Methodology to Optimize and Sequence the Semiautomated Ramp Design in Underground Mining

Abstract

There are few optimizing methodologies that may guide the process of ramp design in underground mining; they contemplate designing the accesses and then completing the mine exploitation schedule, which does not reflect the development costs in the NPV of the project and relies on the engineer’s knowledge. The methodology presented in this paper focuses on the assisting the ramp design in underground mining using an optimization model that gives the operational costs associated with the accesses, during the development and the operation of the mine. Additionally, a sequence of construction is obtained as a complement of the design with a scheduling software. The methodology aims to obtain a design and sequence of the ramps and crosscuts configuration considering initial parameters that must be entered the optimization model such as production levels, maximum slope, curvature, construction costs, and transportation costs, among others. After applying the optimization model, the result is the identification of the points belonging to the ramp design, the ramp construction, and operation sequence and the total cost associated with the project. This result must be refined using CAD software to obtain the final configuration. When this methodology is applied to a case study, a gold and silver mine exploited using the Bench & Fill method, the results show that the optimization model can replicate the design obtained by the prefeasibility study of the project and provide additional design options that can reduce the total cost. The methodology provides operationally feasible solutions and can be used as a guide for the design of ramps in underground mining while reducing the time allocated to these tasks and delivering more than one design according to the initial parameters.