NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF THE ALTIPLANO

FACULTY OF MINING ENGINEERING

PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL OF MINING ENGINEERING

MONOGRAPHY

MODELAMIENTO DE RECURSOS Y DISEÑO DE

MINAS EN LA MINA OBUASI, GHANA

PRESENTED BY:

 SULLCA ACERO, Keny Genaro

 APAZA MAMANI, Oscar Edson

 CARBAJAL MAMANI, Walter Aldair

PUNO - PERU
PRESENTATION

The present work focuses on the study of ore modelling and the design of ore reserve cubing, then applying
the method of resource exploitation. In other words, data mining prepares, probes and explores the data to
bring out the information hidden in them. Thus, the procedures for sampling, mapping, interpretation,
modelling and design of the mineralised structure must be carefully designed to maximise the value of the
ore.

On the other hand, this work is intended to apply the mining software to obtain the short, medium and long
term production programme, optimising the development and control of the planning in real time.

To carry out this study, the shear-hosted gold deposit shows complex secondary shears of varying thickness
and continuity. There is a continuous process of change taking place in the way geological modelling and
resource estimation is done. Recent developments include the use of computerised systems that support the
whole resource management chain from resource modelling to reserve optimisation.

Finally, ore control systems do not operate in a vacuum. They must integrate other routine planning and
production functions: modelling, long-term and short-term planning, test systems, and so on. Integration
must be consolidated, and implemented in such a way that it can be easily adapted, when changes to other
systems are made.
 INDEX
1.1. SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS .............................................................................................................1
1.1.1. Backfill management....................................................................................................................1
1.1.2. Management of vents and rock crossings...................................................................................1
1.1.3. Storage in rock passes ..................................................................................................................1
1.1.4. Ventilation .....................................................................................................................................2
1.1.5. Ventilation duct ............................................................................................................................2
1.2. METHODOLOGY ...........................................................................................................................2
1.3. ANALYSIS........................................................................................................................................3
1.3.1. Resource for booking ...................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSIONS ..........................................................................................................................................5
RECOMMENDATION ...............................................................................................................................6
BIBLOGRAPHY ..........................................................................................................................................6
 INTRODUCTION

Obuasi Mine in Ghana, with over 100 years of mining history, developed from a surface operation at a depth
of 2000m underground gold mine. The challenge is to extract value from the narrow veins that remain after
extensive mining in the wider ore zones of the mine. Since the merger of AngloGold and Ashanti Goldfields
in 2004 the mine strives to achieve optimal extraction through an integrated Mineral Resource management
process from geological modelling, resource assessment through to mine design and scheduling. The shear-
hosted gold deposit exhibits complex secondary shears of varying thickness and continuity. There is a
continuous process of change taking place in the way geological modelling and resource estimation is done.
Recent developments include the use of computerised systems that support the whole resource management
chain from resource modelling to reserve optimisation. The change in thinking and technology. It now
allows targeting of narrow seams previously ignored in mine optimisation and design since the move to
mechanised mining. Increased knowledge and confidence in resource models now allows flexibility in mine
design, mining method selection and scheduling and reserve extraction. The focus area for change is the
way the deposit is evaluated and mining designed. Significant changes have been made to the process since
2005. This article considers the historical approach to resource management. It examines individual process
changes and rates those well ahead.
 CONTENT OF THE THEME

1.1. SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS

1.1.1. Backfill management

Waste rock: all waste should be dumped in stopes after the initial installation development. A few
cut and fill lifts may consume some of the waste from the initial development. An internal pass can
be dedicated to this, if necessary. The ideal place will be to use the waste to backfill the already
backfilled recesses with hydrafill. This will provide a better path for the equipment.
Hydrafill: Hydrafill will be poured from a raised slot at one end and also through the access ramp
via a vertical or inclined orifice. This will be checked on a rebate-by-rebate basis and in certain
cases the extent of the rebate will be reduced. Drainage holes must therefore be provided.
Bulkheads: Hydraulic backfill bulkheads should be constructed prior to mining beyond the rock
pass approaches or according to geotechnical recommendations.
The connection to the ventilation elevations may not be a flat cross-section, but an elevation of,
say, 45°. This will avoid the need to build an infill wall and the resulting leaks.
Waste at start-up: quickly remove some cut and fill lifts and backfill the initial waste into them.
Otherwise, existing passes will have to be used to dispose of the initial waste generated in the area.
The first sublevel may then be higher than normal. This will also increase the storage capacity of
the passes.

1.1.2. Management of vents and rock crossings

Shallower ventilation passages to reduce speed and dust, and keep rock passages at a safe distance
of 20 m from the reef. Thick portions of reef: it is desirable to extract reefs wider than 10 m with a
transverse stop. A floor wall sub-unit will be required for this length. It will be desirable to locate
the access ramp at the thin and thick reef boundary. This will make the floor wall unit easily
accessible. The traverse stops can be mined in double lifts, if required.

1.1.3. Storage in rock passes

- If tracked wagons are used for the collection of all internal steps the combined storage must be
large enough to fill the train.
- If trackless wagons are used for the collection of internal passages, the minimum capacity required
for the main passage must be at least 1,5 times the capacity of the train. This can be achieved by
increasing:
- the height
- the diameter,
- the number of steps, and
- lowering the ore to a level below the tracks.

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1.1.4. Ventilation
Through ventilation is desirable, but access to the ramp and reef development shall be under forced
ventilation. It is imperative that their total length is within the maximum legal distance of 180 m.
The tops of rock passages may be used to provide ventilation, where possible.

