Gold Mine in Australia
A case study demonstrating how 3D block models of stockpiles facilitated a selective mining strategy to increase gold production
Customer Challenge
High Ore Feed Variability to Plant
The site’s reclaiming operation became suboptimal when stockpiles were treated as a single-grade entity using the ‘Weight Average Model’, making it difficult to consistently access high-grade ore when needed.
The site presented high variability in mill feed quality with ore sourced from different stockpiles.
The two primary stockpiles displayed different gold grades distributions across the pile, complicating the selection of ore mill feed.
How We Helped
3D Block Model of Stockpiles
Utilizing the 3D block models of stockpiles created by the Stockpile and Inventory Optimization Application, the engineering team was able to accurately pinpointed the most accessible regions of stockpile targeting higher-grade ore.
Analysis of different benches within the selected stockpile to refine the strategic process of reclaiming and blending.
Implementation of dynamic monitoring of stockpile grades (with material inventory dashboards) enabled adjustments to mining targets and strategies for future extraction.
The Outcome
Increased Gold Production
Achieved an increase in average ore grade reclaimed from 0.80 g/t to 0.84 g/t.
Direct financial gain from additional gold production exceeds USD 1.5 million (per reclaim campaign), within 1-2 weeks.
Enhanced operational efficiency and proactive management of ore quality.
The selective mining strategy directly supports the site’s goal of maximizing gold production and economic returns.
Discover how Stockpile & Inventory Optimization can be applied to your operation
