Modelling for degreasing the mining equipment downtime by optimizing blasting period at Erdenet surface mine

Abstract

Erdenet copper-molybdenum deposit is the biggest one in the world and has a significant impact on Mongolian society and economy. Today LIEBHERR-994B hydraulic shovels from Germany, electric shovels including EKG-10 and EKG-15 from Russia operate for the mining works, and dump truck BelAZ - 75130 used for transportation. The causes of shovel downtime are classified as technical, technological, and organizational. During the study period, 41% of the total downtime of the excavator’s park was technical, 45% was technological, and 11% was organizational downtime. For shovels, 7% of technological downtime is due to blasting, and for dump trucks 8.7%. In open-pit mining, blasting is performed on a weekly basis, so the duration of this technological downtime can be considered almost constant. If the time between blasts or period of blasting can be arranged optimally, it will be possible to reduce mining equipment’s downtime due to blasting.