Optimising the extractive capacity of the mining loading and haulage fleet at Nchanga Open Pit Mine, Zambia

Abstract

Nchanga Open Pit (NOP), a business unit under Konkola Copper Mines plc (KCM), has been undertaking processing plant improvement projects, namely elevated temperature leaching, heap leaching, and cobalt/copper separation, in order to scale up its operations. These improvements have extended the life of mine (LoM) by 4 years. Consequently, all upstream components of the value chain had to be harmonized with these improvements in order to curb loss of value. This study was undertaken in order to optimize the fleet in terms of size and remaining life. In order to achieve this aim, production planning, fleet optimization, and fleet management were reviewed and analysed based on generic formulae, match factor theory, and queuing theory, while fleet simulation was done using Talpac software. Results of the study indicate that there is need for NOP to invest in machinery by either re-capitalizing the current fleet or resorting to a more cost-effective haulage system.