Mining methods, initially, have to be selected according to geometry. Caving methods can only be agreed upon if it can be demonstrated that the hangingwall is amenable to caving. Likewise, open stoping methods would depend on hangingwall and orebody stability allowing acceptable recovery and dilution factors. The requirement for the use of backfill will depend on ore grade, mining method, sequence and the availability of suitable fill materials and binders.
AMC have experience of a wide range of open pit and underground mining operations. Methods used vary from highly selective to highly productive techniques at mines in Africa, Australia, North America and Europe.
To ensure that the correct methods are chosen during the feasibility study, due consideration must be given to local experience with methods and equipment as well as the other technical factors mentioned above.
African Mining Consultants have a catalogue of mining methods, including productivity data, unit costs, material usage and manpower requirements, which can be input to standard cost models for the derivation of economic mine design solutions.
Ventilation requirements are usually engineered from both a global mine aspect and local stoping demand. This is an area that is often not accorded sufficient attention even during the detailed pre-production study. It has resulted, in some cases, in significant spending during the preproduction phase, and occasionally may actually constrain production during the mine's operating lifetime.
Design of efficient blast patterns for both development and stoping can be carried out using up-to-date, interactive computer programs. These allow burden and spacing to be defined according to hole size, bench height, intact rock strength, joint spacing and explosive type to establish drill factors, optimise fragmentation and firm up on mining costs.
A suite of state of the art blasting software has been developed in house by Golder Associates and is available to the client for the solution of a wide range of blasting problems.
