Mining operations involve a complex and multidimensional process. Among its essential stages are blasting, loading and transportation, crushing, and finally, mineral processing.
- Blasting Blasting is a crucial step aimed at fragmenting the rock using explosives. This operation must be precisely planned to optimize fragment size while minimizing vibrations and environmental impact (Gertsch & Bullock, 2020).
- Loading and Transportation After blasting, the rock fragments are loaded onto transport equipment such as trucks or conveyors. These steps are influenced by the mine’s geometry and productivity objectives (Singh et al., 2018).
- Crushing Crushing is performed to further reduce the size of the rock fragments so that they meet the requirements of processing equipment. This step is essential to maximize the efficiency of downstream processing (Gupta & Yan, 2016).
- Mineral Processing This final phase involves separating valuable minerals from waste materials. Methods include flotation, leaching, or extractive metallurgy, depending on the type of ore (Wills & Finch, 2016).
References
Gertsch, R. E., & Bullock, R. L. (2020). Techniques and Practices in Underground Mining. SME.
Gupta, A., & Yan, D. (2016). Mineral Processing Design and Operations: An Introduction (2nd ed.). Elsevier.
Singh, U., Yadav, K. K., & Tiwari, S. K. (2018). Optimization of Loading and Haulage Operations in Open-Pit Mines. Journal of Mining Science, 54(4), 671-679. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062739118040066
Wills, B. A., & Finch, J. A. (2016). Wills’ Mineral Processing Technology: An Introduction to the Practical Aspects of Ore Treatment and Mineral Recovery (8th ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann.
