Technological parameters and operation arrangement of stripping machines in chernogorksy open pit mine

Abstract

Many coal mines in Russia tend toward increasing their production output. Chernogorsky open pit mine, having expanded output by more than 30% for the last five years, is not exclusion. As output is increased whereas geological conditions complicate, technological parameters and production efficiency change. For example, in the open pit, percentage of overburden removal with direct dumping has greatly shrunk as against the truck-and-shovel system. In the meanwhile, the cost of stripping with the tuck-and-shovel system is much higher than in direct dumping by walking excavators. This article gives an analysis of technological parameters, open pit mining system parameters and stripping arrangement at the mine. The authors examine costs of stripping machinery maintenance and compare specific capacities of equipment in use. The modeling results on further increase in productivity of the open pit mine and in capacity of walking excavators are presented with the calculated optimized height of bench for stripping with direct dumping. The reserves available to increase stripping efficiency lie, in the authors’ opinion, in the system of resource allocation for equipment operability maintenance and personnel motivation.