Increasing the value and feasibility of open pit plans by integrating the mining system into the planning process

We present a model that allows us to consider mine production scheduling coupled with the mining system at different levels of detail: from the standard origin-destination approach to a network considering different processing paths. Each of these is characterized by variable costs, capacities, and geometallurgical constraints. We then apply this model to a real mine, comparing the results with those obtained by traditional methodology: the destination of materials defined a priori, before computing the schedules, using standard criteria like cut-off grades. As expected, using optimization to schedule and define dynamically the best processing alternatives shows a big opportunity for potential value improvement. However, the main result is that using only origin-destination and fixed cut-off grades may produce schedules that are not feasible when the actual constraints of the mining system are taken into account. Therefore, it is essential to include the considerations proposed in the planning process.