Underground hard rock a 40% of the mining operations in the world but it only offers 12% of run-of-mine production. Underground mines can be extremely targeted and costly endeavors when compared to an open pit style of mining. Underground mining requires extensive geological studies as well as skilled operators in order to maximize the value of a mining site. The latest trend in mining looks towards stopping instead of a block carving method. Block carving is used only 25% of the time and mining environments and the changes in mining often come down to the economics of the deposit and the challenges that are in the way of the operators at the mining site.
The labor productivity of stopping often varies by the challenges in each mine and the location of the mine. North America’s higher cost wage can often remove the advantages of stopping other forms of labor-intensive mining. Regions with a lower cost of employment often become a place where this type of mining is favored.
Block carving on the other hand happens more frequently in these areas because of its large share of production and operating expenditures scale. Some of the largest mines in Latin America are utilizing these trends because they are more cost-effective with labor. In the right position and with the right accessible target for ore, it’s possible to reduce the operating expenditure of block mining could something similar to an open pit operation in North America.
Even though block carving accounts for just 4% of the mining methods in the world is responsible for a disproportionate share of the total run of mine for the worldwide stage. Block carving will have the lowest cost per metric ton.
The overall use of labor and the type of mining in every region varies based on productivity as well as the cost addition for labor. It is important to consider which I would work best for your mining site and what you can expect to encounter in worldwide mining operations as well.
Contact us today if you’d like to learn more about the latest technology and trends for hard rock mining.
This post was written by Justin Tidd, Director at https://beckersmcusa.com/. For nearly half a century, Becker Mining has been at the forefront of industry safety. Becker/SMC is the industry’s leader in increasingly more sophisticated electrical control systems. Most of the major innovations, design features, and specialized electrical components have been developed by Becker/SMC.
