Strategic mine planning and design: some challenges and strategies for addressing them

The authors provide their assessment of current challenges in strategic mine planning and some approaches for addressing them. Challenges covered are quantification of downstream processes and their integration into orebody models; spatial characterisation of geometallurgical variables and their integration into block models, scheduling and mine optimisation; spatial characterisation of new variables for new types of mining; flexibility in planning and design to manage risk and minimise its impact; IT infrastructure for rapid on-line data collection and processing. Most of these challenges require new types of data, variables, modelling and estimation methods. Foremost among new variable types are geometallurgical and dynamic rock mass characterisation variables. New types of data and data collection include rapid generation of very large amounts of on-line sensor data and the consequent need for rapid processing and modelling of these data. The paper includes examples of models and outputs to illustrate approaches and potential solutions.