Palabora Block Cave Mine – a world class benchmark … Pretorius.pdf · Why Block Cave Mining?...
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Transcript of Palabora Block Cave Mine – a world class benchmark … Pretorius.pdf · Why Block Cave Mining?...
Palabora Mining Company Limited
Palabora Block Cave Mine – a world class benchmark design
Dawid Pretorius, General
Manager Mining, Palabora
Mining Company, South Africa
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Background
Palabora Ore body forms part of the
Palabora Igneous complex formed
by a series of volcanic eruptions.
The Ore Body contains a unique
variety of minerals - copper,
Phosphates, magnetite, uranium,
zirconium, nickel, gold, silver,
platinum, and palladium.
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Background cont.
1965: Commissioning of Palabora Open pit Mine
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Background cont.
1996: Faced with decision to close in 2002 or to go underground.
Rio Tinto decided to start the block cave mine.
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Why Block Cave Mining?U/G mining method
• Suitable for massive orebodies which have a large, regular “footprint” and either dip steeply or are of a large vertical extent.
• By undercutting an area equivalent to the HR, caving is initiated.
• Two major drivers of the caving process are:
• Gravity
• Stresses
• Low OPEX but HIGH CAPEX
Extraction
Level
Draw Bell
Undercut
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Block Cave Mining
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Technical Challenges
•Greatest column height in the world
•Hardest rock for a block cave
•Coarsest fragmentation for a block cave
•Lowest grade underground copper mine in the world @ 0.7% Cu
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Equipment
•17 LHD (Load Haul and Dump) with 2 OEM’s – Caterpillar and Sandvik
•4 Mobile Rock breakers
•5 Water Canons
•Ancillary vehicles
•4 Medium Reach Rigs
•Production Shaft: 2 Cope Winders with 4*32 Ton skips
•Service Shaft: 30 Ton Cage and a Mary Anne
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Technology
PDS (Pedestrian Detection System)
•Dispatch (MMSA)- Fleet and Information Management System
•Gemcom Software (PCBC & CMS)
•Rebop and Arena (Simulation)
•SCADA for Fixed Plant enabling Conditional Monitoring
•Planning (Prima Vera and SAP)
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Management Principles
•Theory of Constraints •Rock Factory – managing value chain
•Planning based on bottleneck requirements
•Planning approach
•Do not skip any maintenance
•Draw Control
•Visible felt Leadership (Safety)
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Achievements
•Safety – One of the Safest underground mines in South Africa AIFR = 0.42
•85% Planned vs. 15% unplanned maintenance on all fixed and mobile plant
•Production: 34,000 tons vs. 30,000 design capacity – Highest volume single shaft in the world
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Achievements
•Best Day 42,998 tons May 2005
•Best Week 37,247 tons Week 22 2008
•Best Month 35,993 tons August 2008
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Future Rio Tinto Block Caves
0.1
1
10
100
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40Contained Equ iv. Copper mineralisation - Mt
Cop
per E
quiv
. Gra
de -
% C
u
Oyu Tolgoi
Pebble
Resolut ion
La Granja
Note: bubble siz e reflects total annual capacity
CompetitorsRT Projec ts
Mine-Tech International Conference and Expo, 2-4 November 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
Where to from here?
•Low grade ore bodies
•Extension for open pit mines
•Mine of the future – remote and autonomous operation possibilities
•21st Century mining is here to stay