Design topics available

This page contains a hyperlinked list of pages that have been completed. Topics that are not hyperlinked have not yet been written (editors required!), but are relevant to the overall subject. It is hoped that with time, these guides will accumulate into a useful resource, not only for undergraduate mining students, but also for industry practitioners. Comments on any of these topics can be left in the discussion page attached to each topic page.

List of topics related to the mine design process:

The general environment in which the mine exists

• Company Objectives

• • Description of objectives

• General mine site considerations
  • Location and access
  • Confirmation of legal ownership of property
  • Exploration and development committments
  • Infrastructure availability
  • Previous production

• The social commitments
  • Social engagement
  • Environmental Permitting
  • Legal environment

• Business drivers

• Risks and Benchmarking

• Organizational Design

Information required for mine design

• Ore deposit models
• The geological model
• Geostatistics and resource estimation techniques
  • Sampling QAQC
• Cut-off grade estimation
  • Polymetallic deposit cut-off grade estimation
• Mining in the Arctic

The stages of mine design

• The stages of mine design
• Pre-evaluation study
• Scoping study
• Pre-feasibility study
• Feasibility study
• Detailed design
• Project management principles

Geotechnical engineering

• Master list of tasks required for various stages of mine design
• Site investigation and rock mass characterization
• Geotechnical site investigation
  • Geotechnical logging techniques
  • Discontinuity characterization
  • Geotechnical drilling
  • Rock mass characterization using geophysical methods
  • Sampling
  • Geotechnical model
• Stress measurement
  • Paleostress analysis
• Stability Graph Method
• Numerical modelling
  • Constitutive models
• Ground support
  • Instrumentation for ground support design
• Mine dewatering
• Mine waste dump stability analysis
• Dynamic stability analysis of tailings dams
• Mining induced seismicity
  • Seismic event relocation techniques
  • Seismic moment tensor

Mining methods

• Factors influencing mining method selection
• Selection of mining method
• Estimation of the potential production rate
• Dilution and ore recovery
• Block caving
• Sublevel caving
• Cut and fill
  • Underhand cut and fill
    • Lucky Friday Mine
  • Ramp-in-vein
• Longhole mining
  • Longitudinal longhole retreat
  • Transverse longhole stoping
  • Sub-level open stoping
  • Vertical crater retreat
  • Stope sequencing
• Shrinkage stoping
• Hard-rock room and pillar
  • Pillar design
• Crown pillars
• Solution mining

Mine infrastructure

• Equipment selection
  • Electric equipment
  • Autonomous equipment
• Shaft vs. Ramp Access
• Ramp design
• Shaft construction
  • Mine hoisting systems
  • Mine hoisting ropes
• Material handling systems
  • Ore and waste passes
  • Conveyor systems
  • Crushers
• Access drifts
  • Drilling patterns
• Mine service facilities
  • Refuge stations
  • Maintenance facilities
  • Underground storage facilities
  • Explosive magazines
  • Fuel storage
• Ventilation
  • Ventilation air heating
• Use of explosives
  • Comparison of explosives
• Backfill
  • Backfill material
  • Backfill properties
  • Mining with backfill
  • Backfill pipeline and delivery systems
  • Backfill distribution system design
• Port Facilities
• Ice roads
• Energy considerations for off-grid mines
• Fly-in fly-out mines

Mineral processing

• Gold extraction

Economics and finance

• Economic Evaluation Checklist - Mineral Projects
• Project economics
  • Discount rate
  • Depreciation
  • Taxation
• Net smelter return
• Project Evaluation Methods
  • Sensitivity Analysis
  • Monte Carlo simulation
• Metal price forecasting
• Equipment purchase vs leasing
• Shipping costs

Mining regulations, permitting

• Mining regulations
• Social engagement
• Environmental permitting
  • Environmental permitting in Ontario