Computer methods for surface mine evaluation in the Appalachian coalfield

The increasing complexity of surface mining operation has resulted in the development of a number of computer models to describe its operation. In this paper, a modified model is used to analyze critical design parameters of a surface mining operation. Research has indicated that there are several design factors which influence the dozer productivity and consequently the productivity of the entire overburden removal system. These are lift or bench width, lift height, the percentage of the overburden removed by dozer stripping. Several analyses are presented which illustrate the variation of both tons per hour and loose cubic yards per hour with lift width, lift height, and percentage dozed. Using this data, values of critical width, are computed to indicate the cut-offs where trapping productivity exceeds that of both the LHS (load-haul-strip) and LHST (load-haul-strip-trap) extraction. 5 references, 8 figures.