Mine Development
The proposed Olympic Dam expansion is a unique challenge for all involved. Developing an open pit mine next to a large underground operation that is already in full production demands an innovative approach from a design, scheduling and pit optimisation point of view.
Mine Operations
The proposed mining operation will require the removal of a significant quantity of overburden to expose the ore at a depth of approximately 350 metres. The pre-mine pit is in flat lying sedimentary cover including lime stone and sandstone. Once ore has been exposed then it is anticipated a sequence of push-backs will be used for the continued operation.
The mine
- Estimated one million tonnes of total movement per day (around 350 million tonnes of total movement a year).
- Estimated 100,000 tonnes per day of ore to the plant once commissioned.
- 15-18m benches.
- 65m wide ramps (2 lanes up for traffic management).
Drill and blast
Large drills will be used for the mining operation. It is anticipated there will be a drill per shovel to ensure that blasted floor stocks will be available for each shovel. In addition to the production drills there is a need for pre-split drilling to aid in blasting control on the walls of the pit.
Dewatering
Minimal dewatering of the proposed mining area is expected although at least two rock units contain water and will need dewatering pre-mining. As much as is practicable all water will be re-used in the mining operation. Management of dust is important to the operation and infrastructure needs to be in place to support this.
Operations Training & Development
In order to support the start up of the mining operations a training and development group is being established. It is anticipated that a significant training facility will be constructed. The project will need to recruit and train a significant number of operators.
Also see: Geology and Geometallurgy