Stockpile Planning Framework for Mine Planning at Pilbara Operations

Research output: ThesisMaster's Thesis

Abstract

The Stockpile Planning Framework supports the understanding of the stockpiling approach and the decision making process straight forward to schedule the number of stockpiles The framework was developed performing statistical analysis of the mineral inventory to identify trends, distributions and correlations between the various material attributes and properties. The analysis was focusing deposits within Brockman and Marra Mamba Iron Formations as well as Detrital Iron deposits. Recommendations and suggestions for the stockpiling approach were delivered. The main grouping criteria for the material are the geology, the mineralogy & petrology, the chemistry, the processing properties and there correlations. These parameters are described in detail in the Stockpile Planning Framework. Based on these findings a work sheet to proceed a quick deposit evaluation was developed. Two site specific analyses were conducted with data from the HPB sample deposit and the MM sample deposit. Distributions of various properties of different groups of material were compared and based on the observed correlations a stockpiling recommendation tailored for the mine sites was formulated. In addition the process ability of different ore types and strands was evaluated with metallurgical test work and the stockpiling recommendations were developed. These findings were combined with considerations of the incremental grade theory. An example was completed to check the applicability of the incremental grade theory for processing related stockpiling considerations. The objective of the presented paper is to support the long term mine planner in the mine specific stockpiling strategy design and therefore the paper does not provide ready fixed stockpiling schedules and plans for individual mine sites.

Details

Translated title of the contributionRichtlinie zur Implementierung einer neuen Haldenstrategie für die Pilbara Betriebe
Original languageEnglish
QualificationDipl.-Ing.
Supervisors/Advisors
Award date13 Dec 2013
Publication statusPublished - 2013