Phase design and scheduling at the Empire Mine

The Empire Mine is located on the The following section, at the toe elevation metallurgical information, and undiscounted
Marquette Iron Range in Michigan’s Upper of one of the mining benches, displays the cash flow. Sheets added to the schedule
Peninsula. Mining began in the early targeted string boundary, current topography included destination, mining process,
1960s, with the operation shipping its first and one of the pushback designs. block precedences, period calendar, and
pellets in 1963. constraint tables.

Empire was constructed in four phases. A combination of Chronos and C-Plex is

The original plant was capable of producing used in the optimization procedure. The
1.6 million tons of pellets per year. The optimization problem input file is created in
first expansion in 1966 raised the annual Chronos, and the problem is solved using
capacity to 3.5 million tons. Capacity was C-Plex. The results are loaded back into
raised again in 1975 to 5.3 mtpa and the Chronos where the user can review them
final expansion, completed in 1980, yielded in the General Sheet period summary and
a production capability of 8 mtpa. determine if edits are needed.

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. manages the Empire Each schedule in this project was
Mine, with a 79% ownership interest; Ispat Pushback designs were created using the later graphically examined using the
Inland N.V. controls the remaining 21%. Open Pit>Ramps>Design option. Different Chronos>Display and Query options to
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is the pre-eminent wall angles were used to comply with make sure there is no undercutting, and
supplier of iron ore pellets and magnetite geotechnical specifications. A surface to ensure that mining sequencing and
products in North America. The current triangulation was created for each precedences had been set up properly.
(2003) rated production capacity of the pushback, and the Pit Topography option An animation of each schedule is then
Empire Mine is 6.0 million tons of pellets. was used to create the enclosed solid and created using View>Animation>Create.
the Pit Photo with the pushback mined out.
VULCAN is used extensively at the mine
for geology, ore control, scheduling and Using 3D solids from each phase,
engineering functions, leading to a strong bench triangulations are created using
focus for proper VULCAN training on a Model>Triangle Solid>Shells; each
regular basis. Geologists and engineers triangulation is then validated for closure,
at Empire have an excellent working consistency and self-intersection. The
relationship with Maptek’s Denver office triangulations are then checked graphically
technical support group. to ensure no unmineable areas remain.
After verification, the triangulations are
Maptek Denver has worked closely ready for reserve calculations.
with Empire mine personnel, as well as
Cleveland-Cliffs’ Research Lab group to run
a pit optimization exercise, which includes Constraint table (top) and Period summary sheet
detailed Pushback Design and Long Range
The emphasis of the pit optimization and
Chronos C-Plex Optimization schedule.
phase design exercise was to gain the
best NPV, while complying with constraints
The first part of this project included the
such as strip ratio, mill throughput hours,
gathering of mining, pelletizing, plant,
blending, constant ore exposure, fleet
shipping and capital costs. These costs
capacity, metallurgical constraints, pit
were used in Whittle, and a final pit (below)
blending and plant constraints.
was selected in the Pushback Design.
The Empire Mine has been able to look at
Phase Design of CD2 pit many different scenarios with much more
detail and accuracy. VULCAN’s Open Pit
Advanced Reserves is used to create design tools allow changes to be made
ore and waste product codes with the to the pit design in a short period of time.
necessary block model variables. All Similarly, Chronos and C-Plex Optimization
bench triangulations are then reserved can be quickly edited and updated with new
using these product codes. A block model parameters, resulting in multiple scenarios
script has been created to allow the being made available for review. This short
user to change temporary values of the turnaround time enables the Empire mine to
Selected Pit strings displayed using adjust quickly to market changes and other
Block>Viewing>Pits option
block model variables, editing the costs
throughout the script. industry demands.
Each pushback was designed to
accommodate ramp systems and tie in Reserves are then imported into the Thanks to Sam Shoemaker
points with areas of current topography. Chronos scheduler and the Reserve sheet Chief Mine Engineer
The design concept was to create smaller, is formatted to include additional fields, Cliffs Technology Group
narrower pushbacks, which are less difficult such as haulage information by block, mill
to strip and allow easier access to the ore. throughput hours, royalties breakdown, Reproduced from Forge 3, 2003.

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©2003 Maptek Pty Ltd, for more information contact [email protected]

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