1.1.5. Ventilation duct

Small size loaders should be used for reef development leaving sufficient space for ventilation
ducts. The loaders shall only operate in one direction; therefore, the ventilation duct should be
placed on the side opposite the driver's bonnet.

1.2. METHODOLOGY

(Eybers et at, 2008) A study was carried out to determine the sensitivity of the degree of optimisation of the
pit dimensions. This method will allow us to design the mine, which measures 20 m × 5 m × 15 m,
representing the heading, width and depth dimensions. The focus of the study is only to change the width in
the narrow ore zones. For survey two, areas of the mine were considered where thin zones of ore occur. The
zones have varying thicknesses (1 - 20 m) and show typical pinch and swell geometry and short range
change in strike and dressing. The floating cone method, different stope widths were optimised to
determine the change in selectivity. Casing widths of 5 m, 4 m, 3 m, 2 m and 1 m were optimised with a 1
m incremental float (sub-cell). The result is an increase in tonnes at lower grade, the narrower the stope
width allows thinner ore to be extracted while achieving head grade. This produces less waste, which
means less tonnes, but at a higher grade. Currently it only optimises in a fixed direction and dip and is not
optimal for the type of orebody being mined. (Eybers, 2008)

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(Charaja, E. 2014) This development translates into a process consisting of a set of tasks such as planning,
organising, directing and controlling, which are channelled towards optimum performance, in accordance
with a philosophy linked to the satisfaction of the different actors involved. Likewise, the valuation of the
blocks is carried out taking as a reference the stock exchange market where it considers the price of
copper as 7,029.65 $/tn.

1.3. ANALYSIS

Geostatistics is used to estimate in the block models and ordinary kriging was selected as the best
method for estimation. Colour coding of the wireframe is used to define each individual ore zone
as a kriging zone (KZONE). Drilling and development samples are zoned by KZONE and
estimation parameters are determined for each zone. Since the model is constrained based on a
resource cut-off grade, the wireframe structures distinguish between high grade ore and the
surrounding waste tailings.

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It is estimated to improve geological understanding and produce potential mining blocks. Due to
the scale and complexity of the deposit, the estimation method and estimation parameters are still
areas for improvement and work is ongoing to optimise the process and geostatistical controls. A
minimum of four samples within the search ellipse is required for classification to be applied.
Additional attributes of the resource model The resource model is also exhausted where mining
was carried out. In recent years a cavity monitoring system (CMS) is used and the wireframe
obtained from this is used to classify the resource as mined or unmined. Topographic data from
historically mined areas is used in an attempt to develop schemes to deplete the model.

1.3.1. Resource for booking

With a global resource model in place for all mineral zones, the next step is to determine the
available economic resource and convert it into an exploitable reserve.

Based on the gold price, costs and profit margins, the required mining grade can be derived. The
required mining grade is 'flagged' in the grade tonnage profile as an average grade above the cut-
off and the resource limit and available volume can be established.

The resource cut-off obtained and the minimum mining unit (MMU) are used as criteria for
optimisation. Currently, the minimum mining unit (MMU) used for mine design at the Obuasi mine
is 20m 5m 15m. The units represent:

 20 m bearing intervals of the cross sections,

 5 m minimum width required for the current mining equipment for the selected mining
method, 15 m level intervals.

The result of the resource optimisation is a resource model containing areas marked as economic
resource or inventory.

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5
 CONCLUSIONS

The use of mining software as a modern tool to broaden the perspective of the mining professional
in the development of mine design and planning was demonstrated. The application of strategic
planning is a valuable tool for the management of the company and is ideal for establishing correspondence
between the problems identified and their causes, the objectives set to overcome them and the action plans
that are organised to achieve the desired results.

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A vast reserve of narrow veins can be mined using modern techniques, and the right mining
equipment will undoubtedly add value to the Obuasi asset; the biggest challenge will be the change
in mindset, the establishment of advanced grade control, to date the geological model and the
implementation of a robust mining system plan that will enable the mining of these narrow veins
safely and profitably, and continuous improvement in geological understanding, research and
modelli refinement.

RECOMMENDATION

It is extremely important to monitor the operational design and its development through the use of
mining software and other mining-related IT tools.

It is important to evaluate the progress of mining, by means of the speeds of the operation cycle
per day, this will allow us to carry out an orderly and synchronised operation with the software.

Research and develop better procedures and methodologies that allow us to achieve better designs
and thus improve the profitability of our mining unit.

BIBLOGRAPHY

Bibliography
Charaja, E. (2014). "STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL PLANNING USING DATAMINE SOFTWARE AT
CONDESTABLE UNDERGROUND MINE.
https://www.google.com/search?q=planning+of+minerals+and+disease%C3%B1o+of+exploitatio
n%C3%B3n+thesis&rlz=1C1GGGE_esPE969PE969&ei=Yxr3YcOQOrOz5OUPxpGO8AE&ved=0ahUK
EwiDzr7zy9r1AhWzGbkGHcaIAx4Q4dUDCA4&uact=5&oq=planning+of+minerals+and+design+of
+exploitation.

Charaja, E. (2014). STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL PLANNING USING DATAMINE SOFTWARE AT

CONDESTABLE UNDERGROUND MINE".

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Eybers, e. (2008). Resource Modelling and Mine Design at Obuasi Mine, Ghana.
https://minedocs.com/20/Ahafo_South-TR-12312018.pdf.