Minimizing dilution and ore loss during extraction is a critical challenge in modern mining, directly impacting resource efficiency, profitability, and environmental sustainability. Scientific research highlights several proven strategies and innovative techniques to address these issues, especially in underground mining methods like sublevel caving (SLC) [1], [2].
Key causes of dilution and ore loss
Dilution occurs when waste rock is unintentionally mixed with ore during extraction, reducing the grade and value of the final product. Ore loss refers to the failure to recover valuable minerals, often due to poor extraction practices or geological factors. Both problems are exacerbated by chaotic material flow, inaccurate geological boundaries, and suboptimal mining designs.
Effective strategies to minimize dilution and ore loss
- Optimized mine design: careful planning of bench heights, slope angles, and drift layouts can reduce the movement of waste material into ore zones, minimizing both dilution and loss.
- Geological modeling: accurate geological models and orebody delineation help operators precisely target ore zones and avoid blending with waste rock.
- Precision drilling and blasting: advanced drill and blast techniques, such as controlled fragmentation and perimeter blasting, reduce over-break and damage to ore boundaries, thus lowering dilution.
- Grade control: real-time grade control systems, including on-board sensors and data analytics, enable selective mining and reduce the risk of blending high- and low-grade materials.
- Innovative extraction techniques: the insert drawing technique (IDM) is a recent innovation that actively controls the flow of ore and waste rock near drawpoints using insert devices. IDM has demonstrated significant improvements in ore recovery rates (up to 30% higher than traditional methods) and a reduction in dilution, especially in steeply inclined orebodies.
Scientific evidence and impact
Recent studies confirm that integrating these strategies can reduce ore loss by up to 3% and dilution by 2% in iron ore mining, with even greater improvements possible using advanced techniques like IDM. For example, IDM has shown ore recovery rates 10–30% higher than conventional methods in various orebody types, directly translating to increased profitability and resource conservation [1], [3].
Conclusion
Minimizing dilution and ore loss requires a combination of advanced technology, precise geological knowledge, optimized mining practices, and continuous improvement. By adopting these evidence-based strategies, mining operations can significantly enhance resource recovery, reduce costs, and improve sustainability.
Reference
[1] X. Meng, T. Long, X. Shi, L. Wang, Z. Zhu, and G. Tao, “A new insert drawing technique for controlling ore loss and dilution during sublevel caving,” Sci Rep, vol. 15, p. 23104, July 2025, doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-07362-2.
[2] M. Doc, “Controlling dilution in underground mining operations,” Mining Doc. Accessed: Oct. 30, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.miningdoc.tech/2025/06/10/controlling-dilution-in-underground-mining-operations/
[3] A. A. Azaryan, O. S. Batareyev, F. I. Karamanits, V. O. Kolosov, and V. S. Morkun, “Ways to Reduce Ore Losses and Dilution in Iron Ore Underground Mining in Kryvbass,” Science and Innovation, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 17–24, 2018, doi: 10.15407/scine14.03.017.
