The Importance of Mining Design

Mining design focuses on optimal methods for extracting the minerals within a deposit. The process of determining which method will be the most efficient involves determining the deposit’s geological and geomechanical characteristics. These factors include the depth of the resource, its proximity to the surface, and its footprint and thickness. It also considers faults, dykes, and the compressive strength of the resource.

A mine’s design also accounts for the mining equipment used. Often, these mining equipments are designed to work efficiently and safely in a specific area. For example, a mine might use a combination of a dragline and a continuous excavator. The dragline will excavate the spoil side of the pit.

A mine’s design should also consider its ventilation system and material handling system. These systems will determine how quickly the ore is moved. Materials handling systems must address the needs of mining operations, as well as air quality and contaminants that may come from equipment exhaust. Ventilation systems should include recirculating and exhaust systems.

Mining design should consider the social, cultural, and environmental factors of the extraction area. While mining is a crucial part of the production process, mining engineers need to consider these aspects in order to maximize the output from the extraction process. This approach is called multi-functional mining. Mining engineers need to consider the effects of their design on the environment before moving forward. Read here to understand more about this mining design.

A mining design can incorporate the use of a range diagram, which is a cross-sectional plan of the mine pit’s shape. This diagram enables the mine planner to accurately identify where equipment will dump material. This prevents overburden from crowding the machinery. Additionally, it helps to identify the distance between the strip and the prestrip elevations.

Surface mining operations are one of the most visible offenders in the landscape. Their aesthetic and geomorphologic effects have led to significant conflicts between the public and the extractive industry. Environmentally-friendly mining design is essential for any type of excavation. Unfortunately, the current visual impact assessment methodologies do not adequately address this requirement. This makes it important to incorporate the principles of sustainable design into the design process.

For example, a coal power plant can have a large footprint. It will need space to unload its coal feedstock. The coal may also need to be processed to produce uniform-size particles. In addition, the power plant may need a cooling tower to run. Lastly, it will need enough space to handle post-combustion products.

Mining operations also produce large volumes of acidic metal-containing wastewaters. Some of these acid solutions are stored in lagoons. Gold mining, for example, can use sulfuric acid heap leaching. Sulfuric acid leaches low-grade Cu ores. The sulfuric acid dissolves the Cu and forms Cu-sulfate complexes. These solutions are then stored in lagoons to avoid contamination. Find out more details in relation to this topic here: https://www.britannica.com/technology/mining.