Practical Final Pit Depth Considering the Future Underground Mining- A case study

Citation

Bakhtavar E, Namin FS & Oraee K (2010) Practical Final Pit Depth Considering the Future Underground Mining- A case study. In: SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit 2010. 2010 SME Annual Meeting & Exhibit, Phoenix, Arizona, USA, 28.02.2010-03.03.2010. Colorado, USA: Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, pp. 153-156. http://www.smenet.org/meetings/details/?meeting=2010%20SME%20Annual%20Meeting%20%26%20Exhibit

Abstract
It is considered that the most economical method for the exploitation of Gol-e-Gohar Area 3 iron ore mine is to combine open-pit and underground methods. In this regard, the most critical problem is the determination of optimal final pit depth. In this paper, a method which was recently introduced on the basis of economical block models of open-pit and underground is used to determine optimal final open-pit depth of Gol-e-Gohar Area 3 mine with due regards to the future underground mining option. Considering a low cost and productive underground method as a feasible alternative for extraction of the lower part of this deposit, room and pillar was selected. It is concluded that after the assessment and comparison of different values for depth, optimal final open-pit depth was determined to be equal to 285 m.

Keywords
; Coal mines and mining; Mining engineering