McCarthy P L, 1999.

Driving Down Haulage Costs, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

Selection of Shaft Hoisting or Decline

Trucking for Underground Mines
By P L McCarthy

Introduction
The progression from open pit mining to underground mining via a decline to shaft hoisting can be logically determined.
The economic transition from decline haulage to shaft haulage depends on several factors, particularly the production rate
and depth of mining.
Advances in trucking technology in recent years has extended the depth of changeover from truck haulage to shaft haulage.
Future advancements in trucking technology will challenge the current changeover limits.
This presentation discusses the economic and practical parameters which determine the transition from decline to shaft
haulage in underground mines.

____________________
1. Managing Director, AMC Consultants Pty Ltd,
19/114 William Street, Melbourne Vic 3000.
E-mail: pmccarthy@amcconsultants.com.au

Ore handling; decline haulage verses shaft hoisting

BROKEN ORE
Decline Haulage From Stope/draw point Shaft Hoisting
Load Haul Dump Unit Load Haul Dump Unit

Truck Truck

Surface Stockpile Ore Pass

Reclaim Loader Primary Crusher

Surface Processing Crushed Ore

Plant Storage

Conveyor

Loading Station

Skip

Headframe Bin

Conveyor

Surface Processing
Plant
Selection of Shaft Hoisting or Decline Trucking for Underground Mines

Northcote and Barnes 1973

Decline haulage with 35-40t trucks.
Truck speed 7kph uphill on an average 1 in 10 grade.
Mine production less than 1 mtpa.
12% discount rate.
Trucking depth limit 350m if sufficient ore below 350m to amortise shaft over 15 years.

Comparison of the Economics of Truck Haulage and Shaft Hoisting of Ore from Mining Operations by GG Northcote and ELS
Barnes in The AusIMM Sydney Branch Transportation Symposium October 1973

McCarthy and Livingstone 1993

Decline haulage with 40-50t trucks (Toro 40D and Elphinstone 73B).
Gradients 1 in 7, 1 in 8, 1 in 9 considered.
Mine production rates 0.25 to 1.5 Mtpa.
10% discount rate.
Shaft never economically justified within range considered.
Depth and tonnage limits set by truck performance and ventilation.

Shaft or Decline? An Economic Comparison by PL McCarthy and R Livingstone in Open Pit to Underground: Making the Transition
AIG Bulletin 14, 1993 pp45-56

Additional cost of hoisting shaft (1993 results)

DYNAMIC MODEL RESULTS

COST PENALTY FOR RAISEBORED SHAFT
ADDITIONAL DISCOUNTED TOTAL COST

25.0

20.0

15.0
250,000 TPA
($M)

500,000 TPA
750,000 TPA
10.0

5.0

0.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

YEAR OF COMMISSIONING SHAFT

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Selection of Shaft Hoisting or Decline Trucking for Underground Mines

Additional cost of bored hoisting shaft (1993 results)

DYNAMIC MODEL RESULTS

ADDITIONAL DISCOUNTED TOTAL COST COST PENALTY FOR CONVENTIONALLY SUNK SHAFT

25.0

20.0

250,000 TPA
15.0
500,000 TPA
($M)

750,000 TPA
1,000,000 TPA
10.0
1,250,000 TPA

5.0

0.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

YEAR OF COMMISSIONING SHAFT

Moser 1997
Survey of about 50 mines.
Former open pits developed as declines to 600m depth and 600,000tpa.
New mines less than 300m depth and less than 400,000tpa then decline only.
New mines more than 400,000tpa or more than 300m deep have a hoisting shaft.

Shaft Versus Ramps - An Empirical Decision Model by P Moser in SME Annual Meeting Denver Colorado February 1997

Cannington Study

1200

1000

SHAFT DOMINANT
TIPPING DEPTH BELOW SURFACE metres

800

600

400

200

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000

Shaft Shaft Projects Conveyor

Electric Truck Electric Truck Projects Diesel Truck
ANNUAL TONNAGE kTpa
Diesel Truck Projects CANNINGTON CADJEBUT

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Selection of Shaft Hoisting or Decline Trucking for Underground Mines

Recent Truck Studies

Callie Project (Normandy).
Kanowna Belle Project (North).
Ridgeway Project (Newcrest).
General confirmation that a hoisting shaft is difficult to justify economically to depths of 800m or more and mining rates to
1.5Mtpa.
New truck technology will potentially extend these limits or further improve the advantage of trucking over hoisting.

