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Pit Conditions

Assess mine pit conditions accurately for effective life of mine planning

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Pit Conditions

Overview

Life of mine (LOM) planning and scheduling rely heavily on accurate information about pit conditions. When pit conditions are more predictable, mine operators can make informed decisions about equipment deployment, workforce allocation, and production targets, while any changes in pit conditions may require adjustments to these plans on the fly.

However, managing varying pit conditions on a mine site during the load and haul process presents several challenges. For one, uneven ground and changing geological conditions can increase the risk of accidents, especially when heavy equipment is involved. Operators need to ensure the safety of workers and equipment in these dynamic environments.

Varying pit conditions can also lead to excessive wear and tear on mining equipment, such as haul trucks and loaders. Maintenance becomes challenging as equipment may require more frequent servicing and repairs, inevitably impacting safety, productivity, and efficiency. Poor or inconsistent pit conditions slow down the mining process and add months and years to the life of mine while daily operational costs continue to increase.

Key Client Challenges

How do we accurately assess the current state of pit conditions on a mine with real-time data, including terrain, geological features, and stability?

What measures can we set in place to control erosion, dust, and other environmental impacts associated with pit conditions?

How do we accurately predict and manage changes in pit conditions that could affect the quality of the mined material or ore grades?

How YCP Unison Can Help

The integration of advanced technology solutions like remote sensing, GPS, and automation for tracking equipment performance, is growing increasingly common as a solution to manage varying pit conditions. However, data integration and fully leveraging data for decision-making remains challenging for many mines.

Our experts at YCP Unison can work closely with your teams to develop a strategy to manage pit conditions, mitigating the risks associated with geological variations. This includes strategizing and implementing the processes, systems, controls and KPIs needed to incentivize behavior changes needed adjust to new ways of working with technology, new and improved ways of handling equipment, and adhering to clear and defined roles and responsibilities in assessing risk.