Stope design and geological uncertainty: Quantification of risk in conventional designs and a probabilistic alternative

Roussos Dimitrakopoulos; Nikki Grieco

doi:10.1007/s10913-009-0020-y

Journal of Mining Science

March 2009, Volume 45, Issue 2, pp 152–163

Stope design and geological uncertainty: Quantification of risk in conventional designs and a probabilistic alternative

Authors
Authors and affiliations

Roussos DimitrakopoulosEmail author
Nikki Grieco

Mineral Mining Technology

First Online:: 12 June 2009

Received:: 20 June 2008

DOI: 10.1007/s10913-009-0020-y

Cite this article as:: Dimitrakopoulos, R. & Grieco, N. J Min Sci (2009) 45: 152. doi:10.1007/s10913-009-0020-y

Abstract

This paper adopts risk-based concepts developed in open pit mining to the underground stoping environment and shows examples using data from Kidd Creek Mine, Ontario, Canada. Risk is quantified in terms of the uncertainty a conventional stope design has in expected: contained ore tones, grade and economic potential. In addition, a new probabilistic mathematical formulation optimizing the size, location and number of stopes in the presence of grade uncertainty is outlined and applied, to demonstrate the advantages of a user-defined level of acceptable risk.

Keywords

Stope design risk analysis optimization stochastic simulation economic evaluation

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Stope design and geological uncertainty: Quantification of risk in conventional designs and a probabilistic alternative

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