Empirical Model of Discretized Copper Ore Flow Within the Underground Mine Transport System

Abstract

A model of the transport system in a copper ore mine was prepared using FlexSim software and the simulations were performed for five days. Empirical parameters were applied to each item of the transport system in order for the ore transport times to correspond to the actual conditions. Both the class-and the loading point-specific haul truck courses were based on the five-day schedule. Mean inter-arrival times were modelled for haul trucks according to empirical histograms. The ore portions were discretized and their masses were based on haul truck load capacities. The simulations were performed for twelve variants covering the unavailability of different ore sources. The recorded statistics include ore provenience, lithology, Cu content and tag survival rate for RFID-tagged ore variants. The model represents the new way of solving the problem of ore mixing in a conveyor beltbased transport system. Adoption of the proposed scheme, will allow the enrichment plant managers to adjust the milling and crushing parameters to the lithology of the ore before it will leave the mine. The model allows to pinpoint the areas in the mine that produce certain demanded lithological factions and helps the managers to choose the most desirable pattern of the mining schedule and forecast the economical outcome.