Abstract

MONTEIRO, C.A.; VAN LAAR, J.H.  and  SCHUTTE, C.S.L.. A simulation-based water management strategy for life-of-mine water planning. S. Afr. J. Ind. Eng. [online]. 2022, vol.33, n.3, pp.248-261. ISSN 2224-7890.  https://doi.org/10.7166/33-3-2787.

Adequate water distribution in mines is crucial for both cooling and production. As deep-level mines become deeper, the water requirements, and the subsequent dewatering requirements, also increase. Numerous studies on mine dewatering planning exist; however, these studies fail to recognise the integrated nature of the water system, which comprises the service water supply and the dewatering system. These studies also commonly neglect service water distribution and intensity, life-of-mine water planning, and the use of zero-waste baselines. In this study, a generic simulation-based water management strategy is proposed. The strategy should 1) include both service and dewatering water systems, 2) account for dynamic production plans, and 3) allow for life-of-mine modelling. Data from underground audits were used to develop a baseline model along with the mine plans and survey data. Applying the management strategy to a case study mine resulted in predictions that were accurate to within 5% for future plans.

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