24-MMP-B8 Rock Slope Engineering, May 2013: worked solutions

09-MMP-B8, Mine Management & Systems Analysis — May 2013 sitting. 3-hour closed-book exam, answer all questions, Appendix A (discounted cash-flow factor tables) attached.

Reference texts. Hustrulid, Kuchta & Martin, Open Pit Mine Planning and Design (pit optimization, truck/shovel matching, mine scheduling); Hartman & Mutmansky (eds.), SME Mining Engineering Handbook (mine life-cycle, project economics); Blank & Tarquin, Engineering Economy (DCF/NPV/PVR/payback); Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) (Critical Path Method).

Check: the exam booklet is headed “09-MMP-B8 Mine Management & Systems Analysis”, not Rock Slope Engineering — the content below solves the paper as printed. Also: only Questions 1, 3, 4 and 5 exist anywhere in the 6-page exam booklet — the cover sheet instructs “ANSWER ALL 5 QUESTIONS FOR A TOTAL OF 100 MARKS” and each question is marked out of 20, but no Question 2 appears on any page between Question 1 (ending “2 of 6”) and Question 3 (starting on page 3). This is a genuine gap in the original exam booklet — all four questions that DO exist are answered in full below (80 of the stated 100 marks).

24-MMP-B8 Rock Slope Engineering: May 2013