Computerized dragline mine planning

A computerized dragline mine planning package that can be adapted to all mining environments, including mountainous terrain, is being developed at Queen’s University. This package differs from most others presently available on the market in that it avoids taking a ‘Black Box’ approach to mine planning. All decision making, such as positioning the dragline and the placement of the spoil, will be left to the engineer. With this package, the computer is used as a tool to speed up the time consuming aspects of the design work such as calculating and tabulating all waste, coal and spoil volumes and drawing and updating plans and sections. 3D images of the mine can also be generated at any stage of the mining operation. The computer also regulates the planning operations by ensuring that digging and spoiling stay within the operating limits of the dragline. This paper outlines the general approach being taken to develop this computerized dragline mine planning package.