Mine planning and design for mining engineering learners at wits university

Abstract

The School of Mining Engineering (Wits Mining) at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) has a final-year course called 'Mine Design'. The objective of this course is to ensure that students utilize the knowledge gained not only during the four years of coursework, but also during their vacation work, to conduct a mine planning and design exercise at the prefeasibility study level. The overall objective of the course is to enable the students to follow a rigorous method of ascertaining the technical and economic viability of a project. Any conclusion arrived at, either positive or negative, is acceptable provided that logical and quantifiable reasons are given. The students have to use mine planning software in order to complete the study. The setting up of a practical layout for a proposed mining operation, with the associated expenditure, will permit the students to make a substantiated recommendation regarding the viability of mining the deposit. In order to include ventilation aspects, only underground design projects are made available. Mine planning and design is done in groups, and each group prepares a coherent and professionally consolidated report and presentation that are presented to staff members, external examiners, and their peers. To assist the students to complete the project, the fully-equipped Mine Design Laboratory is made available. This paper looks into the steps that are involved for a successful completion of the Mine Design course.