Pit mining

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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28

RecoveryNote thatThe cutoff grade will increase as the costs increase is shownin Fig. 8.The difference between the mining cutoff grade and themilling cutoff grade is shown in Fig.9.2 February 2016 Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz PresentationMining Methods, Surface mining 28. 2 February 2016 Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz PresentationMining Methods, Surface mining 29. Geometry of a Working BenchShovelTruck WidthBack-upTruckTruckTurningradiusBerm widthShovelLengthA bench big enoughTo accommodateEquipment working isMuch wider than oneOnly intended to catchRolling rocks. 30. Impact of a Working BenchOver-allSlopeThe over-all slope of the pit is drasticallyReduced if one must accommodate wideWorking benches. 31. 1.7) Open Pit StabilityThe following are the key items affecting theOpen Pit Stability:i) Pit slopeii) Pit wall stabilityiii)Rock strengthiv)Pit Depthv) Pit diametervi)Water Damagevii)Strip Ratio (SR)February 2, 2016Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz Presentation 32. i) Pit Slopes The slope of the pit wall is one of the major elements affecting the size andshape of the pit. The pit slope helps determine the amount of waste that must be moved tomine ore. The pit wall needs to remain stable as long as mining activity is in that area. The stability of the pit walls should be analyzed as carefully as possible. Rock strength, faults, joints, presence of water, and other geologicinformation are key factors in the evaluation of the proper slope angle. The physical characteristics of the deposit cause the pit slope to changewith rock type, sector location, elevation, or orientation within the pit. Pit slopes are cut into benches to aid stability and contain any slopefailures. Rock most be stronger than sand so the angle of repose can be larger. 45° is usually the maximum slope. Pit slopes are benched.• The revenue from ore must pay for the cost of excavating waste from thepushback and for excavating the ore.• The slope cannot exceed 45° and remain stable, so at some point itbecomes impossible and/or uneconomic to continue mining.2 February 2016 Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz PresentationMining Methods, Surface mining 33.  Fig. 2 illustrates how the pit slopes may vary in the deposit. A proper slope evaluation will give the slope that allows the pit walls to remain stable. The pit walls should be set as steep as possible to minimize the strip ratio. The pit slope analysis determines the angle to be used between the roads in the pit. The overall pit slope used for design must be flatter to allow for the road system in the ultimate pit. Fig 3 and Fig 4 show the need to design the pit with a lesser slope to allow for roads: Fig. 3 has been designed with a 450 angle for the pit walls. The pit in Fig. 4 uses the same pit bottom and the 450 inter-ramp slope between the roads, but, aroad has been added. So the overall pit slope is lesser the inter-ramp slope. In the example, almost 50% more tonnage must be moved to mine the same pit bottom. In the early design of a pit a lesser pit slope can be used to allow for the road system.

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