TY - THES

T1 - Evaluation and Risk Analysis of Open-Pit Mining Operations

AU - Pekol, Alexander

N1 - embargoed until 09-03-2024

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - Mining of raw materials is a process that consists of several stages. It starts with an order of a company or a private taker. For Greenfield projects, prospection and exploration must be done at first to investigate the mineral occurrence. If the resources are economical mineable, application of machinery has to be decided. The decision is primarily based on rock mass properties. In open-pit mining, material with high compressive strength is extracted by drilling and blasting and material with low compressive strength is extracted by e.g. a bucket wheel excavator. After drilling and blasting, material must be broken down into smaller pieces of rock using a crusher, so that it can be transported with conveyor belts. Most important influencing factors for crusher decision are compressive strength, clay content, moisture content, abrasiveness, amount of fines, and desired reduction ratio. Depending on sequence of mining, fixed, semi-fixed, semi-mobile, or mobile crusher stations can be applied. Compressive strength, tensile strength, cleavage, fracture behavior, and stickiness are the most significant influencing factors for bucket wheel excavator selection. Before manufacturing a bucket wheel excavator, investigation of material’s cutting resistance with a suitable test method and comparison of mine condition with condition of other mines is recommended. The waste removal and dumping associated with mining must be handled very well, so that the environmental impacts are as low as possible and to guarantee dump stability. Essential are dump foundation properties, design of dump, and construction of dump. Open-pit mining operations harbor risks which can lead to project delays, operation standstill, injury to personnel, damage to equipment, or negative impacts on the environment. Therefore, risk identification and prevention of risks is essential.

AB - Mining of raw materials is a process that consists of several stages. It starts with an order of a company or a private taker. For Greenfield projects, prospection and exploration must be done at first to investigate the mineral occurrence. If the resources are economical mineable, application of machinery has to be decided. The decision is primarily based on rock mass properties. In open-pit mining, material with high compressive strength is extracted by drilling and blasting and material with low compressive strength is extracted by e.g. a bucket wheel excavator. After drilling and blasting, material must be broken down into smaller pieces of rock using a crusher, so that it can be transported with conveyor belts. Most important influencing factors for crusher decision are compressive strength, clay content, moisture content, abrasiveness, amount of fines, and desired reduction ratio. Depending on sequence of mining, fixed, semi-fixed, semi-mobile, or mobile crusher stations can be applied. Compressive strength, tensile strength, cleavage, fracture behavior, and stickiness are the most significant influencing factors for bucket wheel excavator selection. Before manufacturing a bucket wheel excavator, investigation of material’s cutting resistance with a suitable test method and comparison of mine condition with condition of other mines is recommended. The waste removal and dumping associated with mining must be handled very well, so that the environmental impacts are as low as possible and to guarantee dump stability. Essential are dump foundation properties, design of dump, and construction of dump. Open-pit mining operations harbor risks which can lead to project delays, operation standstill, injury to personnel, damage to equipment, or negative impacts on the environment. Therefore, risk identification and prevention of risks is essential.

KW - Tagebau

KW - Schaufelradbagger

KW - IPCC

KW - Risiko

KW - Risikoanalyse

KW - Schnittkraft

KW - Grabkraft

KW - spezifischer Schneidwiderstand

KW - spezifischer Grabwiderstand

KW - Open-pit mining

KW - Bucket wheel excavator

KW - IPCC

KW - Risk

KW - Risk Analysis

KW - Cutting force

KW - Digging force

KW - Specific cutting resistance

KW - Specific digging resistance

U2 - 10.34901/mul.pub.2024.109

DO - 10.34901/mul.pub.2024.109

M3 - Master's Thesis

ER -