Decline design in underground mines using constrained path optimisation

Abstract

This paper focuses on the problem of optimising the design of an underground mine decline, so as to minimise the costs associated with infrastructure development and haulage over the lifetime of the mine. A key design consideration is that the decline must be navigable by trucks and mining equipment, hence must satisfy both gradient and turning circle constraints. The decline is modelled as a mathematical network that captures the operational constraints and costs of a real mine, and is optimised using geometric techniques for constrained path optimisation. A deep understanding of the geometric properties of gradient and turning circle constrained paths has led to a very efficient procedure for designing optimal declines. This procedure has been automated in a new version of a software tool, decline optimisation tool. A case study is described indicating the substantial improvements of the new version of the decline optimisation tool over the earlier one.