Modeling and Simulation in Mining – Its Time Has Finally Arrived
by John R. Sturgul
Simulation Reference Local Copy
SIMULATION
DOI: 10.1177/003754970107600509
SIMULATION 2001; 76; 286
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One of the first computer simulations in any field was the first mine simulation model written in 1961 by Karsten Rist [1]. This model was a life-like representation of an actual underground molybdenum mine. It was used to determine the optimum number of trains needed on a haulage level. Loaded trains had to queue at a portal and wait until the single track was clear and then wait until the crusher area was free. This simulation study was used to show how, as the number of trains increased, production would eventually reach a plateau. While this is intuitively obvious, it took a simulation model to actually prove it. Mine equipment is very expensive. For example, a large haulage truck can easily cost around $US 2,000,000. Hence, any savings can be substantial. This first model allowed the engineers the opportunity to determine the exact number of trains to have in their mine.
The dissertation of the student from Porto who contacted Karsten to get a copy of the original Mining Simulation Paper
Em Torno da Dinâmica Não-Linear de Sistemas Discretos de Carga e Transporte
João Paulo Meixedo dos Santos Silva
Departamento de Minas Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto
24 de Maio de 2005
Dissertação apresentada à Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto para prestação de provas de Doutoramento em Ciências de Engenharia
sob a orientação de:
Professor Doutor Carlos Manuel Novais Madureira
Professor Doutor Henrique Sérgio Botelho de Miranda
Professor Doutor Alexandre Júlio Machado Leite
2.1.2 Evolução histórica
A simulação por computador é uma ferramenta muito poderosa de análise de processos, que tem vindo a ser utilizada regularmente desde a década de 1960, com vista a permitir compreender melhor as diversas operações mineiras, das quais destacamos os sistemas de carga e transporte.
De acordo com John Sturgul1 , uma das primeiras simulações em computador foi efectuada por Karsten Rist em 1961, precisamente no campo da engenharia de minas, e representava o sistema de transportes em cada nível de uma mina subterrânea de molibdénio, onde as vagonetas cheias tinham de enfrentar dois locais com fila de espera: um primeiro onde aguardavam por uma via livre e, em seguida, junto ao primário, para que pudessem descarregar. O objectivo era o de averiguar quais as causas e em que condições se processava um fenómeno previamente detectado – a constatação de que à medida que se ia aumentando o número de vagonetas, a produção ia aumentando até eventualmente atingir um patamar. O modelo provou que o fenómeno – de saturação ou congestionamento – existia.
2.1.2 Historical evolution
Computer simulation is a very powerful tool of process analysis, which has been used regularly since the 1960s, in order to better understand the various mining operations, of which we highlight the load and transport systems.
According to John Sturgul1, one of the first computer simulations was performed by Karsten Rist in 1961, precisely in the field of mine engineering, and represented the transport system at each level of an underground molybdenum mine, where full wagons had to Facing two places with a queue: a first one where they waited for a free way and then next to the primary, so that they could unload. The objective was to find out the causes and under what conditions a phenomenon previously detected – the finding that as the number of wagons was increasing, the production was increasing until eventually reaching a plateau. The model proved that the phenomenon – of saturation or congestion – existed.