Mining system

Abstract

A method of mining ore in a mine pit ( 3 ) and a mine are disclosed. The method comprises drilling and blasting ore in a bench ( 19 ) of ore within the mine pit and collecting ore blasted from the bench from a floor ( 5 ) of the mine pit using at least one mobile excavation machine ( 11 ). The method also comprises delivering ore that has been collected by the mobile excavation machine to at least one mobile-in-pit crusher ( 41 ), and transporting crushed ore to outside the pit on at least one ladder conveyor ( 23 ) that extends up the wall of the pit.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method of mining ore in a mine pit that comprises the steps of:
 (a) drilling and blasting ore in a bench of ore within the mine pit;   (b) collecting ore blasted from the bench from a floor of the mine pit using at least one mobile excavation machine;   (c) delivering ore that has been collected by the mobile excavation machine to at least one mobile-in-pit crusher for crushing ore to an overall reduced size ore; and   (d) transporting crushed ore to outside the pit on at least one ladder conveyor that extends up the wall of the pit.   
     
     
         30 . The method defined in  claim 29 , wherein step (c) comprises delivering ore that has been collected by the mobile excavation machine to at least one mobile flexible conveyor within the mine pit and transporting ore away from the excavation machine on the conveyor and delivering ore to the in-pit crusher and crushing ore to the overall reduced size ore. 
     
     
         31 . The method defined in  claim 30 , wherein the mobile flexible conveyor meets any one or more of three basic requirements, namely (a) is sufficiently mobile to keep pace with an associated mobile excavation machine or other mobile machine while operating and transporting ore on the conveyor, (b) allows lateral, flexible movement whilst operating and transporting ore on the conveyor and, by way of example be capable of moving up or down steps of up to 400 mm in a pit floor, and (c) allows lengthwise extension and contraction while operating and transporting ore on the conveyor. 
     
     
         32 . The method defined in  claim 30  or  claim 31 , comprising delivering ore that has been collected by the mobile excavation machine to at least one mobile holding and feeding device within the mine pit and delivering the ore via the mobile holding and feeding device to the mobile flexible conveyor. 
     
     
         33 . The method defined in  claim 29 , wherein the in-pit crusher is located proximate blasted ore to minimise the travel distance to the crusher. 
     
     
         34 . The method defined in  claim 33 , wherein the in-pit crusher is a mobile crusher and the method comprises moving the crusher about the mine pit from time to time in response to increasing pit depth and/or change of location of mining activities. 
     
     
         35 . The method defined in  claim 29 , comprising transporting crushed ore from the in-pit crusher in at least one haulage truck within the mine pit to the ladder conveyor. 
     
     
         36 . The method defined in  claim 29 , comprising transporting crushed ore from the in-pit crusher on at least one mobile trunk conveyor that extends along a section of the pit floor to the ladder conveyor. 
     
     
         37 . The method defined in  claim 29 , comprising delivering ore that has been collected by the mobile excavation machine to at least one mobile trunk conveyor that extends from a location proximate the blasted ore and along a section of the pit floor to the in-pit crusher located proximate the ladder conveyor. 
     
     
         38 . The method defined in  claim 37 , comprising (a) delivering ore that has been collected by the mobile excavation machine to at least one mobile flexible conveyor located proximate the blasted ore, (b) transporting the ore along the mobile flexible conveyor to at least one trunk conveyor that extends along a section of the pit floor to the in-pit crusher, and (c) transporting the ore along the trunk conveyor to the in-pit crusher. 
     
     
         39 . The method defined in  claim 29 , comprising transferring crushed ore that has been transported up the wall of the pit along the ladder conveyor onto at least one main conveyor and transporting the ore along the main conveyor to a processing plant and/or a load out station. 
     
     
         40 . A mine that comprises at least one pit having a pit floor and a pit wall that defines at least a part of the pit, at least one mobile excavation machine for collecting ore that has been blasted from a bench in the pit, at least one mobile in-pit crusher for crushing the ore to an overall reduced size ore, at least one ladder conveyor that extends up the wall of the pit for transporting crushed ore from the pit. 
     
     
         41 . The mine defined in  claim 40 , comprising at least one flexible mobile conveyor in the pit for transporting ore away from the excavation machine and delivering ore to the in-pit crusher. 
     
     
         42 . The mine defined in  claim 41 , wherein the mobile flexible conveyor meets any one or more of three basic requirements, namely (a) is sufficiently mobile to keep pace with an associated mobile excavation machine or other mobile machine while operating and transporting ore on the conveyor, (b) allows lateral, flexible movement whilst operating and transporting ore on the conveyor and, by way of example be capable of moving up or down steps of up to 400 mm in a pit floor, and (c) allows lengthwise extension and contraction while operating and transporting ore on the conveyor. 
     
     
         43 . The mine defined in  claim 40 , comprising at least one mobile trunk conveyor that extends along a section of the pit floor for transporting blasted ore at least a part of the distance from the mobile excavating machine to the ladder conveyor. 
     
     
         44 . The mine defined in  claim 40 , comprising at least one mobile flexible conveyor within the mine pit for transporting mined ore at least a part of the distance from the mobile excavating machine to the in-pit crusher. 
     
     
         45 . The mine defined in  claim 40 , wherein the pit wall is a steep wall, i.e. at least 20°, more typically at least 30°, in many instances at least 65° to the horizontal. 
     
     
         46 . The mine defined in  claim 40 , wherein the pit wall is at least 20 m and typically at least 40 m high. 
     
     
         47 . The mine defined in  claim 40 , wherein the ladder conveyor is a single conveyor from the pit floor to a rim of the mine pit and extends up the pit wall without transfer points along the length of the conveyor, i.e. without the ore being off-loaded at an upper end of one section of the conveyor and loaded onto a lower end of a successive section of the conveyor. 
     
     
         48 . The mine defined in  claim 40 , comprising a plurality of pits and at least one main conveyor outside the pits for transporting mined and/or collected ore from the pits to a processing plant or a load-out station.