Normal
Yes you are correct kennasTo maintain an economic pit shell, the amount of waste removed compared to ore mined (the strip ratio) has to be maintained at a level at which the pit still makes money. Once mining commences and a pit design is chosen, it is generally too late to alter its shape, unless the gold price goes to astronomical levels I suppose .Even extending a pit below its current optimised shell by a few tens of meters would have an enormous impact on its profitability, as this potentially adds millions of tonnes of extra waste to be removed from the walls by making it wider, as shag and yourself mentioned.
Yes you are correct kennas
To maintain an economic pit shell, the amount of waste removed compared to ore mined (the strip ratio) has to be maintained at a level at which the pit still makes money. Once mining commences and a pit design is chosen, it is generally too late to alter its shape, unless the gold price goes to astronomical levels I suppose .
Even extending a pit below its current optimised shell by a few tens of meters would have an enormous impact on its profitability, as this potentially adds millions of tonnes of extra waste to be removed from the walls by making it wider, as shag and yourself mentioned.
Hello and welcome to Aussie Stock Forums!
To gain full access you must register. Registration is free and takes only a few seconds to complete.
Already a member? Log in here.
