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A Review of Current Scheduling and Design Practices in the Powder River Basin

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Abstract

Area mining is a surface mining method that allows for efficient mining and contemporaneous reclamation of tabular or bedded deposits, e.g., coal. Mine planning methods for area mines differ from those of open pit metal mines. Area mines in the Powder River Basin (PRB) use various processes for mine planning at both the strategic and tactical stages. With the ever changing commodity markets, it is becoming increasingly important for mine operators to be able to react quickly to the changing business environment. Tools that allow for the development and rapid comparison of production schedule scenarios are key to ensuring agile mine operations. A survey of mine engineers responsible for mine design and production scheduling at coal operations provides clarity on the current mine design and production scheduling processes in the PRB, as well as a discussion on potential solutions to upcoming challenges. In this article, we describe various mine planning processes used by the coal producers in the Powder River Basin. The survey identifies a clear gap in the ability to create comprehensive schedules associated with limited tools and lack of engineering labor needed to frequently conduct the mine design and scheduling process.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the many engineers in the Powder River Basin who took time to discuss and explain their mine planning practices.

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  1. Mining Engineering and Management, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 501 E. St. Joseph St, 57701, Rapid City, SD, USA

    Amy McBrayer & Andrea Brickey

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  1. Amy McBrayer
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Correspondence to Andrea Brickey.

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Appendix. PRB Mine Planning Survey

Appendix. PRB Mine Planning Survey

  1. 1.

    What mine design software are you using at your sites? (i.e., Carlson, MineScape, Vulcan)

  2. 2.

    What activities do you use design software for, design, geologic modeling, surveying, volume calculations, reconciliation, reclamation….etc.?

  3. 3.

    What programs are you using for production scheduling? (i.e., XPAC, Excel)

  4. 4.

    On average, how much time does your planning group dedicate to short-range, mid-range, and long-range planning?   At what frequency do you complete these tasks?

  5. 5.

    What strengths do you see in your current mine planning and production scheduling process?

  6. 6.

    What challenges/concerns do you experience with your current mine planning and production scheduling process?

  7. 7.

    What items that you do not currently include in your mine planning process would benefit your operations? (i.e., variable production costs, haulage modeling, other items)

  8. 8.

    What are you making your decisions based on?  Cashflow, NPV, bond, other?

  9. 9.

    What research in mine production scheduling or mine optimization might be of benefit to your operations?

  10. 10.

    Do you have any references or company manuals that you use when determining your planning process?

  11. 11.

    Would you like your company name and identifying information redacted or obscured in the publication of this research?

  12. 12.

    Would you be interested in providing a data set for potential research?  Data sets typically need to include volumes related to specific coal tonnages as well as coal qualities. Non-disclosure agreements can be put into place if desired.   For companies already providing data, this question can be omitted.

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McBrayer, A., Brickey, A. A Review of Current Scheduling and Design Practices in the Powder River Basin. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 40, 1059–1080 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-023-00754-w

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