MSAHP: An approach to mining method selection

Abstract

Mining method selection is the most fundamental activity of a mining study, because everything else depends on it. It is a process whereby the mining method attributes are matched to the orebody characteristics. This crucial decision must invariably be made at a stage of the study when the least information is available. Method selection with Analytic Hierarchy Process (MSAHP) is based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and was developed in Microsoft Excel™. It was designed to facilitate good decisions based on expert judgement and sparse data according to a systematic mathematical process. The program matches the attributes of 10 mining methods to the characteristics of the orebody under review and results in the ranking of the mining methods according to their suitability to the orebody. The underlying premise of MSAHP is that the mining method best suited to the orebody will also be the most economical.