Research Area:  Metaheuristic Computing

Abstract:

Blasting outcomes have significant impacts on downstream mining operations such as loading, hauling, crushing, milling, and mineral processing. An ideal blasting plan can result in decrease in undesirable blast-induced impacts and in supplementary costs of downstream operations. This study developed a new mathematical model using a risk-based probability distribution and mixed integer programming concept to minimize the total costs associated with blasting operation. Exponential and Poisson functions were used to consider the probability of undesirable blast-induced impacts in the model. Costs for balancing undesirable blast-induced consequences were considered by relative values based on probabilistic conditions of the consequences. The base code of firefly algorithm was developed to solve the mathematical model and find a new blasting plan based on the data of several blasting plans executed in a limestone mine. Comparison between the results of the mathematical modeling and the literature indicates the efficiency of the former by a reduction of 23% in total costs. The mathematical model and the risk-based probabilistic part of the methodology can be updated and applied easily to extract the best possible blasting plan for the same geomechanical conditions.

Keywords:  
Mine blasting
Downstream operation costs
Environmental impacts
Risk-based probabilistic programming
Mixed integer programming

Author(s) Name:   Ezzeddin Bakhtavar, Rehan Sadiq & Kasun Hewage

Publisher name:  Springer

DOI:  10.1007/s11053-021-09935-0

Volume Information:  volume 30, pages 4789–4806 (2021)

Paper Link:   https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11053-021-09935-0