Mining Institute, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russia:

V. L. Yakovlev, Chief Researcher, Counselor to the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, yakovlev@igduran.ru
G. D. Karmaev, Senior Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences
V. A. Bersenev, Senior Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences
I. G. Sumina, Research Engineer

The article presents the comparison between the efficiencies of the cyclical-and-continuous technology (CCT) with the transport by trucks and conveyor belts and the cyclical technology with the transport by trucks in deep open pit mining. Based on the analysis of the resultant relations between produced rock transportation cost, transportation volume and distance from the crush-and-load station in the pit and the receiving station on the pitwall, it is recommended on the time of introduction of CCT in open pit mines and on preferable application conditions for the transport by trucks and by truck and conveyor belts for ore and hard overburden. It is validated that in deep open pit mining of hard minerals, with the high preset production output and relatively short lifespan, it is expedient to introduce CCT with the transport of ore by trucks and conveyor belts from the very beginning of operation. Construction of the crush-and-load station at the external haul road made at a relatively shallow depth from the ground surface and close to the conveyor belt is better to carry out in the period of the open pit mine construction. With elongation of the crushing and conveying line, the conveyor belt is placed in the half-cut road. Then, the crush-and-load station equipped with crushers and loaders is advised to be placed on the ultimate pitwall up to the end of mining. In hard overburden removal with CCT, the transport by trucks and conveyor belts is more efficiency than the transport by trucks given the crush-and-load station is arranged at a depth of 90 m in the open pit mine. The comparison of the modes of transport in terms of the overall capital and operating costs expands the limits of efficient application of the transport by trucks and conveyor belts. This mode of transport is preferable if the annual transportation makes more than 6 and 11 Mt at a distance from the crush-and-load station in the pit to the receiving station on the pitwall of 2.0 and 0.5 km, respectively.
This article has been prepared based on the research findings within Project No. 15-11-5-7 of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

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