Mine Design, Planning, and Operations Support

Mine Design, Planning, and Operations Support

Our mining team has extensive experience in both underground and surface mine design as a result of the many projects we have completed throughout the world over a large range of commodity types. Our lead engineers have key operations experience holding positions such as VP of Operations, VP of Development, Mine Superintendent, Director of Engineering, as well as Operations Foreman and Shift Supervisor roles.

Our surface designs involve an optimizing approach to maximize the potential return on your mineral deposit. We use Whittle pit shell analysis or floating cones to evaluate multiple pit sizes and select the ultimate pit not only on overall value but also on its marginal return per tonne. We then select logical pit shells internal to the ultimate pit to define the mining phases and push backs. Finally, we generate a mine plan targeting the most profitable ore in the initial years to maximize upfront cash flow but also take into account out of pit waste hauls and in pit backfill scenarios that can reduce operating costs. Our plans also take into account amount of potentially acid generating material, total material movement, mine site foot print, and sensitivity analyses to provide you with a robust low risk project that can withstand changes in commodity prices and as well as environmental pressures and community impacts.

Our underground designs begin with an evaluation of applicable mining methods given the deposit geometry, rock mass characteristics, ore body size, and layout. We then decide on the best methods focusing on the trade-off between higher cost selective mining methods and lower cost bulk mining methods. Our underground mine plans then detail the development sequence and mine discrete stopes or mining blocks to provide an accurate picture of required development capital and cash flow timing. We also incorporate variations in production rate and cutoff grade in a multi-scenario analysis to determine the most economic route for development and operations.

The production and cost estimation for our mine plans are developed from first principals using the drilling, blasting, loading, and hauling mining unit operations. This type of estimation method provides a detailed accounting of productivity, consumables, equipment operating hours, and required labor hours and can easily be carried from a scoping level study to feasibility. Our mine plans typically include detailed schedules for manpower, equipment, consumables, sustaining capital, development, and backfill. We have experience designing backfill systems, ventilation systems, development entries, dewatering systems, pump stations, and haulage systems.

Mine Design, Planning & Operations Support services include:

  • Open Pit Mine Design, Planning, and Engineering
  • Underground Mine Design, Planning, and Engineering
  • Mineral Reserve Estimation
  • Production and Cost Estimation
  • Operations Auditing and Optimization
  • Long Range, Mid-Range and Short-Term Planning
  • Grade Control and Production Reconciliations
  • Geofluvial Reclamation Design
  • Underground Mine Ventilation
  • Corporate Management
  • Tailings Dam Operations Support
  • Dam Safety Inspections
  • Monitoring Instrumentation Design and Installation