Haulage Options
Single Decline Truck Haulage.
Multi-Purpose, cost effective particularly for short life operations.
Twin Decline Truck Haulage.
Similar to above with minimised trucking delays.
Larger possible fleet sizes and higher production rates.
In some instances where shaft hoisting is not economically feasible, and where a single decline limits production capacity,
there is an economically justifiable case for twin decline haulage.
Shaft Hoisting.
Provides high production rates particularly from deep operations.
High initial capital outlay.

Haulage Method Selection; Influencing Factors

Ore reserve, production rate, mining method & ground conditions.
Depth of orebody below surface/portal.
The need for a decline for service access.
Development schedule and planned mine life.
Vertical and lateral advance rates and coverage required with respect to the size and shape of the orebody and production
rate.
The type and condition of existing infrastructure (ie exploration shafts/declines) and their potential utilisation.
Haulage distances to the shaft.
Ventilation requirements/capacity.

Trucking Technology
50 tonne payload capacity diesel trucks have become the benchmark for high production underground mining operations.
These trucks are capable of reliably hauling up a 1 in 7 decline at approximately 9 km/h.
Computer management systems for engines and drivelines and other advancements have;
Reduced fuel consumption and emissions, whilst increasing power outputs.
Reduced down time, increased servicing/rebuild intervals and lower operating costs.
Future trucking improvements will include greater payloads (60 to 80t), more powerful fuel efficient diesel engines, greater
ramp haulage speeds, lower down times, increased service rebuild intervals and better ergonomics.

New Generation Trucks

Representative makes and models;

Truck Type Model Engine Nominal Capacity

Rigid Body Diesel Elphinstone 73 D 509kW 52.2t
Articulated Body Diesel Wagner MT5000 485kW 50t
410kW rms
Articulated Body Electric Kiruna K1050E 50t
650kw (30min)
Diesel Ramp Truck Tamrock 1000kW 80t

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Selection of Shaft Hoisting or Decline Trucking for Underground Mines

Decline Gradient
No advantage flatter than 1 in 8.
Modern trucks comfortable on 1 in 7, but rear-wheel drive trucks cause more road damage in difficult floor conditions.
Articulated trucks capable of up to 1 in 5 without adverse cycle times.
Truck maintenance costs increase steadily with increasing gradient.
Road maintenance becomes more difficult and costly with increasing gradient and may become impractical at steep grades
with water inflows.
Safety hazard may increase with gradient.
Some states apply shaft rules at steep gradients.

Operating Costs
Direct operating costs from first principles for fleet hauling from 550m below portal

Make Model $/t Note

Wagner MT5000 3.4 Low profile
Elphinstone 73D 3 Additional decline capital required
Retard problems at this duty. Cost
Kiruna K1050E 2
asumes very cheap grid power.
Tamrock Ramp Truck 1.7 In development

Practical Constraints on Shaft Decision

Environmental issues (carbon, energy etc).
Occupational Health and Safety.
Option for increased mining rate and depth with further discovery.

Simulation Modelling
AMC has developed a multi-use simulation software, which is capable of modelling real life circumstances including truck
and shaft haulage systems.
The simulation allows dynamic interaction and modelling of the entire ore handling system from the stope to the
concentrator and beyond if required. Some parameters modeled are;
Fleet size, type, performance characteristics, loads, speeds, break downs, maintenance, utilisation, delays, passing,
loading, availability of ore, other traffic
The simulation allows evaluating and quantifying of alternative mine layouts, passing bay distances, location of ore sources,
ore/waste/fill tipping and sources, impact of surge capacity, instantaneous handling rates required and queuing of LHDs.

Simulation Modelling
Simulation allows the optimisation of each haulage function to operate on the system availability/capacity rather than its
individual. Hence significant cost benefits and increased outputs can be achieved by identifying and alleviating limiting
factors.
Similarly, shaft hoisting, including any trucking and conveyor components can be simulated for optimisation of output.

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Selection of Shaft Hoisting or Decline Trucking for Underground Mines

Screen captures from within Areana a software-modelling package

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Selection of Shaft Hoisting or Decline Trucking for Underground Mines

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Selection of Shaft Hoisting or Decline Trucking for Underground Mines

Daily Ore Tonnes Hauled

Average Total Production

6,000
5% Chance of Greater
5,000 Production
Daily Tonnes Tipped

10% Chance of Greater

4,000 Production
25% Chance of Greater
Production
3,000
75% Chance of Greater
Production
2,000
90% Chance of Greater
Production
1,000
95% Chance of Greater
Production
0 Target
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Total Truck Fleet

Truck Fleet Availability and Utilisation

Break Down
100%
Scheduled
Maintenance
80%
Servicing
Proportion of Time

60% Work Break

Waiting for job

40%
Queued

20% Delayed

Working
0%
8 10 12 14
Total Truck Fleet

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