Dilution Optimization Strategy

With mines often encountering a variety of geological conditions, including changes in ore grade, mineralogy, and rock properties, balancing high-grade ore extraction with minimizing waste and dilution requires accurate geological modeling and real-time data updates. Designing a dilution optimization strategy during mine planning involves addressing several complex challenges to ensure efficient and cost-effective operations.

Every time the ore is handled there is a chance for dilution to creep into the process. Decisions made early in the process at the mine site can significantly impact dilution optimization. For instance, burden, spacing, depth, type of explosives, timing and powder factor are a few of the considerations to mitigate dilution early in the process. Fragmentation, clearly defined dig-limits, and operator skills on the excavators can introduce dilution even when the drilling and blasting are well managed.

Reducing dilution is, arguably, the greatest opportunity overlooked in the mining industry. Effective grade control practices can significantly reduce dilution, by allowing the adjustments of mining plans based on real-time grade information. This will require continuous monitoring, data analysis, and rapid decision-making workflows to achieve significant results.

Key Client Challenges:

1. How do we design an effective dilution optimization strategy which factors in the geological variability of the ore deposit?
2. How accurate are our ore grade estimates?
3. How do we determine the root causes of dilution, such as mining methods, blasting practices, and equipment selection, and target specific areas for improvement?
4. What strategies can we adopt to achieve optimal fragmentation and minimize ore-waste mixing during blasting?
5. What technologies can help with selective mining such as ore sorting, automated equipment, and real-time data analysis for dilution optimization?
6. What is the ideal balance between high-grade extraction and dilution reduction?

Mining personnel need to be adequately trained to implement and manage dilution reduction strategies effectively. By ensuring that employees understand these goals and methods, successful implementation becomes more achievable.

At Unison Mining, our experts can work with your teams to ensure that sufficient training, behavior changes and routines are implemented to secure employee cooperation and ensure sustainable success.