, it was used to diagnose, model, design, solve and optimize the open pit mine transportation designs, contributing to OPEX and CAPEX optimization and savings.The main tool was a dynamic vehicle micro-simulation-based approach using operating mining designs that can adequately integrate the congestion phenomena in the operation of different types of vehicles. The specialized software application visually displays functional and operating conflicts in different operation schemes, and measures the cycle times of extraction trucks, considering the required signaling to regulate traffic flow, speed, acceleration and deceleration (loaded and empty), stops, loading and unloading times, fuel supply and the interaction with ancillary and minor equipment/vehicles.In addition to the real-time visual image, the task provides a full set of statistics data required to determine cycle times and fleet requirements for a mining plan, identifying specific movements on a shift and hourly-basis, and the particular features of each shift or period, such as shift entry/exit times, breaks, special weather conditions, among others. These provide results in a more accurate estimate of operating costs and the loading/hauling equipment requirements, helping to improve signaling, road designs, and modifications of facilities or infrastructure to optimize their values.An application was made for an integral traffic analysis of the Node 3500 Project at Andina Division of Codelco, to assess its operating functionality under normal and winter weather conditions. It included the circuit of ore to crusher, ore stockpiling and movement of extraction trucks from the extraction zones in the mine to the dump and their interaction with ancillary equipment and vehicles, in the context of the operation of mine equipment maintenance infrastructure and ancillary facilities in the same area.