Whittle® software – realistic/existing copper deposit (30)
Problem statement
Given a large porphyry copper orebody model from an existing project and other relevant input
parameters, develop strategic mine plans in terms of optimal ultimate pit limit, phase design,
and production schedule using GEOVIA Whittle® software.
Ore body model (files are available on Blackboard):
Model file: CopperModelFile.mod
Parameter file: CopperParameterFile.par
Block model dimensions:
X (Easting) Y (Northing) Elevation
Model origin (m) 12920 9650 30
Block size (m) 20 20 10
Block count 77 56 33
Number of blocks 142,296
Technical/operational and economic inputs:
Element units = Copper (Cu) in %
Pit slope angle = 46°
Copper price = $5,200.00 per tonne of Cu,
Copper treatment, refining and selling charges = $1400.00 per tonne of Cu,
Ore mining cost = $2.00 per tonne of ore,
Waste mining cost = $3.50 per tonne of waste (hard-digging),
Waste rehabilitation cost = $2.50 per tonne of waste,
MCAF = 1.0,
Mining recovery = 100%,
Processing cost = $9.00 per tonne of ore,
Processing recovery = 88%,
Processing capacity = 1,000,000 tonne in Year 1,
Processing capacity expansions: 1,000,000 in Year 2; 1,000,000 in Year 3; 2,000,000 in Year 4.
Discount rate = 10%.
Mining and processing overheads = $1,000,000 per year.
Initial capital cost = $100,000,000, and then $30,000,000 in year 5 and $50,000,000 in year 10.
Perform all the tasks we completed during the Whittle Advance Training Session.
1. Create grade tonnage graph.
2. Create pit shells and evaluate the best option among revenue factor and directional pits.
Select the best direction based on NPV.
3. Perform phase or pushback design through Practical NPV option. Make sure to evaluate the
option for 4 or 3 three phases/pushbacks and decide the best for this operation. With
selected phases/pushbacks perform the Minimum Mining Width analysis by assuming a
mining capacity = 15,000,000 tonnes per year.
a. Select the best among Milawa NPV and Balanced.
b. Select the best processing cut-off grade.
c. Incorporate stockpiles and evaluate their contribution to the operation. Assume
stockpile rehandling cost = $0.25 per tonne. Are stockpiles contributing towards
increase in NPV? If not, then you need to evaluate your stockpiles base-case plans,
and then recommend the changes that would you incorporate into the strategic plan
for this mining operation, so that stockpiles in fact enhance NPV?
d. With stockpile in place and enhancing NPV in (c), evaluate the impact of mining
recovery (99% and 98%), ore dilution (1% and 2%), and processing recovery (87% and
86%).
4. Present a summary of results using Tables and Graphs in a two-page (maximum) MS Word
document.
