FlowSim ®

BCTEC
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 Contents
BCTEC
Services
FlowSim®

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Expert engineering in sustainable mine
planning
Help the industry to define mine planning
standards based on the latest knowledge
available in cave mining.

Vision

Conduct mining studies and develops technologies that

contribute to establish a profitable, sustainable and safe
business, based on innovation, experience and technical
knowledge.

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BCTEC services
Mining design and planning
Conceptual engineering studies for
mining projects
Big Data Analysis for mining
Drill & Blast designs and analysis
Risk analysis for underground mining
Modelling and deposits assessment
Benchmark studies
New technologies assessment
Numerical Modelling
Stability assessment
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 FlowSim ® is a gravity flow
simulation tool with highly
reliable results used to
FLOWSIM

models the main mechanisms of

6.0
flow/caving through techniques of
evaluate mining design and cellular automatons allowing the
planning in block/panel and complex process of flow and caving of
ore to be simulated. With this information,
sub-level caving operations grades and fragmentation in caving
mines can be estimated effectively

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Characteristics Benefits

Fast Simulation tools based on a Grades and fragmentation

cellular automaton approach that for effective planning
allows the caving/ flow mechanisms
to be modelled

Calibrated and validated through High reliable mine planning

physical modelling and numerous results
observations at caving mines

Estimates ore recovery for It allows optimizing the

different mine conditions production level layout

Calculates diluted model Results could be used in

current planning processes

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Fast Simulation tools based on a
cellular automaton approach that
allows the caving/ flow complexity
to be modelled
Mechanisms
Secondary Fragmentation
Cave propagation
Fines migration
Internal and superficial rilling
FLOWSIM’S VERSIONS
BLOCK PANEL CAVING
SUBLEVEL CAVING
Software developed in C ++, with
1 2
the latest generation of libraries,
with a friendly and intuitive
interface
Inputs Outputs
Mine Plan Tracer trajectory
Cave shapes Simulated grades
3 4 Simulated Dilution
Block Model
Simulated tonnages
Tracer locations
Diluted Block Model
Drawbell Geometry
Remnant Block Model
Fragmentation Cave Back Rilling

MECHANISMS
Air Gap Fines Migration Dilution

d50= 0.1 m

d50= 1 m

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 EXPERIENCE

1. CODELCO
• El Teniente
• Esmeralda <5% 235 MUS$
• Diamante Error Mine Design
• Diablo Regimiento Reaches high reliability for a given
• Reservas Norte Permits the production level
production plan due to the
design to be optimized
• Andesita modelling of key caving
considering ore recovery
• Andes Norte mechanisms such as secondary
fragmentation, cave propagation
• Chuquicamata
and fines migration
• MB N02 & N03
• MB S01 & N01
2. NEWCREST MINING
• Cadia East
• PC1 Remnant Diluted Block
• PC2
• PC2-3 Block Model Model
• High Column project
Calculates the remnant ore for Calculates the equivalent
3. ALTOS DE PUNITAQUI a given production plan, which diluted Block model from
• Milagro Mine is key for new projects simulations, which is key for
mine planning
 FlowSim: Simulation software built from experiments and observation of
HISTORY caving/flow in caving mines

2006 2012 2015 2018

2013 2020
2017 2019

Julius Kruttschnitt Validation and Rilling and CORFO Caveback Secondary

Minerals Research calibration Preferential Flow projects Fragmentation
Centre

Queensland Mine Data New Mechanisms Innovation and Design Innovation and Flexibility Last Generation
(I+D) development
Study of the Since its development Riling and fines
The Chilean Caving propagation Secondary fragmentation
Mechanisms of FlowSim BC has been migration government has algorithm mechanisms
Gravity Flow for Block compared with real mine awarded I&D support Drawbelll geometry
Caving data including for FlowSim (elliptical/circular/square)
(Castro, 2006, PhD development and
Thesis) Chuquicamata packaging

El Salvador El Teniente

Andina Cadia East

Experiments Gravity flow experiments Drawbell geometry Fines Migration Secondary fragmentation

Large number of
experiments conducted to
calibrate and validate the
mechanisms included in
Flowsim.
Let’s be part of the new mine generation
Where data is used to improve the safety of the persons

We Create High-Quality Products

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