An application of simultaneous stochastic optimisation of an open-pit mining complex with tailings management |
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Authors: | Ziad Saliba Roussos Dimitrakopoulos |
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Affiliation: | 1. COSMO – Stochastic Mine Planning Laboratory;2. Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill University , Montreal, Quebec, Canada ziad.saliba@mail.mcgill.cahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2726-843X;4. Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill University , Montreal, Quebec, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7329-2209 |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACT This paper presents an application of a stochastic framework that simultaneously optimises mining, destination, processing and tailings management decisions for a multi-pit gold mining complex. The application explicitly accounts for supply uncertainty via stochastic orebody simulations. The tailings management component of the case study integrates a capital expenditure investment option to expand the existing tailings storage facility, evaluating its feasibility within the simultaneous stochastic optimisation framework. The results provide a risk-resilient long-term schedule that produces more metal than conventional forecasts and show that the operation has a positive growth outlook beyond its current life-of-mine. |
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Keywords: | Simultaneous stochastic optimisation mining complexes supply uncertainty CapEx evaluation tailings management |
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