Step 3 - Determine Haul Distances and Routes

Determine Haul Distances and Routes (See Summary for main points) After production rate, haul distance is the most significant parameter to be determined. Haul distances and road gradients will be used first to determine haulage equipment requirements and hours of operation, and then later to determine road construction and maintenance requirements and costs. Begin by dividing the haul roads into segments with obvious grade differences. Number the segments in sequence and determine the gradients of each by determining the elevation gain or loss for each segment divided by its length, expressed as a percentage. Commonly, a minimum of two segments, and rarely more than six segments, are required to express haulage gradients in sufficient detail for purposes of determining haulage productivity and costs. For an initial estimate, the approximate center of mass of the ore and waste zones can be used as the starting point for haulage. Example step 3: The distances for each road segment are measured from the generalized mine plan map shown in Example step 1. The gradient percentage is determined by dividing the elevation change for a segment by the length of the segment. The distances and gradients for each segment are listed below. The in-pit haul road gradients are specified by design to be on gradients of 10%.

More detailed estimates More preliminary work would be done to define haul road distances and gradients. This might include detailed pit planning and actual surveying of the haul road routes, or it might simply include more detailed plotting on a topographic map with more careful measurement of distances and elevation changes. Obviously, haul distances, and hence haulage costs, will vary from one part of the pit to another, and from one bench to another. Typically, the gradient for the pit haul road will be consistent from the

top of the pit to the ultimate bottom, but the total haul distance will increase from bench to bench as the pit is deepened. The change in haul distance from one bench to another is easily computed knowing the road gradient and the bench height, e.g. the haul distance differential between two 20 meter benches, assuming a 10% pit road gradient would be 200 meters. The haul distance differential is the key parameter difference between the cost of mining one block of ore or waste compared to another. This is a very useful tool for estimating bench by bench costs for pit optimization procedures, or for life of mine cash flow calculations. Less detailed estimates No attempt should be made to estimate mining costs without first making at least a minimal effort to estimate haulage distances. A rudimentary estimate can be completed without consideration of road gradients provided haul distances are known. An average truck speed can be assumed for the hauls, but where actual road gradients are variable, the estimate may be severely in error. You have covered the following points in Part 2: Itemized Cost Estimation: Planning.

the advantages of the itemized cost estimate method the twelve steps to an itemized cost estimate how to develop a conceptual mine (step 1) how to determine ore and waste production rates (step 2) how to determine haul distances and routes (step 3)