P1037

Stope Optimisation and Stope Layout

Sponsors Barrick Gold Corporation BHP Billiton Boliden Minerals AB CAE Mining Deswik Mining Consultants Pty Ltd Maptek Pty Ltd Minerals and Metals Group Ltd MineRP (Australia) Pty Limited Newmont Mining Corporation VALE Canada Ltd Xstrata Nickel Limited	Research Providers *Alford Mining Systems* Mr Chris Alford *AMC Consultants Pty Ltd*

Value : AUD $1,035,000.00	Duration : 3 years
Commenced : 15 Apr 2011	AMIRA : Mr Matthew Dalziel

The stope design portion of P884 - PRIMO from which this project was developed, was focused more at strategic planning, and feasibility studies. Industry sponsors have identified the need for greater levels of detail and improved stope design solutions for medium and short term planning. The optimisation techniques being employed are amenable to more complex stope shapes, and additional design criteria that would follow as greater levels of detail are modelled and optimised. The choice of optimisation criteria, cutoff, penalties and shape geometry parameterisation can all be extended further. This project seeks to develop a complete solution for the optimisation of stope design and stope layout, covering strategic, tactical and operational planning.