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Lerchs-Grossman Pit Optimization Steps

The Lerchs-Grossman method is a computer-assisted method for designing the optimal open pit mine based on a vertical section. It involves 3 main steps: 1) Calculating the cumulative net value down each column of blocks in the vertical section. 2) Tracing arrows from the block with highest bottom value to the adjacent block with the highest total value. 3) Tracing the arrows back to outline the pit. This process is repeated for all vertical sections, with the engineer manually smoothing the final pit design. The method eliminates trial-and-error of manual design and is convenient for computer processing.

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Lara Charisse
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916 views11 pages

Lerchs-Grossman Pit Optimization Steps

The Lerchs-Grossman method is a computer-assisted method for designing the optimal open pit mine based on a vertical section. It involves 3 main steps: 1) Calculating the cumulative net value down each column of blocks in the vertical section. 2) Tracing arrows from the block with highest bottom value to the adjacent block with the highest total value. 3) Tracing the arrows back to outline the pit. This process is repeated for all vertical sections, with the engineer manually smoothing the final pit design. The method eliminates trial-and-error of manual design and is convenient for computer processing.

Uploaded by

Lara Charisse
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Introduction to Lerchs-Grossman Method
  • Conceptual Overview
  • Advantages and Disadvantages
  • Step-by-Step Methodology
  • Conclusion

LERCHS-GROSSMAN METHOD

A Computer Assisted Method of Designing


Optimum Pit on a Vertical Section
Designing
Open Pits

Manual Computer
Method Method

Computer-
Automated
Assisted

LERCHS-
GROSSMAN
Lerchs-Grossman
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGE

• it eliminates trial-and- • ultimate pit resulting


error process of from the smoothing of
manually designing the all the vertical sections
pit in each section is probably not optimal

• it is convenient for
computer processing
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

1 -$2 -$2 -$4 -$2 -$2 -$1 -$2 -$3 -$4 -$4 -$3

2 -$5 -$4 -$6 -$3 -$2 -$2 -$3 -$2 -$4 -$5 -$5

3 -$6 -$5 -$7 $6 $13 -$2 -$5 -$4 -$7 -$4 -$6

4 -$6 -$6 -$8 -$8 $17 $8 $5 -$6 -$8 -$9 -$7

5 -$7 -$7 -$8 -$8 $6 $21 $5 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$7

6 -$7 -$9 -$9 -$8 -$5 $22 -$8 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$8

7 -$8 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$8 $10 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9

Figure 1. Vertical section showing the net value* of each block.

*net value if the block is mined and processed independently


STEP 1: Add the values down each column of blocks.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

1 -$2 -$2 -$4 -$2 -$2 -$1 -$2 -$3 -$4 -$4 -$3
2 -$5 -$4 -$6 -$3 -$2 -$2 -$3 -$2 -$4 -$5 -$5
3 -$6 -$5 -$7 $6 $13 -$2 -$5 -$4 -$7 -$4 -$6
4 -$6 -$6 -$8 -$8 $17 $8 $5 -$6 -$8 -$9 -$7
-2 -2
5 -$7 -$7 -$8 -$8 $6 $21 $5 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$7
-7 -6
6 -$7 -$9 -$9 -$8 -$5 $22 -$8 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$8
-13 -11
7 -$8 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$8 $10 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9
-19 -17
-26 -24
-33 -33
-41 -42
The upper value in each block represents the cumulative value
of the material from each block to the surface.
STEP 2: From the top block in the left column and working
down each column, put an arrow pointing to the left-adjacent
block with the highest bottom value.

-4
-2
3

-4
-2
3

-2
-4
3
STEPbottom
The 2: Fromvalue
the top
in each
blockblock
in the
represents
left columntheand
total
working
net value
of (1) material
down each column,
from put
the an
block,
arrow
(2) pointing
the blocksto in
the
the
left-adjacent
column
and (3)with
block thethe
blocks
highest
in the
bottom
pit profile
[Link] the left of the block.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
-2 -2 -4 -2 -2 -1 -2 -3 -4 -4 -3
x
-2 -2
-7 -6 -10 -5 -4 -3 -5 -5 -8 -9 -8
x
-8
-13 -11 -17 1 9 -5 -10 -9 -15 -13 -14
x
-19 -17 -25 -7 26 3 -5 -15 -23 -22 -21
x
-26 -24 -33 -15 32 24 0 -23 -31 -31 -28
x
-33 -33 -42 -23 27 46 -8 -31 -39 -40 -36
x
-41 -42 -51 -32 19 56 -17 -40 -48 -49 -45
x

Upper Value Bottom Value of the block


Bottom Value = of the block + pointed by the arrow
= -2 + 0
= -2
STEP 3: Trace the arrows back to get the outline of the pit
starting from the top row block with the maximum total
value.
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 0
7 80 90 0
10 0
11
-2 -2 -4 -2 -2 -1 -2 -3 -4 -4 -3
x
1 -$2 -2 -$2 -2 -$4 -4 -$2 -2 -$2 -2 -$1 -1 -$2 -2 -$3 2 -$4 -1 -$4 13 -$3 10
-7 -6 -10 -5 -4 -3 -5 -5 -8 -9 -8
x2
-$5 -$4 -8 -$6-12 -$3 -9 -$2 -6 -$2 -3 -$3 5 -$2 3 -$4 17 -$5 8 -$5
-13 -11 -17 1 9 -5 -10 -9 -15 -13 -14
x3
-$6 -$5 -$7-25 $6 -11 $13 0 -$2 10 -$5 8 -$4 25 -$7 16 -$4 -$6
-19 -17 -25 -7 26 3 -5 -15 -23 -22 -21
x4
-$6 -$6 -$8 -$8-32 $17 15 $8 18 $5 34 -$6 31 -$8 -$9 -$7
-26 -24 -33 -15 32 24 0 -23 -31 -31 -28
x5
-$7 -$7 -$8 -$8 $6 0 $21 39 $5 46 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$7
-33 -33 -42 -23 27 46 -8 -31 -39 -40 -36
x6
-$7 -$9 -$9 -$8 -$5 $22 46 -$8 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$8
-41 -42 -51 -32 19 56 -17 -40 -48 -49 -45
x7 -$8 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$8 $10 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9

The optimal pit for this example is $13.


These steps are repeated to all the vertical sections.

Smoothing, or fitting together of all the vertical sections is


done manually by the engineer.

End of Lecture

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