Copper Mining in India

This is to certify that the Project titled “Mathematical Modeling for the Performance Appraisal of Open Pit Equipments” was carried out by Md. Asif Daiyan(N-0051 under my guidance for the award of degree of Bachelor of Technology in Mining Engineering of National Institute of Technology, Rourkela. This report is a bonafide record of project work carried out by him under my guidance. This project work fulfills the requirement of the regulation regarding the nature and standard of work.
The contents of this project report have not been submitted to any University or Institution for award of any degree or diploma earlier

Subjected Approved By:

Dr. B.K.Pal
Asst. Prof &
Head of Department, Mining Engg.
National Institute Of Technology
Rourkela – 769008

Dr. D.P.Tripathy
Asst. Prof.Department of Mining Engg.
National Institute Of Technology
Rourkela – 769008

PRE- FACE

The basic purpose of this project “Mathematical Modeling for the Performance Appraisal of Open Pit Equipments” is to conduct critical appraisal of the performance of various Heavy Earth Moving Mining Machineries (HEMM) in open cast mines and identify the areas where mathematical modeling can be applicable. In this project, a simulation model and a software programming were prepared to study the optimum utilization of machineries.

ABSTRACT
In today’s mining scenario, about 70% of the productions of the major ore/mineral are coming out from the opencast mines. Integrated mechanization and automation in the surface mines can fulfill the increasing demands of the mineral products in the domestic and world market. This means introduction of heavy earth moving mining machineries (HEMM) in the opencast mines for achieving targeted output. Due to the higher cost of HEMM limited number of machines can be used for production. To achieve optimum production, proper selection of equipment is essential. Availability and utilization of machinery are the key parameters in the equipment selection. Further design and operation of major excavated loaders, Bucket wheel excavators etc. is undergoing key changes. The most significant changes in trends of mining equipment design is the bucket size and dumping range of excavators and matching capacity of the supporting equipments. To established the relationship between dependent and independent variables different mathematical modeling techniques can be effectively used for the equipment selection and proper matching with auxiliary equipments. Linear programming models can do optimization of production scheduling. Optimum utilization of machineries can be found out by proper Shovel – Dumper combination that can be solved by queuing model. These critical mathematical modeling become digestible by the computer programming and simulation of proper performance appraisal of different open pit equipments.
CHAPTER – 1

1.0. INTRODUCTION
The recent trend in the mineral industry is the progressive change-over from underground mining to Opencast mining, wherever it becomes practicable and economical. Currently surface mining contributes to over 70 per cent of global mineral production. As surface mines become larger, deeper and more capital-intensive, continuing efforts are being made to improve upon the levels of productivity through economies of scale, incremental advances in equipment and practices, and also through innovative techniques by conceptual leaps.
Significant economies of scale have been achieved through up rating the size of stripping units, which apparently have reached a plateau and efforts at further gains are being spear headed through new concept in equipment utilization by restoring to automation and control. The application of high capacity continue surface mining techniques to harder formation, new concepts of Cross-pit and high-angle conveying and development in new explosive systems hold out almost unlimited opportunities for upgrading the technological performance. To maintain the competitive edge, however, surface mining industries must have a continuing watch on innovative concepts and new equipments development for possible utilization.
Technology, as the level for change the development, has touched the minerals sector only peripherally and its usage has evolved gradually, albeit slowly. Stepped in its highly conservative mindset, the mining industry has made little efforts in opening new windows of technological opportunity through innovation. A rapid growth to suit the increasing size and output of the mine has given way to development of large size mining machines with sophisticated arrangements to reduce the stress and strain of the workers. Due to the rapid technological developments, It will be possible to design bigger size of excavators which can dig even very hard rock and handle sticky materials, be substantially lighter, easily move in and out of pit and safe on slushy soil.
Further, with the help of mathematical modeling it become easier to optimize the utilization of HEMM by theoretical concept and simulate the computer program for continuous mining. It also help for proper matching combinations of HEMM (like Shovel-Dumper combination) to get the maximum productivity from the mines.

CHAPTER – 2
[Literature Review]

2.0. SURFACE MINING IN INDIA: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE TRENDS
Over the past two decades, the mining industries scene in India has also been marked by a purposeful thrust on mechanized surface mining. In the Indian mining industry, a similar trend of rapid growth could be clearly seen. At the time of Independence in 1948, Indian was producing just 24 minerals on industrial scale. Over the last three decades, the country has added 40 minerals to that list. Today the value of all 64 minerals produced annually is estimated to be nearly three thousand crore rupees.
Due to the development of large Equipments with more sophistication, even the mines which were once considered uneconomical by Opencast method, are re-planned and worked as Opencast mines. Besides, for such a rapid growth in the production, it becomes necessary to have large mines, which is usually possible by Opencast methods only. The concept of Opencast mining technology, has assumed such a huge proportion that even deep-seated minerals upto depths of 600 to 650 Mts. Are being mined by such Opencast methods at an economic cost and with high productivity. It is worth mentioning here that the main considerations for this revised thinking besides the economic viability are –
Ø Full recovery of mineral, sometimes 100 %
Ø Larger production possibility and high OMS and productivity.
Ø Selective mining and mining of split seams.
Ø Feasibility in planning, production and mechanization.
Ø Mechanization to the full extent to get the desired production with less labour force and less strain and stress on the labour force.
Ø Less health and other hazards
Ø Comparatively less cost of production than in the underground mines.
The development of networking and information Technology during this decayed has changed the face of opencast mining in India. It has revolutionized each and every aspect of mining right from exploration, planning, operation, maintenance, transportation, communication, safety and down to benefaction and processing. Hence it can be safely predicted that by the beginning of the 21st century Indian mining will move more towards open cast working with continuous mining technology which will not only be technically superior but also economically viable for improving productivity and reducing the cost.
2.1. Present Technology Use in Opencast Mines
Mining industry world wide has increasingly restored to surface mining systems to mine increasing volumes of mineral raw materials for fully the industrial society of today. The technology of surface mining has also involved, both incrementally and through breakthroughs, into a new dimension of high technology capable of excavating gargantuan volumes of raw materials exposing the tenet of ‘bigger the better’ in search of higher levels of productivity and reduced costs. Quite apart from the economic of scale through up-rating of size and capacity of earth moving equipment, The new direction of technology development focus on automation , cleaner mining system and improving the reliability of machine performance. If once scans the technology growth scenario over the past century, one can easily discern the major milestones where a whole host of inability technologies contributed to the advancements in technology. In the past decade, for example, information technology has made massive inroads into surface mines around the world, be it in planning or real-time control of operations, and has opened up exciting vistas of future possibilities. The application of global positioning systems (GPS) has made it possible to control machines in remote locations and has revolutionized production control systems. The spate of innovations has been particularly rapid in the recent past and with new advances in communication, information technology and machine monitoring the opportunity of developing digital mines now seem a distinct possibility in the next decade.