Evaluating the Effect of Fleet Management on the Performance of Mining Operations Using Integer Linear Programming Approach and Two Different Strategies

This paper presents an integer linear programming (ILP) model for allocating trucks according to their operating performances in a truck-shovel system of an open-pit mine, so as to minimize the total operating cost of trucks. To evaluate the performance of the proposed model, the model was applied with two different strategies, namely independent fleet management and integrated fleet management. The results of the research in a copper mine case study showed that the developed strategies were capable of handling the operation with a fewer number of trucks than the actual mine strategy. In addition, integrated fleet management indicated ۲% and ۳% cost-savings over the shift compared to strategy ۱ and the mine allocation schedule, respectively.

Keywords:

optimization of truck-shovel allocation , fleet management , integer linear programming model , minimizing operating costs , open-pit mines