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24-MMP-A5 Surface Mining Methods and Design: May 2015

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  1. Question 1 Availability and Utilization
  2. Question 2 Discount Rate and Pit Scheduling
  3. Question 3 Water Hammer in Mine Dewatering
  4. Question 4 Conventional Dragline Operating Methods
  5. Question 5 Moving Cone and the Lerchs–Grossmann Algorithm
  6. Question 6 Pareto's Law in Mine Cost Management
  7. Question 7 Open-Pit Ore and Waste Scheduling (NW-Corner Method)
  8. Question 8 In-Pit Tandem Pump Dewatering; Deep-Well Alternative
  9. Question 9 Dragline Side-Casting Geometry and Capability Check
  10. Question 10 Block-Model Economics and Pit-Limit Optimization
  11. Question 11 Mine Cost Centres, Cost/Inflation Indexes, and Parametric Capital Cost

Start with Question 1 →

EGBC National Exam — Mining and Mineral Processing Engineering, 09-MMP-A5 Surface Mining Methods and Design, 2015-May. 3 hours duration, closed book; one hand-written 8.5×11 inch reference sheet and an approved Casio or Sharp calculator permitted. Question 1 is compulsory (40 marks, all six parts 1.1–1.6); a candidate then selects FOUR of Questions 2–7 (each worth 20 marks).

Reference texts: Hartman & Mutmansky (eds.), SME Mining Engineering Handbook, 3rd ed. (equipment availability/utilization, dragline stripping systems, truck-shovel productivity, mine dewatering, mine cost estimation); Hustrulid, Kuchta & Martin, Open Pit Mine Planning and Design, 3rd ed. (block-model economics, floating/moving-cone algorithm, the Lerchs–Grossmann graph-theoretic pit-optimization method, discounted cash-flow scheduling); Kennedy, B.A. (ed.), Surface Mining, 2nd ed., SME (dragline range-diagram geometry, stripping methods); Lerchs, H. & Grossmann, I.F. (1965), “Optimum Design of Open-Pit Mines,” CIM Bulletin, 58, 47–54; O’Hara, T.A. (1980), CIM Bulletin (Feb. 1980), and Mular, A.L. & Poulin, R. (1998), CapCosts: A Handbook for Estimating Mining and Mineral Processing Equipment Costs, CIM Special Volume 47 (parametric capital-cost formulae used in Question 6); Theis, C.V. (1935) and Cooper & Jacob (1946) aquifer-test methods (standard hydrogeology references, Question 3.2).